Riparbella: All destinations, advice & information for your holidays!
Surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, Riparbella stretches between the Etruscan coast and the Pisan hills. The medieval origins of the Tuscan community are evident in the narrow streets with small churches and traditional houses lying at the foot of a castle. Romantic paths invite you to explore the Mediterranean nature.
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Riparbella - Must-see attractions
Archaeological Park San Silvestro
Outside the medieval town of Campiglia Marittima in the hinterland of the Etruscan Riviera, the Parco Archeominerario di San Silvestro offers a mining experience world above and below ground on 450 hectares. With a safety helmet, you descend into a tunnel in the Miniera del Temperino. Also worth seeing are the Museum of Archaeology and Natural Resources as well as the Museum of Mining Machinery. You travel deep into the mountain through the Galleria Lanzi-Temperino tunnel on a small yellow train. Finally, you reach the ruins of the mining village Rocca San Silvestro via a narrow hiking trail.
Montioni Natural Park
The Montioni Natural Park is located on the Etruscan Riviera in Italy. The section of Tuscany is situated between six municipalities, including Follonica and Piombino. Additionally, the charming little village of Riparbella is nearby. The natural park covers more than 7,000 hectares. In addition to the beautiful flora and fauna, there are Etruscan and Roman settlement remains to see. Furthermore, you can visit medieval structures such as the Montioni thermal baths there.
Sanctuary of Montenero
The pilgrimage site Santuario di Montenero is a well-known cultural landmark. According to legend, in 1345 a shepherd found the image of the Virgin Mary and brought it to the mountain. A small chapel was built, and pilgrims came. Gradually, the structure was enlarged. The Madonna di Montenero was repeatedly credited with great help, such as after the earthquake in 1742. Since that year, the people of Livorno commemorate the miraculous help annually on January 27 by fasting, not attending balls, and participating in the thanksgiving service.
Isidoro Falchi Municipal Archaeological Museum
The Museo Civico Archeologico Isidoro Falchi offers you fascinating insights into the daily life of the Etruscans. The museum is named after the Tuscan doctor and amateur archaeologist Isidoro Falchi, who discovered the ruins of the lost Etruscan city of Vetulonia during excavations in the 19th century. In the seven exhibition halls of the archaeological museum, you will discover ceramics, sculptures, coin collections, gold jewelry, and grave goods. Highlights of the collection include the tomb of the warrior Avele Feluske from the 7th century BC and an Etruscan alphabet engraved on a Bucchero bowl.
Castle of Cecina
The Castello di Cecina is situated majestically on a hill above Valdinievole within well-preserved city walls. It was presumably built in the 12th century by the Lombards and remodeled in the 16th century. In the Middle Ages, it was expanded with a Romanesque church. The church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, houses among other things an Archangel Raphael fresco by Donnino di Francesco. Although the castle was revitalized in the 19th and 20th centuries, the spirit of the Middle Ages has been preserved in a distinctive way.
Beach of Marina di Cecina
Against the backdrop of the island of Elba on the horizon, at Spiaggia di Marina di Cecina, you can choose between a dark pebble beach or soft sand. Due to its crystal-clear blue water, the beach is regularly awarded the Blue Flag. In the background of the Marina di Cecina beach, a pine forest provides shade, with walking and riding trails running through it. Families enjoy the picnic and children's playgrounds in the forest. Countless water sports options from boating to windsurfing to sailing offer a change from beach life.
Riparbella - Secret spots
Bibbona Nature Reserve
Amidst the hilly forest landscape of the Italian municipality of Riparbella lies the Bibbona Nature Reserve 170 meters above sea level. The diversity of animal and plant species in the 6-hectare small reserve is impressive. Wild cypresses, fragrant myrtle, small tortoises, and large short-toed eagles inhabit the wild and romantic coniferous forest east of the Etruscan Riviera.
Grotte Gialle of Bibbona - the yellow grottos
A few kilometers east of the Etruscan Riviera, the Grotte Gialle is hidden in the wild landscape of the Italian region of Riparbella. V-shaped, the mystical passages stretch through the tuff-like rock on a million-year-old seabed. Discover Etruscan tombs from the 4th century as well as impressive murals on the walls.
Museum of Natural Sciences
The Museo di Scienze Naturali is located north of the holiday resort Marina di Bibbona and a few kilometers east of the Etruscan Riviera. As a natural science museum, it provides exciting information about the global environmental situation. Particularly interesting is the archive of the Rosignano meteorological station, which presents the changes in the Italian climate since the 1960s.
Nature up close at the Environmental Center II Gardino
A few kilometers from the picturesque beaches of the Etruscan Riviera, the environmental center II Giardino in the Tuscan small town of Riparbella forms a green oasis between gentle hills, dense forests, and rushing streams. In addition to informative tours on the topics of flora and fauna, exciting adventure and themed routes run through the park-like landscape.
Riparbella - In 3 days
Day 1
Once you have settled in, explore the town of Riparbella with its Renaissance buildings. Visit the main church, Chiesa San Giovanni Evangelista, to admire the much older art treasures inside. Next to the mid-19th-century building stands a campanile from the 15th century. To better understand the flora of the Maremma with its chestnut forests and olive groves, you should visit the environmental center "Il Giardino." On 600 hectares, forest and scrubland alternate. The educational offerings are child-friendly, and there are guided tours. If you want to spend the afternoon actively, head to the Giardino Sospeso amusement park, 10 kilometers away. Here, climbing courses for young and old as well as a treetop path await you. The barbecue area is ideal for a picnic under the trees. If you are in the mood for culture, visit the Museo Archeologico in the neighboring town of Cecina.
Day 2
Less than 20 kilometers separate Riparbella from the Riviera degli Etruschi, which impresses you with beautiful beaches. Showers, toilets, changing rooms, and restaurants with sea views can be found at Bagno Ippocampo, Bau Beach, or Bagno Donna di Cuori, offering everything for a relaxing morning. Even if the weather doesn't invite sunbathing or a dip in the sea, follow the varied hiking routes along the coast in the Riserva naturale Tomboli di Cecina through the Mediterranean vegetation. In the afternoon, enjoy the famous Tuscan wines at a wine tasting. Various wineries near Riparbella, such as Tenuta Prima Pietra or Caiarossa Srl Società Agricola, offer tours through the winery and vineyards – with subsequent tasting. Alternatively, take a family-friendly excursion to the Rocca di Pietracassia in Lajatico, located about 20 kilometers inland from Riparbella. In the well-preserved castle ruins, the little ones go on adventures. In good weather, you can see as far as Volterra.
Day 3
Spend a varied day in Volterra, located 32 km east of Riparbella. The old Etruscan metropolis exudes typical Tuscan charm with its Renaissance palaces, which you can soak up while enjoying a cappuccino on the Piazza dei Priori. Take a walk into antiquity to the Etruscan Porta all’Arco and the Roman theater with adjoining baths. The Museo Etrusco Guarnacci exhibits significant Etruscan and Roman finds. With children, a tour through the Ecomuseo dell’Alabastro with a detour to the alabaster quarries near Volterra is recommended. In the Enrico Fiumi Archaeological Park in the heart of the city, children can also experience antiquity up close. The walls also date back to Etruscan times. To conclude, climb up to the Fortezza Medicea. The impressive two-part structure dates from the 13th and 15th centuries. From here, you have a great panoramic view of the city and the Tuscan landscape.