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If you are going to Tuscany, I recommend a visit to the medieval town of Populonia in Golfo di Baratti

If you are going to Tuscany, I recommend a visit to the medieval town of Populonia in the beautiful Gulf of Golfo di Baratti, and the archaeological park Parco archeologico di Baratti.

If you are going to Tuscany, I recommend a visit to the medieval town of Populonia in the beautiful bay Golfo di Baratti, and the archaeological park Parco archeologico di Baratti.

Text and photo by Trude Helén Hole

You probably won’t regret a visit. In my opinion, one of the most fascinating things about history, is that history never ends. It continues day by day, and we all take part in it one way or the other.

One of the cities founded by the Etruscans is called Populonia

And in some places it might seem as if history stands still or that you have been taken back in time. This is precisely the case with the town of Populonia in the beautiful Gulf of Golfo de Baratti. Here the history of the fabled people of Tuscany lives on: namely the history of the Etruscans, and it is with awe that one gets to take part in this.

This city is probably the only Etruscans built directly by the sea. And surrounded by a truly unique natural landscape, you can let historic buildings and fortresses, and not least experiences, take you back in time. And then we talk about the heyday – between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, Populonia became the Mediterranean’s most important center for the extraction and development of the iron ore hematite, of which the nearby island of Elba had plenty.

Castello di Populonia – a fortress with a thousand faces

A fortress with a thousand faces, it is said of the beautiful fortress and castle that sits atop Populonia and towers over the sea. Populonia was probably built around 300 AD and was originally called Fufluna which means God of Wine.

It is still the mighty, rectangular tower that characterizes the medieval fortress. The shape of the tower was unusual in the Tuscan castles, but more common in the Scaligeri.

The medieval village was naturally surrounded by impressive walls to keep the pirates away. Today, Polulonia is a lively village, full of shops and craft shops, cafes and local restaurants with pride intact. If you can’t make it to a delicious meal prepared with wild boar from Tuscany, then at least make time for an ice cream.

On the way up from the beach to the castle, you will feel the ancient history of Populonia close to your skin as you admire the Etruscan ruins of the necropolis. Along the way, you will find more than a century old oaks, pines and holly oaks, and finally you will reach the door of the village: here you will feel small – and dignified, as you are allowed to enter and experience the town.

Parco archeologico di Baratti

The archaeological park, park of Baratti begins by the sea, more specifically in the beautiful bay of Golfo di Baratti, and extends well inland. Here you will find the tombs of the many Etruscan warrior princes and “the Mediterranean maquis” who house tombs carved into the rock. If you go up to the Acropolis, you get a view of the sea and the islands of the Tuscan archipelago.

A visit is a mystical experience of emotion and imagination, for time seems to have stopped and one can almost hear the Etruscans whispering in the light sea breeze.

The famous park, which is one of the Val di Cornia parks, includes a significant part of the Etruscan and Roman city of Populonia and is divided into two visitor areas that show how the city and the landscape have transformed over the centuries. In the lower part you can see the two necropolises of the Etruscan phase, the limestone quarries and the industrial districts where the hematite ore from the island of Elba was processed to obtain iron ingots.

In the summer season, the park is open in the evenings with theater and themed tours, as well as shows and other events that transform the visit into an atmospheric experience. Read more here.

But the area offers more than Etruscan and Roman temples; the beautiful park is also a perfect destination for anyone who loves the outdoors and hiking in beautiful nature. A number of routes follow the old paths and lead through the idyllic Mediterranean forest to the promontory of Piombino where you can enjoy a fantastic view of the open sea towards the island of Elba.

The Baratti Bay is a famous and fascinating attraction in Tuscany

The bay takes its name from Baratti, a place where the dunes date back to the old Etruscan era. Here you will find a small tourist harbour, a beautiful black and silver colored sandy beach (ground iron sand), as well as dunes covered with myrtle and juniper bushes, a century-old pine forest and an Etruscan necropolis, and not least – clean and clear water.

So there is nothing to wait for – if you are going to Tuscany, I really recommend a visit to the medieval town of Populonia in the beautiful Golfo di Baratti, the Caribbean in Tuscany, and the archaeological park Parco archeologico di Baratti. You certainly won’t regret it!

Art of Living – travel & adventure, wining & dining, literature & art – Trude Helén Hole

Text and photo; Trude Helén Hole

This article was written by Trude Helén Hole, who is an author, journalist, sommelier and business owner. Hole owns and runs the media agency New Spirit Communication with a focus on marketing travel and experiences, as well as digital storytelling and content production. Hole, who is also a speaker, collaborates with both Norwegian and international destinations and travel-related brands. You will find references here and more travel articles right here.

If you want to cooperate – contact me here.

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Yours sincerely Trude Helén Hole
Norwegian author, journalist, sommelier, lecturer & artist

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Trude Helén Hole

Live your life through joy, generosity and love – then the world becomes a better place to be for all of us. 

Shortly about me/this blog – I am an author, journalist, artist, sommelier and traveller that have experienced a lot of beautiful places all over our amazing world. I have written articles for several magazines for more than three decades, and have written over 30 books, including more than 20 on the subject of wine. You can read my travel tips here – and my books can be found on Amazon, among other places.

If you want to cooperate, please feel free to contact me at: truhole@hotmail.no

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