Photo © Allie Caulfield

Campiglia Marittima

A medieval village suspended between sky and sea in the Val di Cornia

Lying on a hill overlooking the sea and the surrounding countryside, Campiglia Marittima is one of the most beautiful villages in Val di Cornia, right on the Etruscan Coast.

In this historic medieval town, steeped in history and tradition, the streets, cobbled alleyways and palaces - arranged in concentric semicircles – add to the harmonious ambiance.

City walls surround the old town centre; artisan workshops, museums and typical taverns all overlook its distinctive squares.

The small village opens up into a silhouette of gulfs, headlands and islands; the landscape paints a beautiful picture of the marine reserve between the Argentario Promontory and the Baratti Gulf with a gorgeous panorama of the Tuscan Archipelago and, when the sky is clear, extends as far as the coasts of northern Corsica.

What to see in Campiglia Marittima

The Rocca di Campiglia occupies a semicircular area on Campiglia Marittima’s highest hill, at an altitude of 281 metres. The Fortress is an open-air museum and includes the Cassero building, the ancient cistern, the impressive embattled wall with mullioned windows and the aqueduct from the thirties.

The Palazzo Pretorio is one of Campiglia’s main attractions; a historic symbol of political and military power, the palace towers over the other buildings with its robust clock tower, crowned with a beautiful bell.

The Palace currently houses the Historical Archives, the Children's Library "Il Palazzo dei Racconti", the Carlo Guarnieri Museum, and the Mineral Museum, managed by the Tuscan Mineralogical Club.

The churches in the historical centre are particularly intriguing: the Pieve di San Giovanni is a splendid example of the Romanesque-Tuscan style, and the Church of San Lorenzo houses the Museum of Sacred Art in its rooms below. The Teatro dei Concordi also deserves a mention as the home of many important performances.

Nearby

Immerse yourself in the surrounding nature of the San Silvestro Archaeological Mines Park, an area of 450 hectares on the hills just north of Campiglia. There you’ll stumble across the fascinating Rocca San Silvestro, a historic mining village founded in the Middle Ages to extract copper, lead and silver deposits.

While in the park, it’s also worth visiting the Museum of Archaeology and Minerals and the Temperino Mine, a 360-metre long tunnel where, while wearing a protective helmet, you can discover how minerals were extracted from ancient times to the present day.

The historic Spa of Venturina Terme, known as Caldane in the Etruscan-Roman times, is also in the municipal territory of Campiglia Marittima and has managed to retain its timeless charm over the centuries.

For the perfect holiday on the Etruscan Coast, we recommend this 3-day itinerary to discover the area’s unique beauty, including the fairytale village of Castagneto Carducci.

Events

In August, the Campiglia’s historical centre opens its doors to the Apriti Borgo, a festival of street arts theatre, with events and shows taking place throughout the historic streets of the village.

The event, also known as the ABC Festival, combines shows with local gastronomy to reveal the history of this small and charming Tuscan village.

Typical products

In Val di Cornia’s landscape of hills and plains, flavoursome vegetables are carefully cultivated, such as spinach and violet artichoke, the thistle of Val di Cornia, also known as gobbo (hunchback). While immersing yourself in the area’s rich history, we recommend stopping to try the famously delicious schiaccia campigliese. The region’s wines are also unmissable, reaching levels of unparalleled excellence; from the Bolgheri to Sassicaia labels, they know how to delight you with quality.