Tuscany Hidden Gems: Etruscan Coast Villages and Towns to Visit
After spending several months on Tuscany’s Etruscan Coast, we can see just how special this little corner of Italy truly is. It has the stunning hilltop villages and vineyards we associate with Tuscany, but also beaches and views of the sea!
While Tuscany, Pisa, Siena, and others have become popular travel destinations, the Etruscan Coast is home to many off-the-beaten-path hidden gems in Tuscany.
If you’re planning a trip to Tuscany and looking for the best small towns to visit in Tuscany that you’ve never heard of before, you’ll love visiting the Etruscan Coast. In this post, we share seven of the best Tuscan towns on the coast so you can create a memorable itinerary.
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Etruscan Coast of Tuscany Hidden Gems
What if the best towns in Tuscany are places you haven’t heard of yet? In our opinion, the best Tuscan villages to visit are both beautiful and uncrowded.
In these hidden gems, you can experience local life, markets, shops, cafes, and fine dining. You’ll also find ancient ruins, historic monuments, and age-old traditions.
Bolgheri: Beautiful Small Town for Cyclists and Wine
Bolgheri is certainly one of the best towns to visit in Tuscany, especially if you are a cyclist or love food and wine.
In the 1970’s, the Bolgheri wine region started garnering world-wide recognition for its “Super Tuscan” wines. The fertile area is home to the “oil and wine road,” which is lined with vineyards and olive groves, as well as cypress trees on the way into the village.
Known for:
– Wine and olive oil
– Scenic cycling routes
– Cute shops and cafes
Where to eat in Bolgheri:
– Bolgheri Ti Amo gelato stand
– Caffe della Posta
– Enoteca Tognoni
– Osteria Magona
Tour Bolgheri food and wine with a local >
Where to stay in Bolgheri:
Agriturismo Chiappini – Rooms and apartments on a gorgeous family winery
Castagneto Carducci: Best Off the Beaten Path Town
We’re biased, but Castgneto Carducci is probably our favorite hidden gem in Tuscany. Our good friend lives below this hilltop village that overlooks the sea.
A quiet and historic little town, Castagneto has a surprising number of local shops if you know where to look. We highly recommend taking a village tour with our friend, Chicca (pronounced KEE-kah), of Tuscan Food Tours to best discover this off-the-beaten-path destination.
You won’t find Castagneto on many tourist lists, but it has all the makings for being one of the best small towns to visit in Tuscany.
Known for:
– Named after a famous Italian poet
– Historic church of San Lorenzo and Castle of Castagneto
– Cute shops and cafes
Where to eat in Castagneto Carducci:
– Pizzeria da Ciro
– S’a dì d’andà
Where to stay in Castagneto:
La Casa Toscana – Beautiful restored farmhouse with upstairs apartments, a short hike from the village, with exceptional Italian host, Chicca!
Casale Marittimo: Beautiful Hilltop Town in Tuscany
Casale Marittimo is one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany, in my opinion. Due to its location, it’s one of the best places to visit near Pisa if you’re looking for a stunning Tuscan village that doesn’t see many tourists.
This hilltop village is surrounded by idyllic farmland, which is great for cycling. Visitors can walk the cobblestone pedestrian streets and find remains of ruins from the Etruscans and Roman times.
Known for:
– Olive oil and other agriculture
– Annual snail (escargot) festival
– Beautiful hilltop location
Where to stay in Casale Marittimo:
Agriturismo La Gelinda – Top rated bed and breakfast in a stone building from the 1600s
Sassetta: Best Place for Relaxing
Sasseta feels in a world of its own, as it’s nestled among chestnut forests, perched on a hill. Like many towns in Tuscany, you can visit the historic church and castle. Or enjoy Sasseta’s natural beauty by relaxing at the Sasseta thermal spa or hiking forested trails nearby.
Known for:
– Red marble stone found nowhere else in the world
– Hot springs
– Dishes based on wild boar and/or chestnut
Where to eat in Sasseta:
– Art Cafe’ Roma
Where to stay in Sasseta:
Le Dame del Borgo – Charming, comfortable apartments around the village albergho diffuso-style
Suvereto: Tuscany Destination for Art and History
You’ll find many picturesque scenes in Suvereto. Its historic stone houses and churches are protected by ancient city walls. Outside are endless woods of chestnut, oak, and cork trees, which have been made into various products by the village’s artisans throughout history. A thirteenth century convent and its cloisters are now a venue for concerts in Suvereto. And the town is also home to an extensive doll museum.
Known for:
– Annual wild board festival in winter
– Historic and natural beauty
Where to stay in Suvereto:
Casa Guerrieri – Elegant guesthouse in the village with lovely views
San Vincenzo: Beach Town in Tuscany
One of the best beach towns in Tuscany is centrally-located San Vincenzo. Its coastal harbor and seaside promenade is lined with fortifications and lookouts that were once used to defend from pirate attacks. As a trading port in earlier times, San Vincenzo is now a popular destination for water sports, sailing, and sandy beaches.
With a population of about 7000 and frequent summer visitors, this Tuscan town has a larger variety of shops, seafood restaurants and cafes than you’ll find in the smaller villages in Tuscany we’ve mentioned.
Known for:
– Water sports and beaches
Where to eat in San Vincenzo:
– La Perla del Mare
– Il Bucaniere
Where to stay in San Vincenzo:
Residenza Santa Cecilia – Apartments and suites with sea views, breakfast included
Populonia: Best for Etruscan History
Populonia is one of the best places in Tuscany to find remains of the Etruscan empire. In the mid-1900s, the bay below this charming village was cleared of metal slag after years of ore production and an incredible Etruscan necropolis was discovered! You can visit the archeological sites, small museum, seaside castle, and charming shops in this tiny hillside village.
Beaches, cafes, and parks can be found just down the hill on the Bay of Baratti, making this one of the best coastal towns in Tuscany to stay on vacation.
Known for:
– Etruscan archeological ruins
– Seaside castle
– Baratti beach
Where to stay in Populonia:
Castello di Populonia – Seaside castle apartments with stunning balcony views
Tuscany Travel Resources
Pre-book train tickets and rail passes on RailEurope.com >
Reserve Tuscany food and wine tours, cooking vacations with Chicca >
Book other local Tuscany tours here >
Read: Treasures from Tuscany: The Etruscan Legacy (book) >
✈️ Protect your Tuscany trip with Travel Insurance – We’ve started using Nomad Insurance by Safety Wing for affordable evacuation, international medical, and trip coverage.
Best Villages in Tuscany: Hidden Gems on the Etruscan Coast
We hope our list of best Tuscan hilltop towns, hidden gem villages, and Tuscan beach towns helps you decide where to go in Tuscany and inspires you to visit Italy’s Etruscan Coast on your next trip. In our opinion, the best of Tuscany is found in smaller destinations like these!
Let us know in the comments if you have questions or want to share your own recommendations of the most beautiful towns to visit in Tuscany.
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