Violina Beach, The Most Beautiful Bay of Tuscany

The beach of Cala Violina is perhaps the most beautiful bay of all of Tuscany. Those who have been were definitely not surprised when in 2004 and 2005 this Jewel of the Tyrrhenian was awarded by an Environmentalist group as one of the 11 most beautiful beaches of the entire Italian Peninsula.

The beach owes its name to the particular nature of the fine white sand it has which tends to produce a "violin-like" sound when you walk bare foot on it. It is enclosed in two different headlands covered with the Mediterranean Vegetation, Cala Violina is also renowned for its transparent waters and fabulous seabed with rows of Posidonia Oceania and masses of sandstone and fish of any dimension.

The beach of Cala violina is in the heart of the Natural Reserve of "Bandite di Scarlino" in the province of Grosseto. The "Bandite" are a forrest complex of great dimensions between Castiglione della Pescaia, Gavorrano, Scarlino and Follonica. If you are in Tuscany and you enjoy trekking and mountain biking as well as resting on the beach, you can also reach Cala Violina by following the path called "il sentiero delle Costiere" (the most beautiful of the entire area), which you can reach only on foot, with a bike or by horse.

The path reaches spectacular cliffs that develop along the coast (it extends from Cala Violina to Cala Martina and Cala Francese) and it develops all along the coast. It is level and easy to walk through so you can relax as you enjoy the scenery on the bay of Follonica, the sunset on Piombino, Isola d'Elba, Isola di Cerboli, Montecristo, the peninsula of Punta Ala and (if it's your lucky day) the mountains of Corsica.

Indications to find the path

From Follonica take the provincial fairway from Collacchie towards Castiglione della Pescaia and turn right at the lights when you're at Puntone towards the Tourist Dock. Close to the Cantuccio Restaurant, you will find parking and a few meters towards the restaurant you will find a gate that leads to path number 1 which goes to Cala Violina, on foot or by bike.

Cala Violina is 4 Km away and you can reach it in a hour. The path unravels through the "Macchia Mediterranea" (=Mediterranean Vegetation). After 2 Km you will reach Cala Francese and Cala Martina Tombstone and a Monument along the path remember Garibaldi who fled from the Papal Guards in 1849 from that point. After another 2 Km, you reach cala Violina.

Cala Violina can be reached through yet another path: the gravel alley of Val Martina. From Puntone you take the highway of Collacchie heading towards Castiglione della Pescaia, then you turn right in a gravel way about 400 meters before reaching the Gas Station of Pian d'Alma. The indications for Cala Violina should be very visible around the farm Laschetti and you can leave your car in a Parking area and take the 2 Km walk towards Cala Violina.

 

 

Structures associated with this itinerary