Cala Violina

Backed by the hilly pine grove and lush vegetation of the protected Bandite di Scarlino Nature Reserve (Riserva Naturale delle Bandite di Scarlino) the beach at Cala Violina is completely pristine. This good-sized crescent of soft white sands looks out over the crystal clear waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. A nature lover’s paradise, this beach is not only among the top-rated in Tuscany, but has been voted the best in all Italy.

In case you hadn’t guessed, the name Cala Violina” translates to ‘violin cove’. There is a reason for this: when you walk on the beach here it sings! Apparently the tiny crystals of quartz rub against each other and emit a sound like tiny violins playing.

Apart from its natural beauty and singing sands, Cala Violina has the bonus of being a “spiaggia libera” - a public beach. Not only does this mean it is free to throw your towel down where ever you like, but there are no sun-loungers covering the beach or noisy bars. At Cala Violina it also means there are no other amenities either, so bring everything you need for your day at the beach with you.

If you’re lucky you may get the beach to yourself, although it can get quite busy during the summer holidays. The fact there is no easy access helps keep it a little quieter. It is around a 1.5 kilometre walk through the woods from the nearest parking.