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Home , Bolgheri, Campiglia Marittima, Piombino, Populonia, Venturina Terme

IN AMONG NATURE AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Special groups in the Parks and Museums of the Val di Cornia WHERE WE ARE

How to reach the Val di Cornia Parks: The Val di Cornia Parks area is situated 80 km south of and is crossed by the SS1 Variante Aurelia, a freeway which goes from Rosignano to Civitavecchia. There are signs to the Parks at the exits to: ● San Vincenzo Nord, ● San Vincenzo Sud ● /Venturina ● Vignale/Riotorto WHO WE ARE

PARKS AND MUSEUMS on the Tuscan coast

The Val di Cornia is the perfect spot for enjoying a unique experience in a territory rich in natural beauty and surprising archaeological testimonies; an exciting mix of art, culture, enogastronomy, wellbeing and nature, as well as plenty of relaxation and sport. Facing onto the Island of , this valley is a valid alternative to the traditional destinations in Tuscany.

Immersed in this multi-faceted landscape, the parks and museums of the Val di Cornia represent a rich and varied offer, a different way of experiencing culture, with guided tours, experimental archaeological and

environmental workshops and trekking trails .

A world to be discovered step by step, following the thread of the stories narrated by the ancient findings. ● Archaeological park of and ● Archaeological-mineral park of San Silvestro ● Archaeological Museum of the Territory of Populonia ● Sterpaia coastal park ● Rimigliano coastal park ● Forest park of Poggio Neri ● Regional Natural park of DISCOVER THE VAL DI CORNIA

Piombino Stretching out into the sea, Piombino is a city with a wealth of history surrounded by a properly-safeguarded natural environment. A walk through piazza Bovio is unforgettable, with its magnificent views out over the islands of the . Il castello di Populonia A small medieval castle, high atop the promontory of Populonia, looking down over Baratti bay. Campiglia Marittima today is one of the most suggestive and best-preserved medieval villages of the Costa degli Etruschi. The historical centre is dominated by the Rocca fortress, which has public gardens and a museum within its walls. You come down from the hills along a road flanked by terracing and centuries- old olive groves, arriving in Venturina Terme, where the thermal park has hospitality facilities and spa establishments. Suvereto is a fascinating village, still today surrounded by its walls. The cork woods, in Italian ‘sughero’, together with the varied scents of the Mediterranean scrub, the vines and the centuries-old olive trees, give the countryside here an exclusive feel. Nearby Sassetta A holiday in the Val di Cornia can be enhanced by visits to sites of special interest A tiny, adorable historic village, Sassetta is perched on the top of a spur of rock. for tourists which are only a few kilometers away: (ca. 80 km), Massa The village is lost amid the greenery of woodlands rich in paths for trekking and Marittima (ca. 45 km), (ca. 30 km), and (ca. 20 km). organised trackways for walking, cycling and horse-riding. There is also a spa. Also, the Val di Cornia can be reached easily from the main towns and cities in San Vincenzo Tuscany: (120 km), Livorno (90 km), Siena (185 km), Volterra (90 km), and Famed for its white sandy beaches, and for its wide range of tourist services, (180 km). S. Vincenzo is a resort where you can spend a relaxing holiday all year round. GROUPS IN VISIT

Useful information for organizing a visit to the Val di Cornia Parks ● The Val di Cornia Parks are open to visitors all year round , and in the spring and autumn you can enjoy a particularly pleasant climate. ● Visitors are accompanied by well-qualified, multilingual staff . ● The walking routes can last half a day or a whole day. ● Visits can be customized to suit specific interests , with the possibility of organizing experimental archeology workshops, or enhancing visits by finding time to sample fine wines and food (tasting typical products from the Val di Cornia such as wine, oil, honey, and quality fruit and vegetables), or with “wellness stays” at local thermal sites. Services and facilities at the Parks and Museums: The Parks and the Museums of the Val di Cornia have picnic areas, a bookshop, large car parks for buses and private vehicles, restaurants, bars, hostels, and beaches with all required facilities. Tips for visitors: It is recommended that visitors wear sturdy, resistant clothing with hiking boots, a sun-hat in summer, and a jacket for visiting the mines, where the temperature is about 13-14°C. You are advised to bring a mosquito repellant if visiting the woods of the Sterpaia Park, and Rimigliano Park. VISITS FOR GROUP by reservation for groups minimum 20 paying people ARCHAEOLOGICAL-MINERAL PARK OF SAN SILVESTRO (Campiglia M.ma) Located behind Campiglia Marittima and the promontory of Piombino, the park extends through what was once the mining district of Campiglia. The search for and extraction of metalliferous minerals which began in Etruscan times and continued until 1976, has had a great impact on the development of this territory. A visit to the park represents an authentic itinerary below and above ground, amidst the mining tunnels and pathways of historical, archaeological and naturalistic interest dominated on high by the medieval village of Rocca San Silvestro. Guided tour to:

Tour of the mines : a fascinating underground itinerary that winds through two tunnels in the Park. You will get to know the metalliferous minerals, mining techniques and tools used by the miners throughout history, and ride on the mining train as you follow the path of the minerals from the mines to the processing plants.

Rocca di San Silvestro : a medieval village overlooking the valleys of Campiglia, the ambition of an aristocratic family, the history of the miners who lived there for more than three hundred years, the reconstruction of one of their houses to demonstrate the difficulties of their everyday life, these are the ingredients of the visit to this unique and extraordinarily well-preserved site. .

Complete visit: Tour of the mines: Rocca San Silvestro: o Duration: 6 h including lunch break o Duration: 3 h o Duration: 2 h o Price: € 13,00 per person o Price: € 11,00 per person o Price: € 7,00 per person o Includes: entrance and multilingual guide service o Includes: entrance and multilingual guide service o Includes: entrance and multilingual guide service VISITS FOR GROUP by reservation for groups minimum 20 paying people ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF BARATTI AND POPULONIA (Piombino) One of the most powerful Etruscan settlements, Populonia is a town of great charm, immersed in a unique natural setting. From the sea in the Gulf of Baratti, dominated by the burial places of the warrior princes, to the Mediterranean scrub that conceals incredible tombs carved out of the rock, until reaching the acropolis with its sacred buildings facing onto the islands of the Tuscan archipelago, Populonia is an unforgettable experience. Guided tour to: Necropolis area: the Necropolis of San Cerbone is the burial place of the Etruscan kings of Populonia at the time of the city’s maximum splendour. During the tour you will be able to enter the monumental Tomba dei Carri accompanied by music of past eras. A walk through the woods offering glimpses of magnificent views, leads to the rock necropolis of the Grottoes. Acropolis of Populonia: enclosed by massive walls, the acropolis is in the heart of the ancient city. You will visit the area of the temples, follow the sacred road to reach a sumptuous home with polychrome mosaics, and then Le Logge, from the terrace of which you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views along the entire Tuscan coast. Following, the nature trail will take you to the imposing walls and the King’s house, a reconstructed hut from the Iron Age.

Complete visit: Necropolis area: Acropolis of Populonia: o Duration: 6 h including lunch break o Duration: 3 h o Duration: 2 h o Price: € 13,00 per person o Price: € 11,00 per person o price: € 8,00 per person o Includes: entrance and multilingual guide service o Includes: entrance and multilingual guide service o Includes: entrance and multilingual guide service VISITS FOR GROUP by reservation for groups minimum 20 paying people ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF THE TERRITORY OF POPULONIA (Piombino)

Situated in front of the sea, in the historic centre of Piombino, the princely palace of ’s sister, Elisa Baciocchi, houses one of the most important archaeological museums in all of Tuscany with over 2,000 exhibits on display.

Guided tour

An inviting museum with air-conditioned rooms that proposes a journey through the ancient territory of Populonia: a chronological itinerary from Prehistory to Late Antiquity . Starting from the first example of prehistoric art, we move on to the early bronze and iron artefacts, and then see how the Etruscans worked precious metals, how they ate at banquets, and how they honoured their dead, accompanied by the music of the ancient instruments reconstructed and exhibited in the museum. The multisensorial tour is a unique experience with models of the three symbols of ancient Populonia: the famous Tomba dei Carri that can be visited in the Park, the mosaics with a seascape from the Acropolis of Populonia, and the Silver Anfora of Baratti , a unique piece recovered Museum visit: from the depths of the sea. o Duration: 2 h o Price: € 5,00 per person o Includes: entrance and multilingual guide service VISITS FOR GROUP by reservation for groups maximum 25 paying people NATURAL PARKS Coastal Park of Rimigliano (San Vincenzo) A wooded area dominated by holm oaks and pine trees, where the Mediterranean scrub, shaped by the winds, faces onto the sea. A strip of green that separates the agricultural area, once cultivated, from the nearby beach. ● Duration of guided tour: half day (3 hours)

Coastal Park of Sterpaia (Piombino) Overlooking a portion of the Gulf of Follonica is a small natural oasis where it is possible to observe the traces of the ancient landscape of the coastal areas of the . The typical landscapes of the Mediterranean coast follow one after the other, allowing us to discover a crystalline sea, as well as the woods, pine forests and sandy dunes. ● Duration of guided tour: half day (3 hours)

Regional Natural Park of Montioni (Suvereto) This is a forest that stretches for 7,000 hectares at the far ends of the borders of the Provinces of Livorno and Grosseto, with countless tracks once traversed by woodcutters, coalmen, shepherds and hunters . In addition to the naturalistic aspects, there are also the remains of several alum quarries and the mining village from Napoleon’s time . The ruins of the thermal spa frequented by the Princess of Piombino, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, are still visible today . ● Duration of guided tour: full day (6 hours, including lunch break)

Forest park of Poggio Neri (Sassetta) Guided tour: An extensive hilly forest dominated by chestnut trees, once intensely exploited for producing coal. An open-air museum has been created inside that invites us o Duration: 3 hour minimum to discover the forest trades, and in particular, the world of the coalmen. o Price: € 30,00/h per groups ● Duration of guided tour: half day (3 hours) o Includes: multilanguage guide service SPECIAL VISITS FOR GROUPS by reservation for groups maximum 20 people TREKKING AND WALKS TREKKING ETRUSCO in the Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia Immersed in the natural environment of the promontory of Baratti and Populonia, you will be able to visit the Etruscan necropolis of San Cerbone and then go down Via del Ferro towards Via Romanella, which already in ancient times connected the area of the gulf with the acropolis of Populonia. After a tour of the archaeological area, the nature trail will lead you around the city walls. . ● Duration - full day (6 hours) ● Difficulty: moderately demanding GEOLOGICAL TREKKING in the Archaeological Mineral Park of San Silvestro The Archaeological-mining Park of San Silvestro is characterised by rocks which are extremely interesting in geological and mining terms. It is precisely this peculiarity that has determined the history of the territory that has been involved in the search for and mining of metalliferous minerals ever since ancient times. The aim of this trek is to observe and get to know the geology of the Park by traversing its network of tracks and walking through the Temperino Mine on foot. ● Duration - half day (4 hours) ● Difficulty: moderately demanding TREKKING BETWEEN NATURE AND ARCHEOLOGY A trek along the country roads the between the Park of Rimigliano and the GROUP RATES : Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia. This itinerary also includes a visit to ● Half day: up to 4 hours €. 180,00 the Necropolis of San Cerbone. ● Full day: up to 7 hours ((including lunch break) €. 250,00 ● Duration - full day (6 hours) SERVICES INCLUDED: ● Difficulty: easy - c.a. 10 km ● entrance to the park, multilanguage service for the entire excursion SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR GROUPS by reservation for groups minimum 15 paying people

ORIENTEERING (Coastal Park of Rimigliano) Participants will be divided into teams which, with compass and map in hand, will go exploring as they travel along the nature trails. From the starting point, by following a precise route, they must arrive at the finishing point at the end of the itinerary after having found all the objects indicated along the way.

● Duration - half day (3 hours) ● Price: € 25,00 per person

REALIZZARE UN AFFRESCO E UN MOSAICO (Archaeological Park of Baratti and Populonia or Archaeological Museum) Two practical workshops for testing your manual skills. You will be able to try your hand at cutting coloured marble mosaic bricks and designing even complex patterns as per the direct method of the ancient Romans, or experiment with the “arriccio” technique and the final drafting with pigments and mineral colours of the pictorial film for making a fresco inspired by Etruscan themes.

● Duration - full day (6 hours) ● Price: € 25,00 per person for each workshop

THESE ARE ONLY SOME OF OUR PROPOSALS. CONTACT US visits and activities can be customised according to the needs and interests of the group ! IN TUSCANY AMONG NATURE AND ARCHAEOLOGY

contact us

tel. +39 0565 226445 - fax + 39 0565 226521 [email protected]

TO KNOW MORE http://www.parchivaldicornia.it/en/groups-fares

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Grafica Noè Illustrazioni: Ink Link Firenze Special groups Foto: archivio Parchi Val di Cornia, Paolo Biondi, Giovanni Breschi, Andrea Frediani in the Parks and Museums of the Val di Cornia