Val di Cornia: what to see by the sea, in the villages and parks of Tuscany

Beaches, medieval villages and Etruscan sites on the Etruscan Coast

The Val di Cornia (often also written Valdicornia) is the southern stretch of the Etruscan Coast, in the province of Livorno. Within just a few kilometres you go from the sandy beaches of the Golfo di Follonica (Gulf of Follonica) to the rocky coves of the Piombino headland, from medieval hill villages to Etruscan sites overlooking the sea, and from ancient mines to inland woods.

It is one of the most varied areas in Tuscany for a holiday: the beach in the morning, a village or an archaeological park in the afternoon, and dinner among vineyards and olive groves in the evening.

Where is the Val di Cornia?

The valley takes its name from the Cornia river, which flows down from the Colline Metallifere (Metal-bearing Hills) into the Gulf of Follonica. It is made up of five municipalities:

Campiglia Marittima, including Venturina Terme;
Piombino, including Populonia and Baratti;
San Vincenzo;
Suvereto;
Sassetta, a small village among the wooded hills.

Campiglia Marittima and Venturina lie at the heart of the valley: from here, every destination is less than half an hour away by car.

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Tombe scavate nella roccia nel Parco archeologico di Baratti e Populonia

Spiaggia della Carbonifera con dune e staccionata

What to see in the Val di Cornia: the main highlights

The Gulf of Baratti and Populonia: the bay of sand and pine woods and the only Etruscan city by the sea, with the Archaeological Park and the village of Populonia.
The Parco Archeominerario di San Silvestro (San Silvestro Archaeological Mining Park): mines, a medieval miners’ village and a train through the tunnels, just minutes from Campiglia.
Campiglia Marittima: the Rocca (fortress), the Palazzo Pretorio and the Pieve di San Giovanni.
Suvereto: one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, with its Rocca, cloisters and wineries.
The beaches: Rimigliano, the Sterpaia, the Buca delle Fate and Cala San Quirico.
Piombino: Piazza Bovio looking out over Elba Island, and the port for the islands.

Mare cristallino visto tra la macchia a Rimigliano

The sea in the Val di Cornia

The Val di Cornia coastline offers beaches that are very different from one another, all within easy reach:

Sandy beaches and pine woods

To the north, the Spiaggia di Rimigliano (Rimigliano Beach) in San Vincenzo: 6 kilometres of free public beach between dunes and pine woods. To the south, on the Gulf of Follonica, the Parco della Sterpaia, 8 kilometres of fine Blue Flag sand.

The Gulf of Baratti

A crescent-shaped bay with dark sand, pine woods running down to the water and the village of Populonia on the headland: one of the most photographed landscapes in Tuscany.

Coves on the headland

If you love rocks and clear water, on the Piombino headland you can walk to the Buca delle Fate and Cala San Quirico.

Colline e campagna della Val di Cornia viste dall'alto

The Val di Cornia parks

Many of the valley’s highlights are brought together in the Parchi della Val di Cornia (Val di Cornia Parks) network, created in 1993 by the five municipalities to protect and jointly manage their archaeological, mining and natural heritage. Its sites include, among others:

the Parco Archeologico di Baratti e Populonia (Baratti and Populonia Archaeological Park);
the Parco Archeominerario di San Silvestro;
the Sterpaia coastal park and the Rimigliano coastal park;
the Parco di Montioni (Montioni Park), with its woods and alum quarries;
the Parco forestale di Poggio Neri (Poggio Neri Forest Park), in the woods of Sassetta;
the Riserva naturale Orti-Bottagone (Orti-Bottagone Nature Reserve), a wetland near Piombino;
museums such as those of the Castle of Piombino and the Rocca di Campiglia.

Borgo medievale toscano sulle colline al tramonto

Villages of the Val di Cornia

Campiglia Marittima

This medieval hill village, with its Rocca looking out to sea and a historic centre of stone lanes, is the ideal starting point for exploring the whole valley.

Suvereto

Walls, the Rocca Aldobrandesca, the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) with its loggia and a long winemaking tradition: Suvereto is one of the loveliest villages in Tuscany.

Sassetta

The smallest of the five municipalities, perched among the wooded hills, ideal if you are looking for peace and nature.

Populonia

The 15th-century village at the top of the headland, above the remains of the ancient Etruscan city.

Torre medievale in rovina affacciata sulla Val di Cornia

Grappoli d'uva tra i filari di un vigneto a Suvereto

Things to do in the Val di Cornia

Hiking and cycling: the trails of the Piombino headland, the woods of Montioni and Poggio Neri, and the gravel roads through the hills.
Thermal baths: the warm waters of Venturina Terme, for a day of relaxation.
Wine and olive oil: the wineries of Suvereto DOCG and the Val di Cornia, olive groves and oil mills.
Archaeology: the Etruscan necropolises of Baratti and the mines of San Silvestro.
Islands: ferries to Elba Island leave from the port of Piombino.

You will find local activities in our experiences section.

What to see in the Val di Cornia in 3 days

Day 1 – The Etruscan sea. Morning at the Gulf of Baratti, afternoon among the necropolises of the Archaeological Park and sunset at Populonia.

Day 2 – Mines and villages. Morning at the San Silvestro Archaeological Mining Park, lunch in Campiglia Marittima with a visit to the Rocca, afternoon and dinner in Suvereto.

Day 3 – Nature and relaxation. A free beach at Rimigliano or the Sterpaia, then an evening soak in the warm waters of the Venturina thermal baths.

When to visit the Val di Cornia

Summer: beach season, with events and food festivals in the villages.
Spring and autumn: the best months for hiking, archaeological parks, the grape harvest and new-season olive oil.
Winter: quiet and mild, ideal for thermal baths and villages.

How to get to the Val di Cornia

By car, take the Variante Aurelia (SS1), which crosses the valley with exits for San Vincenzo and Venturina, from where you continue towards Piombino. By train, Campiglia Marittima station is on the Tyrrhenian line and is the interchange for Piombino and the ferries to Elba.

Rocca di Campiglia Marittima illuminata di sera

Where to stay to explore the Val di Cornia

To discover the whole valley, choose a central base. Campiglia Marittima and Venturina Terme are 10–30 minutes from every destination: the sea at San Vincenzo and Baratti, the inland villages, the parks and the thermal baths.

You can choose from hotels, B&Bs, apartments and farm stays in the Val di Cornia set in the countryside: you will find every option in our where to stay section.

Plan your stay

Campiglia Marittima sulla collina, nel cuore della Val di Cornia

Plan your experience with Ama Campiglia Marittima

On the Ama Campiglia Marittima portal you can find where to stay, where to eat and which experiences to enjoy among the sea, historic villages and nature, so you can plan your holiday in the Val di Cornia.

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Frequently asked questions about the Val di Cornia

Where is the Val di Cornia?

In Tuscany, in the province of Livorno, on the southern stretch of the Etruscan Coast, between San Vincenzo and Piombino.

Which municipalities make up the Val di Cornia?

Campiglia Marittima, Piombino, San Vincenzo, Suvereto and Sassetta.

What is there to see in the Val di Cornia?

The Gulf of Baratti and Populonia, the San Silvestro Archaeological Mining Park, the villages of Campiglia Marittima and Suvereto, the beaches of Rimigliano and the Sterpaia, and Piombino.

What are the Val di Cornia parks?

The main ones include the Baratti and Populonia Archaeological Park, the San Silvestro Archaeological Mining Park, the Sterpaia and Rimigliano coastal parks, the Parco di Montioni and the Poggio Neri Forest Park.

Where are the best beaches in the Val di Cornia?

Rimigliano for free beaches, the Sterpaia for sand and facilities, Baratti for the scenery, and the Buca delle Fate and Cala San Quirico for rocky coves.