Piombino

Piombino is a town in the Italian region of Tuscany in the province of Livorno.
The city of Piombino lies on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea of the same name, opposite the island of Elba. To the north of Piombino are the ruins of the Etruscan city of Populonia and the port of Porto Baratti.
It is the main center of Val di Cornia and the main pole of the steel industry in Tuscany, it is the second port in Tuscany after Livorno.
The city preserves numerous testimonies of its glorious past, from the Etruscan origins to the Principality of Piombino, of which it was the capital , Its long history can be summed up in the architectural monuments and works of art that are preserved in the historic center, to whose splendor Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea Guardi also contributed.

Piombino is famous for its attractions … Its picturesque old town.  its rich historical heritage, the colorful holidays, the picturesque nature and beautiful beaches marked with the “Blue Flag” .The  city of Piombino is one of the most beautiful places on the Etruscan Riviera. It is picturesquely located on a promontory jutting into the sea, washed by the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian seas, opposite the island of Elba, On the coast, you can go in for water sports: surfing, diving, etc.

Access : Coordinates: 42.934824, 10.52212 / Piombino is located in Tuscany, 85 km south of Livorno and 160 km from Florence. It is separated from the Elba Island by a small strait of the same name 10 km wide. / Piombino is connected with the largest cities of the country by highways ,the A12 motorway, which is part of the European route E80, runs near the city along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. There is also a railway station in the city.
/ From the port of Piombino  Passenger services are  carried out to the islands of Elba – Portoferraio, Rio Marina, Porto Azzurro- , Sardinia (Olbia), Corsica (Bastia) and Pianosa and Capraia. Besides the port, there are several  marinas in the city.

Highlights :

•  Citadel : The architectural complex was like a real “city within the city”, which created a noble Renaissance court, with the palace, the church, the well and other buildings used for the court, it was built by the Florentine architect Andrea Guardi from 1465 to 1470, by the will of the Piombinese prince Jacopo III Appiani.Now from the citadel only the outer walls remain, facing the sea.
• The Church of Mercy from the beginning of the 13th century is one of the most ancient religious monuments preserved on the territory of Piombino.
• Chapel of the Madonna built in 1499. During the Great Plague of 1630, the city hospital was located here.
• Church of St. Anthim, built in the 13th century by a wealthy sailors’ guild.
• Cathedral of Saint Anthim, built in 1377 by the Pisa architect Piero del Grillo. The interior with two naves, as well as the monastery, are decorated with sculptures by Andrea Guardi ,circa 1470.
• The clock tower was built in 1598. Both the palace and the tower were renovated in 1935 by the architect Giovanni Bellini.
• Piazza Bovio, which overlooks the coastline and on clear days you can see Corsica. There is a small medieval lighthouse on the square Appiani Palace or Old Palace.
• Town Hall, built in 1444. In the hall there is a portrait gallery of the Appiani princes, as well as a painting “Madonna and Child” (1575) by Giovanni Maria Tacci.
• One of the oldest buildings is the 1212 Torrione watchtower, also known as St. Antony “or” the gate to the underworld. ” Its bell once announced danger to the inhabitants.
• Museum of the castle and town of Piombino. Located in Piombino Castle / The Archaeological Museum of Populonia is located in the New Palace. / Andrea Guardi Museum of Art. The museum displays works by Andrea Guardi, as well as other art objects.
• Piombino Sea Museum and City Aquarium : Founded in 1985 in the former palace of the Appiani princes at the initiative of the municipality and the Institute of Biology and Ecology of the Sea to explore the flora and fauna of the Mediterranean Sea.
• the port of Piombino, one of the largest in western Italy, is a convenient starting point for trips to the islands of the Tuscan archipelago.
• The Rivellino, the ancient main gate built in 1447 by Rinaldo Orsini.
• Since 2005, the International Video Festival “Visionaria” has been held in Piombino / Fish festival on the last Sunday in July / Feast of St. Anastasia, patroness of the city. / “August with taste” is a gastronomic exhibition dedicated to traditional cuisine and local wines. / Summer solstice holiday on July 21.
• Torre Mozza, 16th century Tuscan coastal tower. A historical and tourist attraction in the Follonica gulf, in front of Elba island.
• Piombino Castle : castle of the XIII century known as the “Pisa quarterdeck”. It is believed that Leonardo da Vinci himself was involved in its reconstruction. It later became a star-shaped Medici fortress between 1552 and 1557, at the behest of Cosimo I de ‘Medici.
• Many tourists come to Piombino to take part in its colorful traditional festivals dating back to the Middle Ages.

Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / ecological tourism in picturesque surroundings and parks /  gastronomic tourism. / resort tourism. Piombino’s beaches have blue flags for their cleanliness.

Go next : Neighboring communes: Campiglia Marittima, Follonica, San Vincenzo, Suvereto./ Orti-Bottagone nature reserve, which protects wetlands, and the Archaeological Park, where you can see the ruins of Populonia, the Etruscan necropolis, ancient burial mounds and caves.