Etruscan coastline

The coastline of the ancient Etruscans should be considered in terms of the intensity of nature and colours in which it is immersed and not only of the pretty and welcoming little towns it conserves. Ideally one should start from Livorno, a liberal town unlike any other in Tuscany, and proceed down the Aurelia road, admiring the green of the sea breaking against the rocks of Calafuria, a sight which constitutes food for thought as well as fresh air for the lungs. After rocks, reefs and sand, beneath Castiglioncello, the brilliant green gives way first to thick pine-forest, so inviting during the summer months, and then, further away from the sea, an impenetrable thicket of vegetation.

THINGS TO DO

The sense of total freedom and lack of pressure from everyday life is evident here, regardless of whether you choose dark sands or the finer white, whether you prefer beaches with facilities or just vast expanses without a soul for miles. Perhaps a journey ‘in the shade’ is what you need, either on foot or on horseback, in the pine-forests stretching from Vada down to San Vincenzo, taking time to admire the “tall and neat” rows of cypresses made famous by Carducci.

ETRUSCAN HISTORY

You may well find that the hinterland holds a particular appeal for you - a wealth of cultivated fields, vineyards, hills, Etruscan remainsand numerous old villages that are perfectly preserved - an oasis of peace and tranquillity where the sounds and the fragrance of the sea arrive on the breeze. There is almost a sensation of being suspended in time here, as if these places knew no other way of leading life, that is, without excesses. Here the outside world appears as just that, outside and light years away.

The Etruscans were a strong and feared people, committed to trading and the pleasures of life, who built the seaside town of Populonia on the gulf of Baratti. The necropolis leaves the desires and secrets of this mysterious people to the imagination of the visitor while a vast quantity of treasures are offered with absolute and incredible simplicity.

 

It is rather a question of generosity, of spontaneous germination, an effortless choice, as easy as the reaping of the fruits of these parts. In fact, the local cuisine offers marvellous dishes such as the ‘cacciuco’ or seasoned fish soup, or thick vegetable soups and excellent local wine - the ‘Costa degli Etruschi’ is waiting for you.