Piombino
About Piombino
Piombino, located in the Tuscany region of Italy, is Alessandra’s hometown.
The town’s coastal location, beautiful beaches and historical sites make it a popular destination for tourists. Visitors can explore medieval architecture, visit museums, and enjoy the scenic views of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Things to do
Beaches
The town is home to several beaches where you can relax and watch the world go by:
Calamoresca
A favourite amongst locals Calamoresca is a pebble beach near Salivoli Marina. It’s a great place to just chill out, but if crystal clear water and snorkeling is your thing it’s a great place to go to see some marine life. It’s equipped with sun loungers, parasols and a bar/restaurant.
For those of you staying at Residence Marina di Salivoli, it’s a three minute walk away.
Address: Via Alcide de Gasperi, 14, 57025 Piombino LI, Italy
Spiaggia di Salivoli (Salivoli Beach)
Salivoli is a sandy beach with shallow waters equipped with facilities and easily accessible for those staying at RTA Marina di Salivoli.
Address: Via Salivoli, 57025 Piombino LI, Italy
Perelli & Sterpaia Coastal Park (Parco Costiero della Sterpaia)
About a 15-minute drive from Piombino is the Sterpaia coastal park, which offers 8km of sandy beaches and clear waters between the towns of Piombino and Follonica. It is equipped with facilities such as bars and restaurants, beach clubs with sun loungers and parasols, toilets, picnic areas and parking areas.
The beaches of the Sterpaia coastal park are: Perelli, Carlappiano, Mortelliccio, Pino, Carbonifera, Torre Mozza. They all have pay-and-display car parks for cars and camper vans.
Address: 57025 Piombino, Province of Livorno, Italy
Baratti
Located approximately 10 minutes from Piombino by car, Baratti offers a mix of history and beautiful coastline. Nestled in the Golfo di Baratti (gulf of Baratti) you’ll see a characteristic marina with fishing boats, ancient Etruscan ruins at the archaeological park of Baratti and Populonia and an expansive sandy beach.
The whole gulf is easily accessible by car, with parking areas (not free). Bagno Baratti, run by a dear family friend, is a beach club with lots of charm. Here you’ll find a warm welcome, parasols, sun loungers, paddle boards, pedalos and more. The on-site bar serves up sandwiches, fresh salads, cold dishes, bruschetta and more, as well as drinks and delicious cocktails (their Zenzito cocktail is out of this world) for an aperitivo with sunset by the sea.
Address: Baratti, 57025 Piombino LI, Italy
Also, if you drive to the edge of the bay on the left, where the marina is, you can take the uphill road to Populonia. Populonia is a tiny medieval village which offers unparalleled views of the Tuscan archipelago from above. Here you can visit the medieval fort (2 Euros per ticket, kids go free), you can browse the local shops or stop for a bite at one of the cafes and restaurants in the village. To reach Populonia a car is essential. There’s a car park that charges 1 EUR for two hours.
Bars and Restaurants
L’OSTeria: Friendly service, tasty menus that change depending on the seasonality. Both meat and fish dishes available, plus local wines. Located in the old town centre, just off the main pedestrian road.
Address: 26, Via Ferruccio Francesco, 25, 57025 Piombino LI
Mamma Carla: Traditional Tuscan trattoria-style restaurant, it serves both meat and fish menus. Good value for money. Located in the old town centre. https://osteriamammacarla.it/en/
Address: Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 60, 57025 Piombino LI
Pan Vinaio: just opposite Mamma Carla (same owners), this eatery is informal and resembles a takeaway place with some tables outside. Very affordable, it serves up excellent quality panini and sandwiches stuffed or topped with local delicacies, fresh pasta dishes as well as beers and refreshments: https://restaurantguru.com/Panvinaio-Piombino
Address: Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 57, 57025 Piombino LI
Lo Spuntino Pizzeria e Friggitoria: Very affordable. Situated in the old town centre, it’s a street food eatery with a couple of tables outside. It serves quick bites like French fries, pizza al taglio (pizza cut by the slice – you can even just buy one slice), croquettes, fried fish mix and more. One slice of pizza is between 1 EUR and 2 EUR per slice. Panini ripieni (stuffed panini/sandwiches) are around 2 EUR.
Address: Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 42, 57025 Piombino LI
Maddé Burger & Tex Mex: Located in the newer town centre, this affordable eatery offers gourmet burgers made with locally sourced meat. You can also enjoy Tex Mex food (I know, you’re in Italy, but whatever floats your boat) like nachos and tacos, pork ribs, pulled pork and chicken skewers. Both artisan beers and beers imported from Mexico are available.
Address: Via Cesare Lombroso, 5, 57025 Piombino LI
Mastarna Pub: Affordable pub in the old town centre. It offers a selection of artisan beers as well as spirits, but also soft drinks. Food wise you’ll find Tuscan-style sandwiches, stuffed panini, stuffed focaccia (we call it “Schiaccia” in Piombino), cold meat platters, hot dogs, French fries and so on. Good vegan/vegetarian options and kids menu available. Food prices range between 8 Eur and 9 Eur per dish.
Address: Via Fratelli Cairoli, 8, 57025 Piombino LI
Pizzeria Ristorante Falesia: Affordable pizza restaurant situated between the new and the old town centre. Here you’ll find good quality pizza, ranging between 6 EUR and 10 EUR for a whole round pizza. This is a sit-down place, booking recommended, informal atmosphere.
Address: Via Andrea Costa, 15, 57025 Piombino LI
Al Baccanale: Higher end, more expensive restaurant located in the old town centre. Both meat and fish dishes (even though mostly fish) with a gourmet twist and sophisticated recipes. Exposed stonework and vaulted ceiling, impeccable service and food.
https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/toscana/piombino/restaurant/al-baccanale
Address: Via XX Settembre, 20, 57025 Piombino LI
Taverna dei Boncompagni: More expensive restaurant also located in the old town centre. It serves only fish and seafood dishes, very good service and food quality. Vegetarian and gluten-free options available.
Address: Via Vittorio Emanuele, 38, 57025 Piombino LI
La Sirena: Seafood only, freshly caught. Due to the nature of the restaurant, the menu changes every day based on that day’s catch. There’s usually no printed menu so Google Translate will come in handy! Located between Salivoli and the town centre, this family-run place offers fish dishes and wine of the highest quality at reasonable prices. The clientele here is a very eclectic mix, from builders on their lunch break to businessmen in smart suits as well as regular locals.
Address: Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, 3, 57025 Piombino LI
Ristorante Le Fate: Affordable sit-down pub/restaurant (ristopub) located in the new town centre. Ideal for a quick meal. It serves both meat and fish menus, from pasta dishes to platters and wine/spirits. Booking recommended.
Address: Corso Italia, 119, 57025 Piombino LI
Yama: Great kiosk bar with uninterrupted sea views, located 3 minutes’ walk away from Salivoli, on the way to town. You can carry on along the “lungomare” (the seafront walk) from here and you’ll get into the town centre in around 15-20 minutes. Ideal for an Italian-style breakfast, coffee, cappuccino, fresh fruit juices, for a quick lunch or dinner (charcuterie and cheese platters, pasta dishes, vegan/vegetarian options available). Also great for aperitivo and drinks, lovely staff and service. Open-air place, very informal, laidback and quite affordable. No toilet facilities on site.
Address: Via Giovanni Fattori, 57025 Piombino LI, Italy
Other Activities
Hiking
If you love hiking, Tuscany offers multiple interesting hiking trails. For those of you who prefer to stay local, Piombino has a 2-hour walking trail that connects Calamoresca to Baratti. This relatively easy walk/hike will take you along the coastline and into the Mediterranean forest, with breathtaking sea views along the way.
More info here: https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/italy/tuscany/piombino
