Top of the World
Cala Violina is a charming corner of the Grosseto Maremma which is located in the heart of the Bandite di Scarlino Nature Reserve, within the Protected Area of Local Interest of the Costiere di Scarlino. The Bandite di Scarlino are a vast forest complex (about 8700 hectares), which are part of the municipalities of Castiglione della Pescaia, Gavorrano, Scarlino and Follonica. The name Bandite, which could be misleading as it is in Maremma, derives from the calls for bids that were made for the sale of woodland lots. The Bandite have an adequate and efficient network of marked trails for trekking and mountain biking. The most beautiful trail in the area is undoubtedly the Costiere trail, which can only be accessed on foot, horseback or bicycle. Cala Violina can be reached by taking a scenic and easy (flat) path along the coast, which affords beautiful views of the bay of Follonica, the promontory of Piombino, the island of Elba, the island of Cerboli, the island of Montecristo, the peninsula of Punta Ala and, if the day is clear, even the mountains of Corsica. Coming from Follonica, take the provincial road that connects Follonica to Castiglione della Pescaia (Strada delle Collacchie), in the direction of Castiglione della Pescaia. Once you arrive in Puntone, immediately after the traffic lights turn right onto Lungomare Garibaldi, in the direction of the tourist port. We continue straight ahead and just before the Cantuccio Restaurant we can park the car. After a few dozen meters to the restaurant you will find a barrier from where the path No. 1 leading to Cala Violina, the path is passable on foot or by bicycle.
