The Surroundings

spending a hot summer’s day stretched out towels brought from home on the fine sand of Torre Mozza beach just a few minutes away, moving only to enjoy a picnic in the cool of the pine wood, or hiring sun umbrellas and deckchairs on the private Carbonifera beach – set up for all the family to have fun, or even playing in the sea or on the beach with a furry friend at the Perelli Lido;

taking advantage of the gentle September sun to drive to the woods and then stroll or cycle along one of the many pleasant trails to one of the five most famous beaches in Italy, the romantic Cala Violina that gets its name from the violin-like sound made when walking on its very fine sound;

heading over to the wonderful Gulf of Baratti and indulging in a trip by taxi-boat across crystal-clear waters to a hidden cove to enjoy a secluded swim away from it all;

for the more adventurous, hiring a boat and sailing around the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago or, for something less onerous, taking the car across to Elba by ferry for a drive around the island;

Sea

ambling along the evocative cypress-lined road celebrated by the poet, Carducci before spending an unforgettable evening dining by candlelight in a charming restaurant in the little village of Bolgheri;

driving up to Campiglia Marittima and from high up in this enchanting mediaeval village, enjoying a romantic sunset with that special “other half, and in August, strolling through the ancient streets filled with street artists and enjoying the historic re-enactment;

taking advantage of a cold autumn day, escaping the stress of daily life for a relaxing dip in the 36° thermal waters of Lake Calidare before moving on to Saturnia to be caressed by the salutary shower provided by the odoriferous waterfall;

Couples

spending a day specially for the kids at the Cavallino Matto amusement park or on the slides at the water parks in Follonica and Cecina;

taking advantage of a rainy day to have the whole family put on safety helmets and taking the little train the Temperino Mine for an underground visit to find out how miners used to work. If the sun does decide to peak through the clouds, there is also the Etruscan necropolis in Baratti that boasts numerous educational or informational trails that are also suitable for children

Children

taking a trip to Castiglione della Pescaia to wait on the quayside for the fishing boats to return, picking out the freshest fish imaginable to cook “at home” or enjoying having someone else prepare it in one of several beach-based eateries;

heading for Massa Marittima to indulge in a famous “fiorentina” steak or typical tortelli (pasta) of the Maremma in the fairytale like atmosphere of the Piazza del Duomo

enjoying a fresh spring day to visit local wineries – in Bolgheri, home of Sassicaia (red) wine, Suvereto for Val di Cornia DOC (white) wine, and Massa Marittima for its Monteregio’s

Food and Wine

let yourself be swept away by horse racing fever at the Pini di Follonica Hippodrome and risk all with a crazy 1 euro bet;

Take part in a burraco (type of Rummy) tournament held by starlight on the beach in Follonica

Gamble

being won over by the magic of one of the Art Cities: taking a photo “holding up” the tower of Pisa, watching Siena’s famous Palio, buying some jewellery on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence or, like a modern-day King Arthur, trying to pull out the sword from the stone at St. Galgano Abbey, capturing the moment of standing under the Arch at the gateway into Volterra. getting up to all sorts in San Gimignano, Lucca and Pistoia, or even discovering who knows what in the tufa-stone towns of Pitigliano, Sovana or Sorano. Best of all, none of these places is more than a 2-hour drive away.

Art