More than 20% of the territory of the Costa degli Etruschi consists of natural parks and reserves. By the sea the natural park of Bolgheri, a splendid marshy area of international importance, houses thousands of aquatic birds, it was the very first sanctuary for fauna in Italy. Close to Piombino, flamingos, ibis, storks and herons gather at Orti-Bottigone natural park which is characterised by salty and freshwater marshlands. On the outskirts of San Vincenzo the natural park of Rimigliano, a flourishing flora and fauna oasis, opens onto one of the most beautiful beaches of the Costa degli Etruschi.
In the area of Piombino the natural park Parco Costiero della Sterpaia, a stretch of damp forest behind the shore, displays a natural landscape typical of the Maremma region. The Park stretches along the Livornese Tyrrhenian coast, in the wide gulf between Piombino and Follonica. It occupies an area of about 296 hectares of the territory of the municipal district of Piombino, and is made up of 17 hectares of beach along 10 Km of coast, 124 hectares of dunes and dune hinterland and 155 hectares of woodland and areas deforested for cultivation.

The Coastal Park of Sterpaia protects coastal dune, bag, and grassland habitats, macchia-juniper thickets, and pine woodlands. Even the rare Mediterranean fan palms can be tound within the park, near the northernmost edge of their range.
The park also includes the beach and coastal strip of the gulf between Piombino and Follonica, to almost all of which the public has free access.
The beaches are of fine, light sand, and form a slightly curved coastline which slopes gently to the sea. Behind the beach lies a narrow strip of dunes colonised by tenacious, pioneering vegetation, adapted to the arid, salty, shifting, wind-swept soils and bent and twisted by the incessant sea breezes. In winter, Sterpaia is an excellent place to take advantage of the clear, sunny days, as the beaches are empty.

The Sterpaia Coastal Park includes a large Coastal Public Parking system, from Perelli to Torre Mozza areas. The Public Parking nearest to the Sterpaia Wood is in Carlappiano area.

Map | pdf

Loop trail through a variety of coastal habitats including beach, dunes, pine woodlands, and an old-growth ash forest. Distance: 4.91 km.

From the the parking area, the route begins on the dirt path heading in land from the canal and coast to the Bosco della Sterpaia.
After about 400 meters, the route meets a closed gate on the right and a road heading left. Go past the gate, and follow the path along the fenced Bosco della Sterpaia. Two interpretive signs outside the fence provide information about the ecosystems of the park. The route them emerges from the woods at a field, and there is an access gate for the ash forest. If you have obtained th'e keys for the gate from the park office, you can take a walk along the 1 kilometer loop.

Bosco della Sterpaia. This is an oldgrowth ash forest, unique in the region. These types of woodlands were far more common in the past, but draining of the wetlands and deforestation for agriculture have now left them fragmented and rare. Throughout the stand, there are some truly massive ash and deciduous oak trees. The area is protected, and access is available only through reservations.
To access the old-growth ash forest of Bosco della Sterpaia, there are two options: You can take a guided tour on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays at 15:00 (3 PM) and 16:30 (4:30 PM), or take a solo tour with reservations in advance. For reservations and more information, call the park office at +39/348/888/3165.

About 200 meters after the gate, there will be two parallel roads headed toward the sea. You can choose between the first, which is lined with tall trees, or the second, which goes through the open field. Once you reach the canal, cross the bridge and enter the coastal pine forest. After about 130 meters, turn left at the sign for A 13, or in order to see the maximum variety of ecosystems in the park, wait until the last access point (A22) to head to the sea. From here it is 1,8 kilometers back along the beach to the A4 access point, which will lead you back to the parking area. All along the beach, there are dunes, covered in wildflowers in the spring.
To explore more of Sterpaia reserve, there are other hiking routes north of the canal, which provide an additional 3 kilometers (additional walk along Fosso Corniaccia, marked green on the map).

The landscape of the Gulf between Piombino and Follonica is characterized by the presence of various towers, whose presence has specific historical reasons. The oldest is the Torre Mozza, erected in the first half of the 6th Century as a lookout post against the Saracen raids which for centuries infested the Tuscan coastline. A similar function was covered by the Torre del Sale, built in the 9th Century – to ward off the threat posed by the Moors. The third tower which stands out on the horizon, also from the 9th Century, is known as Carbonifera.