Piombino in October - Cala Violino and Scarlino

Cala Violino is famous because apparently walking on the sand on this beach you can hear the sound of a violin as the tiny grains of quartz rub together. It's also famous because it's so popular that in the summer, despite the fact you have to walk over a kilometre to arrive from the car park which costs 10€ day independently of how long you stay, you have to book access online and pay €1 per person.

Fortunately all this is only from 1st June until 15th September so when we arrive on this mild morning in late October there are just two or three cars in the car park and a dozen or so people on the beach. It is beautiful enough to justify all the fuss. The sort of little bay which is common in Sardinia and not so common elsewhere, absolutely transparent water, Mediterranean undergrowth in all directions. It's so nice I paddle a little although the water seems icily cold. Nevertheless, further up the beach someone is swimming so probably that's not the case.

Fortunately, we brought a picnic with us: some mega "sandwiches" provided by Pam supermarket. They are actually two large chunks of focaccia cut in half and filled, one with salami and one with porchetta, enough of each for an entire lunch. Very satisfying.

On the way back to the car we are surprised by the amount of people heading to the beach.

We drive up to Scarlino for a coffee. 

It's a small medieval village with the remains of a castle which is closed, but there is a bar for coffee. The view of the plain below is panoramic but slightly marred by the power station and Follonica itself in the middle. It's time to go back to the apartment for some work.