Travel Guide Populonia

A fortified town perched on a hilltop surrounded by the sea, Populonia is worth a visit for a coffee, an ice cream or a tour of its 15th-century fortress, the work of the Appiani lords. Now a hamlet of the municipality of Piombino, Populonia, whose origins date back to the 9th century B.C., was the main coastal town of Etruria. The city, which specialised in the smelting of iron from the island of Elba, became an important port for the export of iron throughout the Mediterranean during the Etruscan era. Nowadays, its highlights are the huge archaeological park facing the sea and the beautiful beach of Baratti, below.