A Small Castle

The small castle at the entrance of the park of Villa Maria, in Via Calzabigi.
Il castelletto all'entrata del parco di Villa Maria, in via Calzabigi.

The Slide and the Castle

A floating slide and the faraway Boccale Castle, seen from the Terrazza Mascagni.

(Already posted on Instagram)

See also: Castello del Boccale - Terrazza Mascagni
Search labels: Terrazza Mascagni

Versione italiana

Hotel in a Castle

Have you ever tried a hotel in a castle? (Already posted on Instagram)

Versione italiana

Boccale & Calafuria

One of the most striking points of our coast is the Castello del Boccale (Boccale Castle). [Photo by Maurizio]

The Torre di Calafuria (Tower of Calafuria) and the unusual structure of the road bridge. Just behind it we can see the railway bridge. [Photo by Maurizio]

See also: The Castle's Jetty - The Calignaia Bridge - Walk... on Water
- Castello del Boccale - Torre di Calafuria - Calignaia - Castel Sonnino - Green Lizard's Bay

Versione italiana

Castiglione della Pescaia

We are still in Tuscany, in the province of Grosseto, slightly more than 100 km south of Livorno. Castiglione della Pescaia is a small but very old sea town and its only link with our city is that in the 19th century it was called for a while la piccola Livorno (the Little Livorno).

Now it is very well known for the beauty of its beaches: from just below the old town castle up to Punta Ala, a few km up north and still part of Castiglione's municipality. On a more personal level, it seems that my family comes from here...
One of the two “lighthouses” at the entrance of the marina. Not far, the monument to the fallen seamen.

External links: Castiglione della Pescaia - Punta Ala (Wikipedia)

Versione italiana

Castle on the Coast

A view from the sea of the “Castello del Boccale” in 1907.

Another angle on the same castle in 1939.

(Postcards digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

See also:

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Castello del Boccale	Torre di Calafuria	Calignaia	Castel Sonnino

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Versione italiana

Castles

We have already seen one of these fancy plaques in “Around the School”. They are usually found on any building owned by the municipality. In this collage you can easily see that they are slightly different and probably hand made. I have tried in vain to find when and how these tiles were made.

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Castel Sonnino

This castle rises on a headland which is the highest point of the Livornese coastline, with 91 meters above sea level. On the north side of the cape lies the beautiful “Cala del Leone” (Lion's Cove). The small port of the castle is hidden on the southern side.The Sonnino Castle was built at the end of the 19th century around another Medicean watchtower, called “Torre San Salvatore” (Saint Saviour Tower). It is named after its first owner, the Baron Sidney Sonnino, Minister of the Kingdom of Italy a the time. He loved so much the seclusion of this place that he asked to be buried in a grotto beneath the castle.The stretch of raw coastline on the left is called “Sassoscritto” (Written Stone) because the rock is literally carved by the erosion.

See also:

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Castello del Boccale	Torre di Calafuria	Calignaia	Green Lizard's Bay

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Versione italiana

Torre di Calafuria

The “Torre di Calafuria” (Fury Cove Tower) is another former watchtower along the “Romito” trait of the Aurelia road, between Antignano and the hamlet of Quercianella.
The structure was part of a defensive system built in 16th century, stretching from Livorno to the southern edge of the province.It was restored in the early 20th century at the same time of the construction of the railway bridge on the cove, whose massive central pillar is visible behind the modern road bridge. The tower was used at the time to counter smuggling along the coast.During summer it is practically impossible to find a free spot on these rocks, even if these waters could be treacherous for the unexperienced swimmers. A renowned restaurant, obviously called “Calafuria”, lies at the foot of the tower.

See also:

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Castello del Boccale	Calignaia	Castel Sonnino	Green Lizard's Bay

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Versione italiana

Castello del Boccale

The stretch of coastal road from Livorno to Quercianella follows the ancient Roman route of the “Via Aurelia” and is known as “Il Romito”. The “Castello del Boccale” (Boccale Castle) lies off the road, few miles south of Antignano, in a place called “Cala dei Pirati” (Pirates Cove) or “Boccale”.Built as an old Medicean watchtower, it was transformed in a Neo-Medieval residence at the end of the 19th Century.After a long period of neglect, the building was recently restored and divided into apartments. A small tower built in the park is used for storage. I'd like to thank my friend Paolo who drove us along the coast.

See also:

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Torre di Calafuria	Calignaia	Castel Sonnino	Green Lizard's Bay

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Versione italiana