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We've compiled the best of the best in Southern Tuscany - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
This pristine, beautiful beach in the Scarlino nature reserve takes its name from the tiny quartz grains of sand that sing like the strings of a violin when you walk along its shores. It's open to only 700 visitors a day during the season, and you can book your spot online. Arrive early to snag a spot in the parking area, which is a 1.6-km (1-mile) walk or bike ride from the beach. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.
Some of Italy's best-preserved monumental rock tombs, dating from the 2nd to the 3rd century BC, are found just outside the town at the Etruscan necropolis. Some of the tombs, such as the so-called Tomba Sirena (Siren's Tomb), preserve clear signs of their original and elaborately carved decorations. Others, like the Tomba Ildebranda (Hildebrand Tomb), are spectacular evidence of the architectural complexity sometimes achieved. Don't forget to walk along the section of an Etruscan road carved directly into the tufa stone.
Monte Argentario is famous for its cliffside beaches, but Le Cannelle stands out for its combination of sand and rocky shores. It's also blissfully secluded at almost halfway between Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole. Amenities: food and drink; restrooms. Best For: snorkeling; swimming.
The 13th-century Palazzo Pretorio, on Piazza Garibaldi, is home to this fascinating museum with plenty of Etruscan artifacts. A number of displays reconstruct the nature of daily life for the Etruscans who once inhabited the hills in this area.
This museum contains Etruscan and Roman sculpture and pottery excavated from around the area. According to cognoscenti, the Etruscan collection is one of the best in Italy.
The well-kept nature preserve at Monti dell'Uccellina is an oasis of green hills sloping down to small, secluded beaches on protected coastline. The park also has scattered Etruscan and Roman ruins and a medieval abbey, the Abbazia di San Rabano. Daily limits restrict the number of cars that can enter, so in summer it's best to either reserve ahead or to leave your car in Alberese and use the regular bus service. Contact the park's information office for bookings and to secure English-language guides. Enter from the south at Talamone (turn right 1 km [½ mile] before town) or from Alberese, both reachable from the SS1 (Via Aurelia).
Built to both defend and control their new possession after the Sienese conquered Massa Marittima in 1335, the Fortezza dei Senesi crowns the upper part of town. Just inside the imposing Sienese gate is the so-called Tower of the Candle Holder, a massive bastion that is connected to the outer walls by the Arco Senese, a high-arched bridge. A visit to the tower gives access to the arch and to the upper city walls, where commanding views open before you.
