Baratti and Populonia Archaeological Park

Distance: 35 minutes

The Baratti and Populonia Archaeological Park is a veritable open-air museum of Etruscan civilisation overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. It extends from the slopes of the Piombino promontory to the Gulf of Baratti, and includes the area where the Etruscan and Roman city of Populonia once stood, the only city built by the Etruscans on the sea and known since ancient times for its intense metallurgical activity linked to the production of iron.

The park is divided into two visiting areas that allow visitors to appreciate the transformation of the landscape and the town over the centuries:

• In the lower part you can admire the two necropolises from the Etruscan period, the calcarenite quarries and the industrial quarters, where the hematite mineral, from the deposits on the Elba Isalnd, was worked to produce iron ingots.
• In the upper part of the site you can discover the acropolis of Populonia, with its temples, buildings, mosaics and streets from the Roman phase, and the remains of the huts from the first Etruscan settlement and the walls that encircled the town on the sea side.The Baratti and Populonia Archaeological Park is the ideal destination for a cultural holiday immersed in nature, which will amaze you with its unspoilt surroundings stretching from the woods to the sea and is perfect for lovers of trekking and outdoor life.

The various paths and trails run through woods and lush Mediterranean scrub, opening onto unexpected and spectacular views of the Gulf of Baratti.