From Castagneto Carducci to Populonia if you are fond of Cycle Tourism you can enjoy a
spectacular scenic route in the Tuscan Etruria in an Italian region extremely famous worldwide for its endless historic, artistic and cultural
patrimony well known worldwide, the incomparable Tuscany, iconic cradle of the Renaissance and emblematic land of superb artists, a paradise packed by unforgettable landscapes, scenic details which are always a great and unique inspiration for a myriad of people who once in a life desire to visit that dreamland in the Italian Peninsula.
That charming specific Tuscan
territory is a concrete geographic area including a marvellous coastline well known with the denomination Costa degli Etruschi,the coast of the Etruscans, a stupendous coastal stretch of the Tyrrhenian Sea
and a very picturesque interior
of the province of Livorno furthermore highlighted by the beautiful scenery of the Maremma Livornese, a vast land characterised by
large plains very famous for horse riding and for an infinite number of historic sites born to
bewitch every tourist in a while.
A stunning nature, great history, fine art and a mild Mediterranean climate are perfectly combined in a unique
denominator and the result is a magnificent heaven offering the chance to
admire in addition, the beauty of appealing hills packed by scenic olive groves and
vineyards at the feet of the Apennines in a marvellous environment boasting a striking coastline starting from the outskirts of the capital of the province until the harbour town of Piombino ending on a stunning promontory with
fabulous views overlooking a stupendous bay you will remember forever.
Those beautiful local highlights are the fascinating picturesque scene of western Tuscany which could be
immortalised in a large number of outstanding pictures to place in your best
albums of trips and holidays.
That magnificent Eden is fantastically appropriate for a
cultural and historic tourism but it is also a great destination to enjoy
several outdoor activities combining trekking, water sports and cycling among
others.
A multitude of ancient and medieval places absolutely wonderful along that route offering the brilliant chance to admire several great monuments in more than captivating
historic centres which have kept intact as for enchantment their old appealing images after centuries and centuries thanks to a superb preservation will delight you.
All that is nowadays highly visible including in the smallest villages and
remote hamlets scattered all around that dreamland and with that trendy activity
called cycle tourism you will have the opportunity to admire all that in a route of just 33, 0 kilometres.
The Etruria is well known to be that ancient land as you
can easily detect by its name that emblematic stronghold of the famous Etruscan
civilisation, an ancient talented population with incredible artists, able to develop and create from simple
stones and metals pieces authentic masterpieces.
Very skilled sculptors, masters and creators of a vast
range of manufactured objects and furthermore pioneers of architectural details transmitted to other relevant cultures.The ancient Greeks
knew that population during their trips along the Italic Peninsula and by them
learnt a great deal. The Romans
did the same before to assimilate them in their Empire after their campaign of
colonisation further north incorporating in their domains the current Tuscany.
The architect and artisans of Rome later introduced in
their artistic works and crafts several details and teachings learnt by that clever people who lived in a vast area which included apart
Tuscany the territories of the high Lazio, Umbria but
they also reached a large part of Emilia Romagna, Lombardy and including
the Swiss Canton of Ticino with some colonies who left in
those lands relevant cultural marks.
Among beautiful hills, charming avenues, captivating narrow
streets and pleasant roads flanked by picturesque cypresses alternated by a large
presence of maritime pines, olive groves and scattered rows of vines, the great start of that
spectacular cycling route to discover that marvellous land is from a splendid town called
Castagneto Carducci.
That fascinating municipality of approximately 9,000 inhabitants perched
on a low hilly plateau is a very attractive medieval centre
and the current name is the composition of two words, the first indicating of a big "Castagneto" a chestnut forest situated in
its boundaries while the second is linked to the famous poet Giosuè Alessandro Giuseppe Carducci,
Nobel Prize in literature in 1906.
The town is situated at a short distance from the Tyrrhenian
coast in a spectacular geographic position as a sort of natural gateway to
start several interesting tourist itineraries of immense beauty breathing the indisputable and unmistakable atmosphere of the true and wonderful Tuscany.
The current site was in its old times a
relevant Etruscan centre and it was mainly developed in medieval times around the scenic Castello della Gherardesca, a castle also called Castello di Bolgheri because situated in a neighbourhood with that
name.
You can start cycling with a stop admiring that splendid
manor erected in the 10th century
and since the 13th century property of the family Della
Gherardesca, a noble House originally from Lombardy origin who had a dynasty of lords who
ruled important historic centres as Pisa but also Volterra.
That majestic construction elevated on a rectangular plan
is highlighted by a crenellated facade and an imposing tower erected on its
right side with a splendid arch established at its foot as passage and furthermore
characterised by beautiful stylish mullioned windows greatly inserted in the layout of its front side.
The elevation of that fortress
permitted since then a great historic escalation of Castagneto Carducci which gained popularity for its active
cultural life and with a prestige well known in important cities as Pisa and Livorno thanks also to famed nobles who decided to fix their residences in its boundaries as the Countess Franca Spalletti Trivelli, a descendant of that influential family.
You are furthermore in an area which is also very famous for the production of fine wines, a perfect place to taste products of high quality and all around that
land you can have also many options to start unforgettable itineraries
also linked to that enchanting niche of tourism tasting wines of high
reputation greatly appreciated for their body, texture and versatility visitng producers having a very interesting chat, tasting and buying those outstanding products.
Not far I suggest you a visit of the beautiful Chiesa dei Santi Giacomo e Cristoforo, a splendid medieval stoned Church dedicated to the Saints James and Christopher boasting a
refined gable facade and fine lines with very interesting exterior outlines of high artistic level.
That Religious building was entirely restored in 1902 and
in its interior you can admire a beautiful altarpiece with works dating
back the Middle Ages, an impressive timber ceiling and worth a mention also the magnificent
arcade situated at the entrance.
From there cycling along the picturesque Viale dei Cipressi, a very scenic avenue
flanked by cypresses as indicates its name in a short time you can reach the centre of Castagneto
Carducci visiting the the house in which lived the great poet from
Valdicastello.
The building is called Casa Centro Giosuè Carducci
and the Municipio, the Town Hall a
high building called Palazzo Pretorio
situated in a captivating cobbled street hosts a Museum dedicated to
that genius leader of that notorious literary movement called
"decadentista".
That eminent figure who created a
school was well known for his classical pagan ideas and philosophies, a character who was in addition a fervent Anti Romantic and in 1890 nominated Senator of the Kingdom of Italy during the times of the Savoy House.
During the visit of that centre you can not miss a
walk in the old town, something simply great to discover in a nutshell
the beauty of the true Tuscany, extremely fascinating also in small municipalities like that.
I recommend you to take a look to the Chiesa del Santissimo Crocifisso, the Church of the Holy Crucifix erected in the 16th century on a rectangular plan boasting a superb
gable front side and above a splendid wooden portal you can admire a stupendous mosaic
depicting the image of a death Jesus Christ.
Inside you will be delighted by a great masterpiece consisting in a timber
Crucifix dated the 14th century founded among the remnants
of the ancient Monastery of San
Colombano in the boundaries of Donoratico, a
neighbourhood of the municipality.
The fabulous Propositura di San Lorenzo is another historic highlight you can not miss, it is a medieval Sacred temple erected in the 12th century dedicated to St. Lawrence
reachable by a ramp which runs flanking an imposing stoned wall.That Church is a medieval gem well known
for its frescoes you can see in its interior depicting Saints and that Sacred structure it is flanked by a majestic stoned bell tower built in the 20th century using the
material of the rests of the Castle of Donoratico.
The visit of that place in a region which was mother and cradle
of the Renaissance also boasts those relevant masterpieces of the Middle Ages
highly represented in Castagneto Carducci particularly
attractive for its picturesque narrow streets and alleys highlighted by charming
wooden doorways, small scenic courtyards and captivating tiny squares transmitting all the appealing charm of Tuscany in a nutshell.
An additional suggestion to enter deeply in the incomparable Tuscan atmosphere is a stop there
to taste the traditional local iconic gastronomic specialities as a typical tastefully Bruschetta or a Tagiata accompanied by a glass of fine wine
in one of the local bars or restaurants enjoying a great lunch or a snack in traditional trattoria offering an always excellent and genuine cuisine after your itinerary or why not with a simple appetiser during your
cycle tourism route.
Between local hills packed by olive groves and poetic cypresses appearing everywhere you can leave
that charming town taking the Provincial Road called Bolgherese well known as Via del Vino, the Wine Route called for its famous
vineyards producing an excellent wine named Super Tuscan made by
grapes boasting a great tradition cultivated on hills at a determined altitude
and never over the 700, 0 metres to reach their outstanding quality. Apart that highlight that area also produces some others very appreciated such as local Merlot and Cabernet
Sauvignon well known worldwide to be very smooth with a pleasing texture
and highly palatable.They are very versatile especially suggested to accompany meats but also very recommended in the preparation of plates flavouring a beef steak or an exquisite roast.
After approximately 3.5 kilometres cycling you will continue along the famous Via Aurelia,
one of the seven ancient Roman Consular Roads established in the 3rd century
BC. It was originally developed to connect the Imperial core of Rome to Pisa and later prolonged up to Ventimiglia
that notorious town of Liguria not far from Sanremo situated at the Italian-French border in the province of Imperia.That emblematic long artery was furthermore linked later with a main
road consisting in a sort of hallway leading to Arles via Nice, Toulon and Marseilles during the Gallic campaigns of the Romans in Gaul.
Along it you will cycle through the
beautiful Tuscan countryside, the Aurelia as is simply called by locals constantly flanked by several maritime pine trees
and after approximately 9, 0 kilometres
without particular difficulties admiring the splendid rural Tuscan landscapes you have
to follow the indications in direction Nord Aurelia, the northern section of the national road leading to San
Vincenzo.
After approximately 8.5 kilometres pretty flat you will enter in the inhabited
centre of that town of approximately 7,000 inhabitants taking the street Via
Matteotti. It is a beautiful seaside resort of the Costa degli Etruschi highlighted by its beautiful long sandy beach boasting
a constant Blue Flag and alongside the municipal coastal stretch you can admire small
charming coves and a splendid tiny Tyrrhenian bay.
If you are an art and history lover you can stop
there, because also that centre has a
long history to narrate with considerable monuments attesting a notable
patrimony.
That place was for a long time a Pisa domain and in a
stop you can admire two defencive towers built by that iconic Marine Republic, the
Torre di San Vincenzo, St Vincent tower erected in the
13th century in proximity of the harbour as a bastion overlooking the Mediterranean while another one called Torre Vecchia, the Old tower is located in the southern boundaries of the municipality in a borough
called Torraccia.
The latter elevated between the 12th and 13th centuries had a notable relevance as one one of the strategic Pisan check points along the
coastal road leading to Piombino, it is a strong construction established on a
square plan and highlighted by big slots on its facade. In the Middle Ages that watchtower one of the most strategic points used by the army of Pisa during the clashes against the Saracens and the the Marine Republic of Genoa.
If you love trekking that municipality is a Mecca because it
is the seat of the Parco Naturale
costiero di Rimigliano, a protected nature reserve which extends in its
boundaries approximately 6,0 kilometres along a marvellous coast.
That beautiful park was established in 1973 and the visit is a great experience for a
stunning scenery consisting in stupendous high cliffs and spectacular views overlooking crystalline and emerald waters but at a short distance from them you can reach sandy dunes
and forests returning in a very short time from those great attractions to a marvellous coastal
stretch by a very scenic path.
Cycling for about half kilometre you will reach a street called Via Roma and
continuing along that artery after approximately 200, 0 metres starts the Strada Provinciale
della Principessa, the Provincial Road of the Princess.
When you are on it you can admire marvellous
panoramic landscapes, the coastal views are superb and unique and
after approximately 11, 0 kilometres cycling along that beautiful hallway tangent to the
coastline you have to take a street called Via San Giovanni.
In that point you are entering in the interior of the Tuscan
Etruria not far from Campiglia Marittima, a famous mining
centre since a long time ago and also place of the intersection of the road
Strada Provinciale delle Caldanelle leading to the station of
Populonia in a territory highlighted by numerous hills and some scattered farms along their slops.
From there along a road highlighted by some gently slopes cycling for approximately 5, 0 kilometres you will reach the centre of
Populonia.
That magnificent former Etruscan town is today a
neighbourhood of Piombino and it was well
known in ancient times with the name Fufluna, a denomination which the polytheist Etruscans venerating different divinities gave their God of wine called Fufluns.
Populonia was a very special stronghold of that great
civilisation because it was the only settlement built and developed along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea.The Etruscans were mainly devoted to
crafts, agriculture, art and construction and the sea was for them just a
source of sporadic trips and not very long, they were not skilled sailors as
the Greeks or the Phoenicians and they never had a relevant fleet as the Romans
or the Carthaginians.
Populonia thanks to the proximity of Campiglia
Marittima and Venturina was a very important centre for the
manufacture of iron coming from the mines of those two places and it is a very
a picturesque site surrounded by hills with splendid views of
the striking Golfo di Baratti , an extraordinary gulfmandatory to take hundreds and more pictures for its
unique and extraordinary beauty, a wonderful bay which enchants all the tourists at first sight.
That site is a great place to discover the true
Etruscan Tuscany strolling its cobblestone alleys and streets and its
tiny historic centre highlighted by small local shops in an atmosphere absolutely
captivating and inspiring.
In its core you can visit the Rocca di Populonia, a medieval castle of extraordinary charm with strong
high walls highlighted by the iconic passage leading to the main courtyard where you can admire a
crenellated tower elevated on a square base dominating the entire
magnificent scenery. Another superb attraction is the impressive circular tower on the
left side of the main gate which was the exterior check point of that fortified complex.
The archaeological area with its
historic park evokes the relevant past of that civilisation in a great journey visiting a surface of about 80, 0 hectares discovering the
history of that population who created constructions a long
time before the Romans. One of the highlights is definitely the stunning monumental Necropolis di San Cerbore and apart to see that ancient Etruscan
cemetery you will have the opportunity to admire the buildings where the
Etruscans worked the metals.
That activity was for long time very relevant for the Etruscan economy and Populonia in the Bronze Age was considered the major still mill of the entire Tuscany and the residues of iron working in that centre were historically quantified in twenty milions tons creating hills. The metals were selected, cut, chopped and put in stone ovens heated with wood and coal at a temperature of over 1250 degrees, with that process the metal was separated by the dross falling in a special opening established to contain the residues.
Another Necropolis called Delle Grotte apart to be a burial space
served as storage environment for stones which were collected and used for the
constructions and it is a further attraction. It was probably the most important in that concrete geographic territory in the province of Livorno well known in those ancient times in Umbria and in the surroundings of Siena.
That route of approximately 33, 0 kilometres is
beautiful and special because is a total mix of marvels showing you the best of Tuscany. The interior with its
picturesque landscapes and small medieval centres is simply great and the unforgettable views of
the Mediterranean coast absolutely marvellous and much more as historic detail you will cycle for some kilometres along the Via Aurelia one
of the oldest Roman Consular roads. a great way to enjoy cycle tourism in the best way.
The visit of the appealing Castagneto Carducci the town where lived
that great poet and the archaeological patrimony where you will end the route
staying hours and hours in contemplation admiring such masterpieces are also something of absolutely enchanting.
The unforgettable views of one of the most
fascinating small gulfs of the Tyrrhenian sea with its turquoise
and crystalline waters, scattered scenic coves and picturesque inlets where you can swim
and spending great pleasant times are other special attractions all together
completing a route simply wonderful. That corner of Tuscany is simply unique in its kind, a bit underrated and by many people almost unknown.
In the area in the case you are planning a trip to
Tuscany you can find several comfortable accommodations I suggest you some in
links below and in the case you can enlarge your organised tailor made tour with several brilliant
excursions in the interior and along the coast discovering many other fabulous marvels.
A delicious local cuisine, fine wines a mild climate
all year and an iconic name as Tuscany which means a myriad of beautiful things are
certainly a great incentive to chose that marvellous destination highly
suggested not only for cycling but for all those who love tourism, history art
and nature and the Tuscan Etruria is a magnificent land offering all that and much more.
The proximity of the International Airport Galileo
Galilei of Pisa situated at approximately 83, 0 kilometres
from Castagneto Carducci is undoubtedly a great option for a beautiful Fly & Drive and in about one hour driving you will be at destination by E80
Motorway and National Road SS1.
That route is certainly a great experience for all people who will love to admire a striking territory very difficult to forget and if you are a fan of that
magnificent world called cycle tourism it could be be combined with many other outdoor
activities in a magnificent scenery compared to a small natural paradise and you
will remember that enchanting Tuscan corner as a fantastic chapter of your most memorable
trips.
Francesco Mari
Recommended
Accommodations in Castagneto Carducci
Hotel Residence Il Bambolo
Residence Hotel Campastrello Sport
Tombolo
Talasso Resort
B&B
Villa Le Luci
Recommended Accommodations in the surroundings of
Populonia (in the case you want to stop in proximity of that area)
Agriturismo Gli Etruschi
Poggio All´Agnello Country & Beach Residential
Resort
Useful links
