Li Galli Islands
Li Galli Islands is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Positano audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type nature
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Positano Positano guide
About Li Galli Islands
A small archipelago 4km offshore, identified in classical antiquity as the home of Homer's Sirens, owned in the 20th century by Rudolf Nureyev, accessible by boat from Positano, with a Saracen tower and a villa built by Le Corbusier.
The Li Galli islands, also known as the Sirenuse or Gallo Lungo archipelago, are three small rocky islands lying approximately 4 kilometres southwest of Positano, rising steeply from the sea to a maximum height of about 80 metres. The largest, called Il Gallo Lungo (the Long Rooster), contains an ancient Saracen tower and a 20th-century villa designed by Le Corbusier for the Russian dancer Léonide Massine. This villa was subsequently acquired by Rudolf Nureyev in 1988. The islands are privately owned and not open to the public, but they can be circumnavigated by boat and offer dramatic views. In classical tradition they were identified as the Sirenum scopuli, the Siren Rocks of Homer's Odyssey, the islands where Odysseus had himself tied to the mast to hear the Sirens' song without being drawn to his death. Whether or not this identification is accurate, it has coloured the cultural identity of the islands for two and a half millennia. The name Sirenuse survives in the Hotel Le Sirenuse, one of the most famous hotels on the Amalfi Coast, which looks out at the islands from its terrace above Positano.
Did you know? The Hotel Le Sirenuse in Positano, one of the most celebrated small luxury hotels in Italy, takes its name from the classical name for the Li Galli islands. The hotel was opened in 1951 in a historic palazzo above the village, and its rooftop terrace, looking out to the Li Galli, is one of the most photographed spots on the Amalfi Coast.
How long should you spend at Li Galli Islands?
Plan about ~60 min at Li Galli Islands. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Li Galli Islands worth visiting?
Li Galli Islands is one of the 12 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Positano, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Positano
Hear the story of Li Galli Islands
Preview the Positano tour free in the Gingerguide app.