Castagneto Carducci
Castagneto Carducci is set on the top of a hill that overlooks the countryside and the near sea. This charming Medieval village springs up round the Castle of Della Gherardesca, built about during the year 1000.
The village has paved lanes, natural terraces that view the sea and the countryside, pleasant square, ancient craftsman shop and typical small restaurants.
ny historical evidences are worth of note such as the Praetorian Palace – now seat of the Municipality – S. Lorenzo and SS. Crucifix Churches (the latter because its woody crucifix of the XV century in the church).
At the beginning this village was named Castagneto Marittimo. Then, in the early XX c., it turned its name into Castagneto Carducci in honour of the great poet Giosuè Carducci that spents there many years of his life. Giosuè Carducci’s house is now a museum full of evidences.
Bolgheri
Bolgheri is located on a little height at the end of the famous “ Viale dei Cipressi” that starts from San Guido. The village is surrounded by woods, plenty of Mediterranean vegetation and a well-tilled plain.
Bolgheri is linked to Castagneto, – through “Via Bolgherese”, a wonderful boulevard become famous as the “Wine Road” for its production of refined wines.
Through the monumental arch of the castle it is possible get into the ancient medieval village.
in the heart of the old village, where lanes and squares evoke an ancient atmospheres, you can find typical shops of local products and you can taste simple and typical specialities.
Between 1838 and 1848 Giosuè Carducci lived in Bolgheri, his verses helped Bolgheri and its surroundings to became known all over the world.Bolgheri
Donoratico
On the Aurelia state road, a historic road built in Roman times, there is this lively town, full of shops and accommodation facilities.
Donoratico lies halfway between Castagneto and Marina di Castagneto, and takes its name from the medieval castle situated near the town.
A lively town rich in craft and commercial businesses, Donoratico is also a centre for the construction of racing and leisure craft.
In Donoratico you can also buy the typical products of the area: wine, oil, vegetable, fish and meat, as well as the typical “fresh” pasta filled with vegetable and cheese.
Marina di Castagneto
Dense pinewoods and thick/rich Mediterranean vegetation run down to the wide sandy beach of Marina di Castagneto where there is an ancient military fort, built in Renaissance times which once stood in defense of the coast.
The sea here is particularly clean and transparent. This village, which has often been awarded the European Union’s Blue Flag for the quality of its sea, its environment and its accommodation, offers a choice of fully-equipped bathing beaches establishments and ample stretches of public beach, with a guaranteed life-guard service (Punti Azzurri).
Hotels, boarding houses and campsites ensure a comfortable stay in close contact with nature and where all kinds of sports can be enjoyed.
Here there is also the Cavallino Matto , one of Tuscany’s biggest and best entertainment parks, where children and adults can have fun.
Vignanova farmhouse offers exclusive car parking at the free beach “I Pianetti” in Donoratico (one of the most beautiful beaches along the Etruscan coast).
Etruscan Coast
The main area of the Etruscan Coast is in the central part of the coast and includes, apart the wonderful naturalistic oasis of Bolgheri, beautiful pine-woods along the coast of Cecina and Donoratico, the woody hills of Bibbona, Bolgheri and Monte Calvi – where it is possible find the Mediterranean vegetation interspersed with chestnut trees.
The historical and cultural importance is lied in the Medieval villages of Castagneto Carducci, Suvereto and Campiglia Marittima, that still keep important traces of walls and stoned buildings. We have also evidences -thanks to some ancient ovens- that in the area of Monte Calvi there was a great activity of mineral extraction and working.
Another centre of interest is the area of Piombino promontory. In the Northern part of the area there are many naturalistic and archaeological traces: the wonderful Golfo di Baratti and the necropolis of Populonia, ancient and unique Etruscan town grown as a maritime commercial base and a centre of working of extract metal in the Isle of Elba.
There are also the several Naturalistic Parks, such as the Parco di Rimigliano in S. Vincenzo. This strip of coast, called Etruscan Coast, is a unique chance to taste every piece that make Maremma a land sweet and bitter.
Wine Road
The territory of the “Strada del Vino” expands from the Colline Metallifere to in the Pisa inland until the great island of the Tuscan archipelago, the island of Elba.
Along this route some of the most exclusive and refined grapevines of Italian and Tuscan production are cultivated.
These are the lands that give origin to wines such as Ornellaia and Sassicaia, the wine invented by Mario Incisa della Rocchetta or Guado al Tasso (Bolgheri Doc), not forgetting the production areas of Elba, Montescudaio and Val di Cornia.
The Strada del Vino Costa degli Etruschi is divided into four production areas: Bolgheri Doc, which extends from the medieval village of Bolgheri towards Castagneto Carducci through the oasis of Bolgheri, recognised as area of International interest, where the prized wines of Bolgheri originate; the Elba Doc area which extends throughout the surface of the island in the Tuscan archipelago, where there are the Aleatico wine or the vin santo Occhio di Pernice; the territory of the Montescudaio Doc which extends from Cecina to reach the Pisa inland until Guardistallo, Casale Marittimo, Montescudaio to return then to the Livorno coast in Bibbona; finally the production area Val di Cornia Doc which includes the area of Suvereto, Campiglia Marittima and Piombino.
