Tuscany and the Sea: The Beaches in Tuscany

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Coast and sea beaches in Tuscany

Italy can be described as a European peninsula, the total coastline is 7.377 km (Wikipedia), which is the straight line between Munich and Chicago. Particularly beautiful stretches of coast can be found in Tuscany, which is part of the Italian coast with about 320 km. Many say that the Tuscan beaches are the most beautiful in Italy. Everyone should decide for themselves.

The Tuscan coast is part of the Tyrrhenian Sea, which continues north into the Ligurian Sea. The Tyrrhenian Sea not only limits the Italian coast, but also surrounds the large island world Mallorca Islands, Sardinia and Corsica, as well as the smaller ones Elba Islands, Lily, Montecristo and others of the Tuscan Archipelago.

How is the water quality in Tuscany?

The Water quality of the Tyrrhenian Sea is constantly monitored both at sea and along the coast. The environmental symbol "Blue flag"The FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education), which is awarded annually to particularly clean beaches. This award is a good aid to be sure that you are bathing in pure sea water.

All in all, the Tyrrhenian Sea can be given a good reference, the bathing bays of Tuscany have been rated positively for years. In order to be qualified by FEE, a beach or a boat harbor must meet an extensive catalog of criteria.Blue flags" forgive.

So far (as of December 2015) a total of 33 “blue flags” have been issued for beaches in Tuscany, from north to south (all awarded beaches HERE at blue flag beaches in Italy).

In addition to the water quality, the cleanliness of the beach and the sanitary facilities are also assessed. Particularly noteworthy beaches will be discussed here. All the beaches mentioned here have been awarded the blue flag, meaning they have perfect water quality and a well-kept atmosphere. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the tuscan coast there is hardly any industry and, on the other hand, the fact that the Italian nature conservation organizationLegambiente"The water quality has been continuously monitored since 1980."

Not least because of this there is in the Tyrrhenian Sea Whales and dolphins, which can be seen with a bit of luck on excursion boats from Livorno. Most of the beaches mentioned here are also easily accessible for disabled people.

Lido di Camaiore

Long sandy beach, one of the very well-kept, paid bathing establishments, only a little public-free beach. The water goes out shallow and far, therefore a real dream for children too. There are enough friends with whom the dwarfs build sandcastles together, so dad and mom have peace and quiet to relax.

From Lido di Camaiore, the beach promenade stretches for about 5 km Viareggio, an extra-wide pedestrian zone, lined with restaurants and ice cream parlors, the meeting place for young and old in the evening hours. For many, especially families, that alone is a reason to spend their vacation there.

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Hotels on the beach of Lido di Camaiore

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Viareggio - Marina di Torre del Lago:

This beach is located a few kilometers from the coast on Lake Massaciucoli. The place is known for the annual Puccini open-air operas, which have been performed since 1930 in honor of the great composer who spent a large part of his artistic life here. Torre del Lago has been upgraded touristically in recent years and is now a meeting place for young people in particular.

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Marina di Pisa

This is a must for every visitor to Tuscany Leaning Tower of Pisa. But by no means all visitors know the lively one Downtown Pisa. It's a fairly youthful place with around 40.000 students. Here z. B. taught the art of viticulture at the agricultural college.

The seaside resort of Marina di Pisa is located 10 km from Pisa on the southern side of the Arno estuary. There are small, sandy bays that are surrounded by huge natural stone rondelles. This keeps the waves off and so the bays are pleasantly shallow and very suitable for children. The patrician houses of the 19th century on the access road from Pisa are worth seeing. Along the Arno there are berths for guests who want to visit the place with their boat.

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Livorno - Quercianella

The coast of Livorno is steep and rocky. It is nice to drive along the coast on the SS1 - Via Aurelia. There are a few restaurants on the rocky cliffs that offer a beautiful view of the sea. The prices are a bit high, but you are compensated by a unique ambience.

Quercianella south of Livorno is a small place wedged between the rocks and the sea. There are small bays with gravel between huge boulders. It's interesting on the rocks. There are bulges on the rock surfaces that the ancient Romans hammered into the rocks, so that bathtubs were created. Since these historical times, bathers have laid themselves in these bulges on hot days and let the weak sea waves flow over them - wellness in Livornese.

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Marina di Cecina

The province of Livorno stretches about 90 km along the Tuscany coast (www.costadeglietruschi.it) with a variety of beautiful seaside resorts. Located roughly in the middle of the province Marina di Cecina, very well developed with all water sports and a large boat harbor for holiday guests who arrive on the water.

If you come from the SS1 - Via Aurelia - and drive in the direction of "Marina", you will find a long beach with fine, dark gravel on the right-hand side and sandy areas on the left.

The beaches are mainly public bathing establishments, some of which are planted with pine trees, and are repeatedly interrupted by freely accessible stretches of beach. The best thing to do is park your vehicle and walk around the beaches on a trial basis and find your perfect stretch of beach. Also remember that you may have to bring your own sunbeds and umbrellas on the free stretches of beach. Beach shells are very practical and easy to use. And please leave your berth tidied up so that our beaches receive the “Blue Flag” again in the following year.

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San Vincenzo

The small port town is about 30 kilometers south of Cecina San Vincenzo. A sandy beach, lined with a pine forest, begins south of San Vincenzo. The beach consists of relatively fine sand and runs very flat into the water. For this reason, the beach is particularly suitable for children. About 20 meters from the shore there are individual sandbanks, over which the water is sometimes only waist-deep.

Although there are lifeguards, you should always supervise your children despite the good conditions. Here, too, the “blue flag” is waving, the water is of good quality. Garbage isn't lying around. There are showers at the entrances to the beach, most of which you can use free of charge.

Parking: Leave San Vincenzo on the VIA DELLA PRINCIPESSA to the south, after a short time you will find the parking spaces on the first beach section. You have to park in the excellent parking lots (blue border) along the street. Unfortunately, these cost a fee of around 1 euro / hour.

There are a total of 10 beach sections, of which the middle ones are the least crowded on hot summer days (from San Vincenzo about 2-3 kilometers to the south). As soon as you have parked, you have to walk about 50-100 meters on the given paths through the pine forest, then you have reached the beach.

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Follonica

The place Follonica marks one of the most beautiful and longest bays of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It extends from Piombino, the ferry port for ships to Elba, to Punta Ala, the sailors' Eldorado. Follonica is located roughly in the middle of this bay, and you can take long beach walks on either side.

The place itself extends to the coast with a cheerful, colorful evening crowd in the pedestrian zone. When you are a few 100 m away from the village, it becomes quieter. The bay impresses with its extensive beach with the finest sand and sunsets, which are a natural spectacle of the extra class almost every day.

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Rocket

South of Punta Ala on the road to Castioglione della Pescaia you can see a signpost to Rocchette. If you turn into this street and drive through to the end, you come to a paid parking lot, from which you can reach the beach after a good 50 m.

There is a bathing establishment and an inexpensive family restaurant right on the water, you can eat or drink your coffee as if on a pulpit over the sea. The beach is of fine yellow sand. On the right edge are rock formations, to the left there is unimpeded beach access. Anyone who has ever been here will never forget this beautiful stretch of beach. There is a lot going on here in summer, but autumn and spring are quiet and downright romantic.

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Castiglione della Pescaia

This place is rightly called the most beautiful coastal town in Tuscany. It is overlooked by an inhabited castle, immediately below it a large open-air terrace with an enchanting view over the sea and, on a clear day, as far as the offshore islands.

On the approximately one kilometer long beach promenade (only for pedestrians) there is a children's playground, a meeting point for children and parents. In addition, ice cream parlors, bars and bathing establishments, but also enough free free access to the fine sandy beach.

As everywhere in Italy, access to the sea is basically free for everyone, even the paid bathing establishments leave a narrow strip free directly on the water, on which one can walk undisturbed. The extensive beach is interrupted by the influx of the "Bruna", there is also the boat harbor. The fishermen dock here and you can buy freshly caught fish right at the harbor.

Direction Marina di Grosseto (see below) the freely accessible pine forest begins with its very special beach, further bathing establishments and free beach sections extend towards Punta Ala.

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Marina di Grosseto

Years ago was Marina di Grosseto (Click here for map view) a pure summer resort, meanwhile it is "open" all year round. The promenade was only recently completed, a pedestrian area more than a kilometer in length with bathing establishments, restaurants and ice cream parlors.

The beach has fine sand, the water is shallow right into the sea, wide and therefore perfect for young and old. Word has long got around that spring and autumn are also well suited for a relaxing stay on the beach. The beach of Marina is bordered by kilometer-long pine groves, which are about 5 km to Principina a Mare on one side and about 8 km to the other Castiglione della Pescaia move on.

These pine beaches with about 50 m of sandy beach between the sea and the forest are freely accessible, you have to bring everything with you and enjoy the beauty of the summery gentle Mediterranean Sea for free. Since the pine beaches away from Marina di Grosseto are not particularly structured (there are no toilets, showers and no beach guards), the “Blue Flag” does not apply to these long sections, but they should still be mentioned here.

Also worth mentioning is the “Le Marze” campsite, located approximately halfway between Marina and Castiglione. It has won many awards, in the middle of the pine trees and with a short connection to the sea. From the campsite and the free parking spaces it goes about 100 m through the forest and you will then find the kilometer-long sandy beach and definitely enough space to rest and play. You bring your own umbrella, loungers and drinks, which is not so convenient on the trails, but not really a problem.

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Monte Argentario and Giglio Island

The Monte Argentario is a preferred retreat for the Romans looking for relaxation. The peninsula, about 15 kilometers from the SS 1 - Via Aurelia - is the second home of many distinguished Italian families. The prices in restaurants and ice cream parlors are in the upper range, but the area is really beautiful, well-kept, and a good mix of fishing village and fashionable exclusive boutiques.

The beaches are small bays, sometimes difficult to find and overcrowded in summer. There is something unique and special about renting a boat and walking around the peninsula. Now you can find lonely, sleepy bays that can only be reached by sea. You are suddenly alone with yourself and nature, even though you are in a highly frequented holiday region.

At the port of Porto San Stefano, the Capital of the island of Giglio, you can rent boats. You should have some experience with boats on the open sea or hire a captain right away. It is also possible to go for a swim in tourist boats, with which you can explore the island from the sea and stop at particularly beautiful beaches.

Porto San Stefano is also the ferry port for ships to the island of Giglio, with multiple daily connections all year round. It takes about 50 minutes by ferry to reach this small, enchanting island. A car is not necessary if you can walk reasonably well, the island is small and clear, the few streets are not suitable for cars.

An ascent leads from the harbor to the medieval castle, which is sweaty in summer, but very rewarding because of the endless view. This castle seems to be an unchanged relic from the Middle Ages, narrow streets where hardly any sun rays penetrate, mighty walls of the castle and again and again enchanting views of the open sea. The picturesque port of Giglio looks like time stopped 200 years ago. The water around the island is emerald green and of very special clarity, there are even corals, making the island a paradise for divers.

In the internal Italian rating, the many small beaches of Giglio, some gravel and some sand, come first - rightly (www.giglioinfo.it). Many of them are best reached via the water or via footpaths.

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