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Baratti and Populonia - Tuscany
A friend of us had recommended to visit the Gulf of Baratti near Piombino on the Tuscan coast.
"You can't but have a bath in the sea of Baratti, a stop in its pinewood, a visit to Populonia's Etruscan necropolis"
So this morning we have driven to Baratti. There are about 90 km between Principina a Mare and Baratti. Never mind if the place is really worth seeing.
We have woken up early in the morning and left the province of Grosseto. We've left Castiglione della Pescaia, Punta Ala, Follonica behind us and followed the Tuscan coast until the road sign for Baratti near Piombino (province of Livorno).
We have turned in a long and narrow street surrounded by pines.
We have parked easily because it is a working day (take with you a lot of coins - parking costs 1.60 € per hour) and tried to reach the beach.
At the beginning we have been lost. We haven't been able to see the beach as it is below the walking area and so understand if all the beach is free.
After walking down through one of the many sandy paths we have noticed two very little bathhouses. All the remaining beach is free. We have hired a beach umbrella and two deckchairs (20.00 € per day) for we have nothing with us.
Behind us there was a fantastic pinewood. We have walked through it to reach the public baths. Many people are used to spend the time under the pines. They carry blankets, little chairs, snacks , books .... in other words they're well equipped and, first of all, pay nothing to spend a fantastic day! Bear it in your mind!
Another thing has struck us today: how many foreigners know Baratti!
Drinking a coffee at a bar table we have been sourrrounded by Germans, Norvegians, Danes ... a lot of foreigners and few Italians!
What about the gulf? the sea? Fantastic! Shallow water. Very clean sea-water for the sand is coarse. Besides it has a few small black crystals that is evidence of iron working in the past. The iron was extracted in the Elba isle and then worked here.
We have spent some hours of absolute peace despite the people. We have had a fantastic and long bathe too! We suggest you this trip. Really!
The morning has remembered us how many times we made the same thing in Sardinia in the past. Every morning we were leaving in search of new beaches where the nature is the winner. Baratti is beautiful and quiet exactly for this: the nature is the winner! Very few bathhouses, no loadspeaker, no music ... but at the same time there is the bathing attendant, public baths and bar where to buy something drinking and eating if you want.
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Early in the afternoon we have left this enchanting place for another dive ... into the culture! Next to Baratti there is Populonia. It was an important Etruscan town that won fame in the 5th century B.C. Unfortunately the following historical events caused its decline thanks to Romans (especially the fight between Marcus and Silla). It won fame again in the XIVth century when Gherardo Appiani built the castle.
Nowadays you can visit a lot of place in Populonia.
At first there is the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia that is between the promontory of Piombino and Baratti gulf, near the sea. Here there are San Cerbone and Casone necropolis and other important Etruscan ruins. The tumbs and ruins belong to the 7th century (orientalizing period), 6th century B.C. (archaic period) and 4th to 2nd century (ellenistic period). Look at this site to know the opening and closing of the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia.
Reaching the western side of the promontory you can visit another necropolis: la buca delle fate (you could translate it in "fairies' hole"). The tumbs belong to the 3rd or 2nd century B.C.
All that is fantastic and very interesting but we have had little time this afternoon and decided to visit these necropolis in the next spring. So we have entered the medieval town of Populonia that is very interesting too.
We have paid the ticket to enter "the tower" (only 2.00 € per person). The tower (the keep) is the element that dominates all the complex known as fortress. The tower has a rectangular plan and was the primitive medieval keep.
Visiting the tower we have noticed the stones used for this building are not perfectly squared, except the angles. Someone had told us these stones were Etruscan remains. Very interesting its machicoulis that is opening between the corbels of the parapet through which the defenders may drop rocks or fire projectiles against the enemies ... Imagine visiting the keep with your kids and telling you all this set in the past even remembering them a film seen together ...And then big battlements, three on the short side and four on the long sides.
Enclosure walls were built in the XIVth century around this keep. They have a square plan very near to be rectangular. They are characterized by a watch walk alternated by vertical loopholes toward the outside. External garrittes are present to the four angles .
Somebody of you is thinking this fortress had other functions besides the purely military functions?
We suggest to walk through the little streets of the medieval town. They are rich of shops with local and national products. You can buy the typical wines of Tuscany, pasta known as pici, honey, spelt food, cakes, no-salt loaf (to make our fantastic panzanella)
Well.
Does someone of you that visited Baratti and Populonia want to add anything else? We're waiting for your comments.
Greetings from Italy
Carlo & Loretta
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