The town of Campiglia Marittima is located in the southern part of the province of Livorno, not too far from the coast, in a fairly inhospitable region known as the Maremma.
Campiglia Marittima travel guide
Useful information
Tourist information: The town does not have a tourist office.
Town hall: Via Roma, 5 – 57021 Campiglia Marittima. Phone: +39 0565 839111.
Railway station: The railway station of Campiglia Marittima is in the suburb of Venturina Terme.
Tourist attractions
Like many small towns in the region, the centre of Campiglia Marittima makes a medieval impression.
The Romanesque-style Pieve di San Giovanni church dates back to the 12th century. This church features a Sator square (a 5-by-5 matrix, with 5 words of 5 letters indicating the same thing in each direction).
The Palazzo Pretorio houses a museum where finds from the Rocca San Silvestro (see below) are on display.
The Madonna di Fucinaia Church is located in the suburb of Botro ai Marmi. It was built after a Madonna effigy was found near a forge (fucina). The 15th-century statue is now on display in the sacristy of San Lorenzo Church, while another copy can be seen in the Chiesa della Madonna di Fucinaia itself.
Rocca San Silvestro is an ancient and abandoned mining town/fortress from the 10th century, where a great wealth of archaeological finds has been unearthed. It was built by the Gherardesco family.
The village is located in the Val di Cornia parks.
The hamlet of Suvereto is surrounded by ancient city walls.
The Terme del Calidario: Hot spring that was walled in the 13th century.
A brief history of Campiglia Marittima
The territory of Campiglia was already inhabited in Etruscan times. Thanks to its many natural resources, under the Romans the settlement was quite densely populated.
The oldest document mentioning Campiglia was written in the 11th century. The city is described as a feud of the Gherardesca family.
In the 12th century, Pisa took over.
In 1406, Florence took control, however.
Despite its many resources, which include hot springs, and mines and quarries of various metals, Campiglia does not make a very prosperous impression.
Its Val di Cornia Doc wine is quite well-known, however.
How to get to Campiglia Marittima by car
To travel from Livorno to Campiglia Marittima by car, follow the SS1 southwards.