CASTIGLIONE DELLA PESCAIA
Discover Castiglione della Pescaia
Castiglione della Pescaia seems to exert a magnetic pull on tourists: it is nicknamed “the Switzerland of the Maremma” for its picturesque pastel-colored buildings and courtyards that really seem to mimic an authentic Swiss village, but without Heidi’s hairstyles.
When the sun sets, most of Maremma relaxes for the night, but not Castiglione della Pescaia. After an al fresco dinner, locals move on to the waterfront or pine-studded beaches, nationally recognized for their beauty. The evening continues with cocktails served at trendy beach bars. Among others, Robert De Niro, Sophia Loren, and writer Italo Calvino, who is said to have used the area as inspiration for his paradise in Palomar, have lived on Castiglione della Pescaia beach. Calvin is buried in an extravagant mausoleum in the city cemetery.
The history of Castiglione della Pescaia
Unlike the rest of Maremma, Castellione de Piscaria, as the town was originally called, was founded by the Pisans in the 10th century.
Four centuries later and tired of the landowners’ oppression, the Castiglionesi turned their town into a free commune.
However, the experience was interrupted first by the Black Death, then by pirate raids, and finally by the Spanish invasion. By the time of Medici rule, the city had fallen into ruin. It took a long time and many financial resources for the Grand Duke of Tuscany to succeed in returning Castiglione to its former glory in the 17th century.
NOT TO BE MISSED
DIACCA BOTRONA
CENTURION PALACE
RETURN JOURNEY.
CHURCH OF ST. BAPTIST
What to see in Castiglione della Pescaia
Start your tour from the town’s favorite meeting place, Corso della Libertà , perfect for enjoying a beautiful view of the harbor and late-night shopping. In the evening, the street is always crowded with people eating in traditional pizzerias and taverns. Follow the steep Montebello Street to the historic center. Spanish-era walls have been incorporated into houses and stores, adding to the impression of entering a walled city. Eleanor’s palace of cream-colored stone is one of the first buildings you will see; it was built in the 16th century for Cosimo Medici’s wife, Eleanor of Toledo. At the end of Montebello Street is the castle courtyard. While the latter is closed to the public, the courtyard has been transformed into a large outdoor plaza offering the best views of the coast. Castiglione Castle was built in the 11th century, almost a Tower of Pisa ante litteram. Nearby is the Church of St. John the Baptist with its orange and green neo-Gothic bell tower that reflects the colors of the sea and stands out against the city skyline. On its main altar are two relics, the arm and leg of the patron saint, St. William of Malavalle, a French knight turned hermit who is believed to have died in the surrounding countryside.
EVENTS
White Night
June, July and August
A night of fun and music in one of the most beautiful places in the Tuscan Maremma…
Palio Marinaro
Second week of August
For 50 years, the five neighborhoods of Castiglione della Pescaia have competed in a rowboat race across the Tyrrhenian Sea. In local folklore, the palio began when some Castiglionese fishermen decided to take a day off from work to compete against each other: according to accounts, the men running today are their descendants. Each year, the streets of Castiglione come alive with music and colorful flags from each neighborhood. The event is combined with a seafood-centered food festival celebrating the city’s culinary reputation.
