Where to go trekking a stone’s throw from the Tuscan sea
Trekking in the hills or mountains with the sea at your feet is a unique experience that joins land and water in perfect harmony. An unmissable opportunity to immerse yourself in a beautiful and varied environment. Tuscany, a land full of wonders, offers an infinite number of paths to discover on foot, revealing enchanting castles, ancient watchtowers and monasteries shrouded in the mystery of the past.
From the Calafuria Nature Reserve to the magnificent Maremma Regional Park, you can follow the ancient coastal road, immersed in the luxuriant Mediterranean scrub, to reach the peaks of mountains and hills from which the gaze embraces the infinite blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago and even the elegant profile of Corsica.
But don’t miss the opportunity to bring your bathing suit with you, because along the way, between woods and secret coves, you will find beaches of golden sand and crystal clear waters, such as those of the enchanting island of Elba, where a short stop it will become an unforgettable moment.
5 proposals for hiking by the sea
Calafuria
The Riserva Naturale Biogenetica di Calafuria is an important protected area in Tuscany, which extends for about 115 hectares, embracing the coastal area of Calafuria and the immediate hinterland up to the western part of the Livorno Mountains.
The paths of the Calafuria Reserve will lead you among uncontaminated hills, surrounded by coppices, until you reach the Montaccio hill, the highest point of the reserve at about 300 meters above sea level, but also along the sea.
The journey begins near the Torre del Boccale, following a dirt road that runs alongside the Fosso Maroccone, and then enters the thick Mediterranean scrub.
In a short time, you reach the Montaccio traffic light, a fire tower that offers an extraordinary panoramic view of the entire Etruscan Coast, ranging from Livorno to Piombino up to the Tuscan archipelago. Continuing, you temporarily leave the reserve, reaching Arpaderba and Castellaccio, where there are refreshment points. From here, you return to the sea, following different routes.
Along the cliff that goes from Calafuria to Quercianella, you can make pleasant and relaxing stops between rocks and sandy coves. One of these is the suggestive Cala del Leone which is located just below the Torre del Romito.
Immersed in the nature of the reserve, among holm oaks, pines and aromatic plants, it will be possible to spot solitary sparrows, foxes and wild boars, while the ancient watchtowers, such as those of Boccale and Calafuria, built in the 16th century by the Medici, tell stories of a past of coastal defense against the dangers of the Barbary.
The Calafuria trekking route is a ring about 6 kilometers long (about 4 hours of walking) and starts from the Torre di Calafuria. The difficulty level is medium.
Piombino promontory
The Piombino promontory offers a vast excursion network of about 25 km, an experience suspended between sky and sea, immersed in lush Mediterranean vegetation, with a view overlooking the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
Among the numerous options, we recommend the via dei Cavalleggeri (path 300), an ancient coastal road named in honor of the knights who incessantly watched the coasts from possible raids by corsairs, pirates and smugglers.
You can take a suggestive circular path along the crest of the Piombino promontory and its pristine coast, starting and returning to Baratti. During the days of good weather, you can admire the island of Capraia, Elba and Corsica.
The trekking route on the Piombino Promontory starts from the parking lot located immediately after the small port of Baratti. After a short stretch on the paved road, you finally immerse yourself in the nature of the Piombino promontory.
With a small detour you can go and visit the remains of the Monastery of San Quirico, a Benedictine ecclesiastical complex located on the slopes of Poggio Tondo.
Not far away, there is also the magnificent Buca delle Fate, a cliff overlooking the sea that offers moments of contemplation in an intense blue sea. Continuing, we reach the beach of Fosso delle Canne, an ideal place for a regenerating break. This small, wild and uncontaminated beach can only be reached on foot, following a path along the rocky coast of the promontory, between Piombino and Populonia.
After admiring the small gulf of Calamoresca, the route returns to the starting point, completing a total distance of about 18 km and about 7 hours of walking.
Maremma Regional Park
An exciting trekking itinerary allows you to discover the watchtowers of the Maremma Regional Park, built starting from the 15th century as a defense against Saracen raids.
These ancient towers, scattered throughout the park area, were mainly built to deal with corsair threats and are located on strategic promontories, offering a better vantage point over the sea.
In the second half of the 16th century, Duke Cosimo dei Medici intervened to strengthen the towers of Castelmarino, Collelungo and Cala di Forno, as well as renovate and build new towers outside the grand ducal territory, so as to create an uninterrupted defensive circuit along the entire coast of the region.
Trekking lovers can take the A2 route here which starts from the so-called Casetta dei Pinottolai. From here, the path continues along a road immersed in the grand ducal pine forest, for about 1600 metres, until it reaches a wooden bridge, where a sign indicates the route for itinerary A2.
Crossing a dense bush, you arrive at the Torre di Castelmarino (12th century), from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the sea and the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
Subsequently, you descend downwards, crossing the pine forest, to reach a splendid deserted beach and continue towards the 16th century Torre di Collelungo, which is located on the top of a promontory.
The route continues for about 7 km, also allowing Nordic walking to be practiced. For more information, you can contact the Italian Alpine Club of the Tuscany Region.
Grande Traversata Elbana
Considered one of the most beautiful excursion crossings in Tuscany, the Grande Traversata Elbana offers a unique experience, allowing you to explore the extraordinary hinterland of the Island of Elba with its varied natural environments.
The path develops along a ridge that connects most of the paths on the island, allowing you to observe spectacular panoramas on all its sides, as well as on Corsica and the other islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
It takes 4 or 5 days to do all of the Grande Traversata Elbana, but you can always decide to do individual shorter stages. Following this route you reach the summit of Monte Capanne (1019 meters above sea level), from which you can admire the entire island in a spectacular 360 degree panorama.
Walking along the crest of the Elba mountain range, you can enjoy spectacular views on all four sides of the island, embracing the infinity of the marine waters and the landscape of the Tuscan Archipelago.
The route starts from the town of Cavo and, following the ridge, heads west, passing the town of Porto Azzurro, until it climbs Monte Perone.
Continuing, you reach Monte Capanne, where the path forks into two branches. One of them leads to the town of Pomonte, following the ridge that divides the valley of the same name from Vallebuia, while the other embraces Monte Capanne, cutting the northern slope along the coast and ending on the provincial road, in the locality of Patresi Mortaio.
The first stretch of the crossing has a length of about 42 km, therefore it is advisable to divide the excursion into 4 parts, with appropriate detours towards Porto Azzurro, Procchio and Poggio, where to spend the night.
If you want to take the second branch, you reach the “bifurcation GTE”, turn right and continue at high altitude under the Capanne massif, up to the junction with path 110.
From here, continue uphill towards La Tavola, located about 900 meters above sea level, then begin a gentle descent to Serraventosa, to then reach your destination in Patresi, in the Municipality of Marciana.
To walk this branch, it takes about 4 hours and 30 minutes of walking. For more information, you can contact the Italian Alpine Club of the Tuscany Region.
Montecristo Island
A place that makes the imagination vibrate is the Island of Montecristo, famous as the setting of the novel by Alexandre Dumas, “The Count of Monte Cristo”. Today, it is the largest marine park in the Mediterranean, an area of immeasurable beauty, preserved to protect the rich biodiversity of the Tuscan Archipelago.
Although Montecristo cannot be explored independently, it is possible to book guided excursions to discover its secrets. The two trekking routes offer the possibility of admiring the remains of the convent, located 340 meters above sea level, dedicated to San Mamiliano and built by Benedictine monks in the 7th century. Continuing on, we reach the Grotta del Santo, a place of meditation adorned with votive offerings.
The first path, of medium difficulty, winds for 2 km with a walking time of about 2 hours. The second, more demanding, stretches for 3 km and takes about 3 and a half hours. Along the routes, the fascinating nature of the island is revealed through over 300 spontaneous botanical varieties and about 20 species reintegrated over time, including palms, agaves, oleanders, eucalyptus, laurels, magnolias, olive trees, carob trees, vines, stone pines and Aleppo pines.
