Costa degli Etruschi May 2021 - Piombino and Via dei Cavaleggeri

Monday is another beautiful day. We park in the Sivoli area of Piombino where there's an enormous free car park near Calamoresca. A motorhome is parked and there's a bag of rubbish outside it. A seagull is heading for it but has to move for me to park. It retreats to the top of a lamppost where it is harassed by two jays but remains oblivious, greedily eyeing the bag. 

The path Via dei Cavaleggeri starts near here. It is a coastal path linking Piombino with Baratti through the beautiful nature reserve of the Promontory of Piombino. We did part of the walk, the loop from Baratti to Populonia then down to Buca delle fate and back along the coast to Baratti on Wednesday.

Today our destiny is unambitious. Fosso delle Canne, a thirty minute or one hour walk according to who you believe. After two minutes walk I already know it will take us a long time. The views of the Mediterranean vegetation full of flowers, the deep blue sea, the rocks, the islands beyond are breathtaking. 

There are even brilliant red poppies to provide a foreground. It's impossible to keep walking with such temptation to stop and stare, and take photos, of course. In the end it's an easy walk, right on the coast with panoramic views every few minutes but no dangerous drops or threatening landslides. On the way we go down to Spiaggia Lunga for a look and take the long way round to get to Fosso delle Canne but by half past eleven we are comfortably installed in the best picnic place in which I have ever placed a picnic. Fosso delle Canne is carefully looked after by someone who lives there from June to September. Around his refuge/garden stones from the beach have been carefully piled up and we can take advantage of one such bench in the shade of a tamerix tree with an unbeatable view. A seat, a little table, sea view, shade, protected from the wind. What more could one possibly require!

We aren't in a hurry to leave. The walk back to the car involves more repeated stops to enjoy the view. We have a quick look at Cala Moresca from above and then move the car nearer to the centre of Piombino.

The tiny harbour of Piombino is attractive. It's a little sheltered from the wind, warm and sunny and there's a view of the little tower on Piazza Bovio above. The view from Piazza Bovio itself is spectacular, sea all around, and Elba and other islands beyond. The historical centre of Piombino is tiny but pretty, mostly restaurants and a few estate agents and although we don't have time to investigate further what must be a very attractive seafront between Sivoli and Piombino itself.

It's time to head back to the apartment, but I suspect we will return sooner or later.