Campiglia Marittima

Suvereto

Massa Marittima

Castagneto Carducci

Bolgheri

Populonia

Piombino

Volterra

San Gimignano

Behind us, the shape of the ground is hilly and covered with olive trees and Mediterranean vegetation. On these hills, a few hundred meters from our holiday home, two castles stand, one of that is very characteristic with its four towers, one for angle. Opposite, the Val di Cornia which takes its name from the river itself and extends to the sea.

On the hills, two urban centers are located: Campiglia Marittima (4km) and Suvereto (8km)

Campiglia Marittima (4km)

Had a great importance for the Etruscans because, in the vicinity there was an important mining center from which copper, iron, zinc and silver were mined, even though in limited quantities; it was closed in the last century. In recent years it has been reclassified to archaeological Mining Park. The old town of Campiglia dates back to 1000 and in 1200 was considered an impregnable stronghold. Inside the village, many ancient buildings and the remains of the mighty fortress.

Suvereto (8km)

A settlement from the Roman Age and the old town still arouses considerable interest. The buildings are in stone, all renovated and well preserved. Alleyways and narrow streets, typical of ancient villages, complete its charm.

Massa Marittima (30km)

The jewel of medieval Tuscany. The Old Quarter boasts sumptuous historical buildings, the archaeological museum, the luxurious Roman-Gothic Episcopal seat as far as back the fourth century, and moved here after the devastation of Populonia. The most development dates back to the thirteenth century when from the mines of the place they extracted in large quantities iron, lead and silver.

Castagneto Carducci (25km)

Always on the hills, old estate of a noble family as far as back the eighth century, in more recent periods (in the middle of 19° century) even a famous poet - Giosuè Carducci - lived there and when they moved elsewhere, often came back to the ancient and memorable borgo. In this place, as in other ancient countries in the area, have been fought many bloody battles since the time of the Romans. Towers and castles were built many of which have been destroyed. Some, however, are still standing and well preserved.

Bolgheri (30km)

Is part of the municipality of Castagneto. A small old town, very charming where we access by an avenue of 5 km, surrounded by cypresses and evoked in the poetry of Carducci "In front of San Guido". It's also famous for its quality wines too. On the coast, the protected oasis of WWF.

Populonia e Baratti (10km)

The settlement of Populonia (the Etruscan Popluna or Fufluna) is the only one among the bigger to be in direct contact with the sea, allowing its inhabitants to develop a dual activity: commercial and industrial (processing of minerals extracted from mines Campiglia and Elba Island, blast furnace in the vicinity). The Acropolis of Populonia, maintained in good condition, located on the headland; the mighty tower offers beautiful views and panoramas; the Necropolis, the archaeological park, full of interesting Etruscan tombs, is downstream, near the port of Baratti.

Piombino (15km)

Maritime city rich in history, the center of strategic importance since the beginning of its medieval settlement. In 1162 was under the protectorate of the Republic of Pisa, but in the following centuries, it became an autonomous principality. The town in this long period of autonomy must defend itself against foreign powers that saw in Piombino a safe stopover for their ships. The conquest of Tuscany by Napoleon's troops in the early 18th century includes also Piombino, which in that period earned the nickname "Little Paris" as the emperor’ sister was its ruler. With the fall of Napoleon, Piombino and its territories were assigned to the Grand Ducal of Tuscany. In the years after 1815, there was an economic transformation of the city, from commercial centre into emerging steel industry. Today, however, the administrators of the City have also brought out the tourism: in the old town you can visit the Tower-Rivellino ancient gate of 1812, the castle Pisano in 1435, the fourteenth-century Tower House of Bifore, the source of Marina in Romanesque style and the beautiful Piazza Bovio, which stretches out among the sea. From the port of Piombino, ferries leave for the Elba island, Corsica and Sardinia, and on summer, mini day cruises are organized with lunch on board, for visiting the islands of the archipelago.

A little further away but still reachable in no more than one hours by car, are:

Volterra (70km)

Famous for its antiquity (its foundation goes back to the sixth century BC) and also for the extraction and working of alabaster.

San Gimignano

Near Volterra, distinctive for its towers and whose center is a real jewel of art that maintains the charm of an old Age. This town is one of the most exemplary and genuine witness of medieval town architecture of Tuscany.

And again...

Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Firenze that they very well known throughout the world for the wealth of works of art of inestimable value, left by the most skilled italian painters and architects throughout the centuries (Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Raffaello, Giotto, Masaccio and manu others).

Elba Island

Beautiful, wild, enchanting landscapes. It is also where the emperor Napoleon Bonaparte left the imprints of the period of his government, building roads, a theater now restructured and returned to its original splendor and two houses, now National Museum: Villa dei Mulini in the centre of Portoferraio and Villa San Martino 5 km far fro Portoferraio. Both are visited annually by thousands of tourists. Therefore, you must not overlook them, reachable from the port of Piombino in less than an hour.

Spas

In our Home you can spend the holidays in full relax, or you can choose between entertainment and culture, but you can also combine this with a series of thermal treatments. In the spa of Venturina, where the healing waters flow from the springs at a temperature of approx. 45°, are treated either skin diseases, rheumatism, arthritis, or digestive, respiratory and ear nose and throat one. In the factory there is also a beauty center.

The sea

The distance goes from 5 to 12 km. according to the location you choose. The nearest is Rimigliano, that is on the north of the promontory of Piombino; several kilometers of beach achievable from the street where you can park your car and walk through a beautiful park with many tall trees and underbrush. The park is equipped with tables for picnics.
On the south side of the headland there are the beaches of Perelli, Carlalpiano, Carbonifera, Mortelliccio and Torre Mozza; also these beaches are equipped with restaurants and a beautiful pinewood completes the landscape.
And last but not least, is the Gulf of Baratti where the beach is not very big but the pine forest and the landscape are charming for their indescribable beauty.

Parks

The most important of our territory are of course the archaeological park of Baratti and Populonia, the park archaeomining in Campiglia Marittima that you can visit on foot and by train and the natural one of Rimigliano. Then there is the Centro "Gallorose" in loc. Cedrino - Cecina, which hosts various species of domestic and exotic animals.

Museums

Campiglia Marittima, Museum of the mineral, the mineralogical circle of Tuscany
Venturina, Museum of Civilization of Labor
Piombino, museum of the Castle and the Cit; the Archaeological Museum of the Territory of Populonia
Populonia, Etruscan Museum "Gasparri"

Sporting and recreational activities

Amusement park "Cavallino Matto", water-parks, thermal lake "The Calidario" known since Roman times and where you can swim even in winter because of the water flows at a temperature of 36 degrees. Besides, the outdoor thermal pool, fishing, diving, water sports, mountain biking, horseback riding, flying, wine ways. There are also numerous historical events and folklore recalled in each town.

Recommended addresse

The Tuscan cuisine in the many typical restaurants, archaeological sites, parks, oasis wwf Bottagone and Bolgheri, beaches, sea.