According to legend, Venus, emerging from the waters, dropped seven precious stones from her diadem into the sea, thus begetting the seven islands of the Tuscan archipelago. Elbe is the most famous, but the islands of Giglio, Capraia, Montecristo, Pianosa, Giannutri and Gorgona all provide a setting of mountainous relief and unspoilt nature, which owes its richness to the diversity of the coasts and the sea life. This national park, created in 1996 to protect the ecosystem of the islands and of the 60 000ha of sea surrounding them, is the largest marine park in Europe.