The only landing place is "Cala dello Scalo", an inlet on the northeast side surrounded by cliffs, the site of the only beach.

On the cliff overlooking the bay is a historic site, the Torre Nuova, "new tower", built as a watchtower by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in the 17th century.

Urgon or Gorgòn (Γοργόν in Ancient Greek), believed to be Gorgona, receives brief mention in Pliny, who only states that it is near Pianosa and Capraia.

[4] Rutilius Claudius Namatianus in describing his voyage of 417 AD in the region says that "Gorgon" rises up in the middle of the sea between the Pisan and Cyrniacan (Corsican) shores.

[5] He had already stated that there were monachi, "monks", on Capraia and now relates the story of an aristocratic youth who had given up wealth, status and the opportunity for marriage to retire to Gorgon in "superstitious exile", implying that monasteries of sorts were already on the two islands.

Tradition holds that monks from Gorgona rescued the relics of Saint Julia of Corsica before they were carried to the mainland in the 8th century.

Letter 130 of Catherine of Siena, a Dominican nun, to Ippolito degli Ubaldini of Florence encourages him to enter and contribute to the monastery of Gorgona.

[7] Two inscriptions at Pisa Charterhouse at Calci attribute the change of order to the influence of Catherine on Pope Gregory XI in trying to obtain economic assistance for the Carthusians.

Fearing an attack by Saracen corsairs the monks left the island for the charterhouse at Calci in 1425, taking all the records and works of art with them, and never returned.

Early in 1771 Peter Leopold I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, purchased Gorgona from the Carthusians of Pisa with the intent of making it part of a plan for economic revival.

In March of that year he passed a law opening the island to settlement by fishermen with the proviso that they would catch and cure anchovies and sell them in Livorno.

[10] This opportunity to live in Gorgona was raised from the families named "Citti" and "Dodoli", coming from Garfagnana region in province of Lucca.

Island of Gorgona, with Capraia too, is part of one of the best-known verses of Dante Alighieri's poem La Divina Commedia: Ahi Pisa, vituperio de le gentidel bel paese là dove 'l sì suona,poi che i vicini a te punir son lenti,muovasi la Capraia e la Gorgona,e faccian siepe ad Arno in su la foce,sì ch'elli annieghi in te ogne persona!,Ché se 'l conte Ugolino aveva voce,d'aver tradita te de le castella,non dovei tu i figliuoi porre a tal croceThe ecology of Gorgona is under the protection of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, dating from 1996, with headquarters at Portoferraio, Elba.

The first company getting a business agreement with the prison's management, was the world-famous wine producer "Marchesi de' Frescobaldi".