Towns and villages
Baratti
Baratti
Between fresh crystal-clear sea and the charm of historic archeological ruins
Baratti is a hamlet in the municipality of Piombino, famous for its red sand beach, its crystal clear waters and its archaeological park which is home to what remains of the ancient town of Populonia (the only Etruscan city built on the sea).
Located in the Baratti Gulf and surrounded by a thick pine forest, Baratti’s beach is mainly public, but does have two private bathrooms and is equipped with all the facilities you could possible need. The perfect location for surfing and windsurfing enthusiasts, it’s also home to a sailing school that offers weekly courses for all ages.
What to see in Baratti and its surroundings
The Porticciolo di Baratti is less than a kilometer from the beach, and is an ideal starting point for excursions to discover Piombino’s headland.
Following a picturesque path in the woods that descends along the ridge, you’ll arrive at Buca delle Fate, a rocky cove sheltered from the wind and perfect for snorkelers. The parking lot, located just before the village of Populonia, is where you’ll start. Another way to reach Buca delle Fate is by kayak or SUP paddling arpund the headland for 7 kilometers from Baratti; you’ll be able to explore every single cove or float over schools of fish.
Baratti’s beach borders on the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia, divided into two areas. In the lower part are the two Etruscan necropolises: the monumental San Cerbone necropolis, the only Etruscan one to have been built by the sea, and the Caves necropolis, consisting of chamber tombs carved into the rock.
In the upper part is the acropolis, with temples, Roman roads and the Etruscana settlement’s hut remains. On the hilltop next to the acropolis stands the medieval village, surrounded by walls built to defend the town from pirates and overlooked by the Fortress.
Populonia charms its visitors with its paved alleys, the countless small shops and the Etruscan Gasparri Museum, where Etruscan and Roman artefacts found in the area and in the stretch of sea in front are displayed. A visit to the historic city is simply incomplete without a stop at the Museum of the Territory of Populonia in Piombino. Here you can admire part of the equipment from the tomb of the Chariots (the best preserved funerary monument in the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia) and Baratti’s silver Amphora, a precious Roman relic found in a fisherman's nets in the 1960s.
The Porticciolo di Baratti is less than a kilometer from the beach, and is an ideal starting point for excursions to discover Piombino’s headland.
Following a picturesque path in the woods that descends along the ridge, you’ll arrive at Buca delle Fate, a rocky cove sheltered from the wind and perfect for snorkelers. The parking lot, located just before the village of Populonia, is where you’ll start. Another way to reach Buca delle Fate is by kayak or SUP paddling arpund the headland for 7 kilometers from Baratti; you’ll be able to explore every single cove or float over schools of fish.
Baratti’s beach borders on the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia, divided into two areas. In the lower part are the two Etruscan necropolises: the monumental San Cerbone necropolis, the only Etruscan one to have been built by the sea, and the Caves necropolis, consisting of chamber tombs carved into the rock.
In the upper part is the acropolis, with temples, Roman roads and the Etruscana settlement’s hut remains. On the hilltop next to the acropolis stands the medieval village, surrounded by walls built to defend the town from pirates and overlooked by the Fortress.
Populonia charms its visitors with its paved alleys, the countless small shops and the Etruscan Gasparri Museum, where Etruscan and Roman artefacts found in the area and in the stretch of sea in front are displayed. A visit to the historic city is simply incomplete without a stop at the Museum of the Territory of Populonia in Piombino. Here you can admire part of the equipment from the tomb of the Chariots (the best preserved funerary monument in the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia) and Baratti’s silver Amphora, a precious Roman relic found in a fisherman's nets in the 1960s.
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