Marina di Castagneto

Not far from the Forte Lorense, the local Renaissance fortress, you can admire Villa Margherita, which was built at the start of the twentieth century by the Della Gherardesca counts.

The main attraction of any seaside town is the sea, and the sea here is clear and clean, with many stretches of the beach having earned the Blue Flag award. All of the local coastline is welcoming, inviting, full of bathing establishments and the so-called punti azzurri: lengths of free beach, open to everyone, with guaranteed services and assistance.

There's a nice excursion to be had in the pinewood if you want to visit the church of Santa Maria Assunta, which was consecrated on 15 August 1988. This church is built on an unusual octagonal plan, with a striking wooden roof in the shape of a pyramid and luminous windows, functioning as walls, looking out onto the garden. You will also find the Cavallino Matto amusement park in the pinewood, one of the biggest and most fun of its kind along the Tuscan coast.

A few kilometers from Marina di Castagneto is Castagneto Carducci, with its historic center made up of paved alleys, natural terraces overlooking the sea and the countryside, artisan stores and traditional trattorias. The name is a tribute to the great poet Giosuè Carducci, who spent part of his life here, and whose house is now a museum.

Also linked to the poet is another of the area's attractions-the cypress avenue of Bolgheri-a long and charming road lined with rows of centuries-old cypress trees, celebrated in Carducci's famous poem "Davanti San Guido".

On the coast to the north are Marina di Bibbona and Marina di Cecina, ideal destinations for families with children, thanks to their long, sandy beaches.

Toward the south are San Vincenzo, a seaside resort characterized by a fine, pale sandy beach and a thick, shady pine forest, and Baratti, an enchanting gulf also famous for the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia.

In summer, Marina di Castagneto becomes the perfect place for fun, games and activities for young ones, not least thanks to its traditional pageant of sandcastles. In spring, though, Castagneto Carducci puts on its culinary exhibition Castagneto a Tavola, a gourmet event that brings typical local produce and dishes to the table through tasting sessions and cooking shows. The Etrusca Ciclostorica also takes place in these parts, a vintage bicycle race along the white roads.

The Marina di Castagneto area is particularly suited to the cultivation of olive groves and, of course, vineyards. Not for nothing does the Etruscan Coast Wine and Oil Trail wind around here, uniting all the local wines and oils of quality.

The traditional recipes worth trying include the zuppa castagnetana, wild boar sausages, crostini with liver and lepre in salmì, an elaborate hare stew that will go down extremely well with game lovers.