It’s incredible to believe that this rocky formation, bearing a striking resemblance to a leaping dolphin from its perfectly sculpted head to its curving tail, is a genuine creation amidst a world filled with man-made islands (not to mention the existence of Photoshop).
Yet, it’s undeniably real, and that’s not the only magical aspect I’m referring to.
This Island Is Literally Shaped Like a Dolphin
Another view of Isola Lunga, facing the Sorrento Peninsula | Atlantide Phototravel/Getty Images
Isola Lunga, the geographic counterpart to everyone’s favorite marine mammal, is situated in one of the most enchanting locations on Earth: just off Italy’s captivating Amalfi Coast, between Positano and Capri.
The dolphin-shaped isle is actually part of a small archipelago consisting of three islands known as Li Galli. (The other two considerably smaller islands are La Castelluccia and the nearly perfectly circular La Rotonda.)
The trio of islands is also known as Les Sirenuse, which references the long-held belief that these rocky outposts were home to the sirens of mythology—those creatures who enticed sailors to their demise through captivating songs and seductive behavior (although strong currents around the islands may have also played a role in maritime disasters).
Ancient renditions of the story depicted these sirens as having bird bodies and women’s heads, and the moniker “Li Galli”—meaning cocks or roosters in Italian—reflects the bird-like appearance of the legendary inhabitants.
Used by the ancient Romans as an anchorage and later developed as a medieval defensive stronghold with a stone watchtower, Isola Lunga entered a new era of wonderment (and development) when renowned Russian choreographer and dancer Léonide Massine purchased Li Galli in 1922 after having spotted it while staying with friends in Positano several years earlier.
Massine gradually and lovingly tamed this wild place, famously converting the 14th-century tower on Isola Lunga into a dance studio (installing Siberian pine floors that remain to this day) with six small bedrooms above for visiting dancers. With guidance from renowned French architect Le Corbusier, Massine also went on to design and construct a main villa, create four gem-like beaches, and transform an ancient vineyard into a large terraced garden.
Massine’s dreams of transforming his beloved island residence into an arts center were never realized by the time of his death in 1979. However, another ballet legend took over the patronage of this magical little island. The great Rudolf Nureyev, Massine’s fellow countryman, acquired Li Galli in 1988 and infused his own vision into the isles, including a stunning Moorish renovation of the villa in 1991.
After Nureyev’s passing in 1993, the islands changed hands and remain privately owned. Currently, the best way to experience the centuries of enchantment on Italy’s little dolphin-shaped island is to join one of the many local boat charters that offer excursions along the Amalfi Coast, passing beneath the rocky outlines of Isola Lunga and her siren sisters.