This Tiny Island In Italy's Gulf Of Poets Is A Hidden Gem Attraction For History Buffs

Italy is full of some of the best European cities for history buffs to add to their bucket lists. Rome has the ancient Pantheon and the Colosseum where gladiators once fought epic battles, while Florence is filled with gorgeous historical buildings and is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. If you're looking to explore underrated destinations in Italy that have historical significance, then you'll want to visit this tiny island in Italy's Gulf of Poets, which is considered a hidden gem.

While there are many tourist traps to skip in Italy, on a tiny island in the Gulf of Poets, you'll find the enchanting Scola Tower (Torre Scola in Italian) that rises majestically out of the turquoise waters. This tiny pentagonal fortress sits off the northeastern tip of Palmaria in Porto Venere, which is in Liguria, part of the Italian Province of La Spezia. All over the Italian coast you'll find historically significant defense towers that were built centuries ago to protect their people from approaching enemies. While this defense tower may seem small from a distance, the stone structure rises 42-feet out of the sea and was built by the people of Genoa in 1606 to guard the cove Olivo on the Palmaria island as well as the towns of Porto Venere and Lerici.

History buffs with a love of military history will be thrilled to visit the Scola Tower, originally called the Tower of St. John the Baptist (Torre di San Giovanni Battista in Italian) and learn about its interesting and turbulent past. Built with large square stones and boasting 13-foot thick walls, the fort could accommodate up to eight soldiers and had openings that could house up to ten canons. Each of the five corners of the fort also had a turret at the top.

During the Napoleonic War in the early months of 1800, the tower was destroyed during the naval battles between the British and the French, when the British attempted to remove the Napoleonic troops from the Gulf of La Spezia. The tower was left abandoned and in ruins for the first part of the 19th Century before piqued the interest of historian, journalist, and poet, Ubaldo Mazzini from the Ministry of Education. He decided to preserve it before it was scheduled to be completely demolished in 1915. Decades later, further restoration took place between 1976 and 1980.

What if we told you that instead of looking at the Scola Tower from a distance, you can marvel at the magnificent structure up close with a guided tour? From La Spezia, Get Your Guide offers a multitude of tour variations that can whisk you away on a boat tour through the Gulf of Poets that will make you feel as though you'll been transported back in time.

The top rated Portovenere and 3 Islands Boat Trip tour lets you discover the beauty of sea caves and cliffs, as well as the Scola Tower up close. The 2.5-hour long boat tour provides stunning views throughout the Gulf of Poets and passes by the three islands of Tinetto, Tino, and Palmaria, before stopping off at Portovenere to allow you to enjoy 75 minutes of free time to explore at your own pace.