Castiglione della Pescaia – Gateway to Maremma

Castiglione della Pescaia is a place just how I like it – the attractive atmosphere of an authentic, lively Italian small town with shops and restaurants, a variety of options for sports activities or relaxed recreation, nestled in a historic old town worth seeing and a stunning coastal landscape.

Castiglione is located in southern Tuscany, outside the cliché-ridden Tuscan tourist triangle of Pisa, Siena and Florence. This coastal town has strategically positioned itself at the transition from a charming hilly landscape to the flat plains of the Maremma, a former inhospitable marshland that today proves to be an attractive holiday region. From the bustling lower town with its two lighthouses at the mouth of the Bruna river, the harbour and the promenade, narrow and increasingly steep alleys lead through the old town up to the medieval fortress.

There, a truly unique panorama unfolds, featuring the long, sweeping bays to the south and north of the town, lined with fine sandy beaches and shady pine groves. Off the coast, the Tuscan Archipelago with the islands of Giglio, Montecristo and Elba rises from the dark blue Tyrrhenian Sea. Blue is also the flag of the European bathing water quality assessment – the beaches around Castiglione all belong to the cleanest and best category. To the south, the hills of the Monti dell’Uccellina Nature Park and the Monte Argentario peninsula rise up, while inland, on a clear day, the view extends to Monte Amiata.

Agriculture, fishing and tourism characterise the regional economy. The coastal towns largely consist of apartment and holiday home settlements, numerous campsites can be found in the pine belt, and in the hinterland, agriturismo farms and estates entice visitors with additional delicious food.

The great view belongs to everyone, and everyone is welcome to enjoy it. This becomes particularly clear on romantic nights. To use the twilight hours for photography, we spent the night right in the car park at a viewpoint in our roof tent. Instead of a quiet night, however, couples constantly visited the spot. Unfortunately, they didn’t quietly enjoy the magic of the place, but played loud music from their cars or shouted. So that was the price for the overnight stay. A small price, however, considering the unforgettable moments at sunset and sunrise.

More pictures of Castiglione della Pescaia in the Tuscany Gallery.