Campiglia Marittima: Sea Views, Culture and Mining History

Campiglia Marittima sits on a hill overlooking the sea and the surrounding countryside. Its historic centre has been documented since the 11th century and forms a monumental complex as a whole. Medieval buildings, art collections and mining history give the town several distinct cultural themes. If you like to plan your trip around specific interests rather than just the scenery, you’ll find several points of interest here.

Buildings as markers of time

The Pieve di San Giovanni was built in 1173. The church is Tuscan Romanesque and also features elements of Pisan architecture. Palazzo Pretorio dates back to the 13th century and was formerly the seat of the Capitano di Giustizia. The Teatro dei Concordi opened much later: inaugurated in 1867, it is an Italian-style theatre with an elliptical floor plan and three tiers of boxes. Together, these buildings represent different chapters in the town’s history, from Romanesque church architecture to 19th-century theatre.

The Rocca di Campiglia stands on the town’s highest hill, at an elevation of 281 metres. Its complex includes the Cassero, an ancient cistern, a crenellated wall with a bifora window, and an aqueduct dating from the 1930s. These details reveal the variety of structures within the site: defensive features, a two-light window and the later water system are different aspects of the complex.

Art and sacred collections

The permanent exhibition of the “Carlo Guarnieri” Museum in Palazzo Pretorio comprises 61 works: 36 woodcuts, including the corresponding printing blocks, seven studies and drawings, and 18 paintings. Woodcuts, drawing and painting are thus brought together in one collection. The Museo d’Arte Sacra focuses on something different. Housed in the Sala delle Volte of the Church of San Lorenzo, it displays liturgical and devotional objects.

The art-education trail “Una Via, un Nome, un Ritratto” offers another way to discover art in public spaces. It starts at Porta Pozzolungo and features fresco portraits placed beneath street signs or commemorative plaques. If you’re interested in art beyond museum collections, this combination of portraits and plaques is a distinctive part of the town’s history.

Mining and activities

At Parco Archeominerario di San Silvestro, you can visit two mine tunnels: one on foot and the other aboard a specially reconstructed train. The two ways of visiting are quite different. In the Miniera del Temperino, a 360-metre-long gallery passes by ancient and modern mining techniques, as well as rocks and metal-bearing minerals that visitors can observe. The visit focuses both on how you explore the tunnel and on the visible traces of mining history.

Another activity is aimed at children aged 6 to 12: the Bike Skill Park in Parco archeominerario di San Silvestro offers a technical mountain biking course. Bikes and helmets are provided, and the activity is supervised by qualified professionals. It’s a practical option if you’re looking for a cycling experience for this age group, and is quite different from visiting the mine tunnels.

Summer festival and local speciality

ApritiBorgo! ABC Festival is an international theatre festival held every summer in Campiglia Marittima. If you’d like to plan your stay around the festival, check the dates for that year’s edition before you travel. For a local culinary discovery, try Schiaccia campigliese, a speciality recommended for visitors to Campiglia Marittima.

The historic Stabilimento Termale di Venturina Terme spa is located within the municipality of Campiglia Marittima. It was already known as Caldane in Etruscan and Roman times.

Discover more destinations: Venturina, Montioncello, Stazione Di Campiglia Marittima, Livorno, Casalappi, Cecina, Suvereto, Mortaiolo.

Back to the main travel overview: Livorno.