The best seaside towns in Tuscany

The region of Tuscany is most well known for being the home to Florence, Pisa and Siena; beautiful small towns such as San Gimignano, Montalcino and Montepulciano; a gorgeous landscape and wineries.

However, Tuscany also has a beautiful coastline to explore as well.  Along that coastline are some beautiful seaside towns that you’ll want to check out.

First, let’s have a look at the climate.

The climate at the north end of the Tuscan coast near Viareggio is mild in the winter, with warm and muggy summers.

The average high in July and August is about 83 degrees, while the average high in December, January and February is in the low 50s.

Meanwhile, the average sea temperature in the summer months is over 75 degrees, hitting a high in the upper 70s, and it remains above 70 into early October.

At the south end of the Tuscan coast, near Porto Ercole, the weather is slightly hotter in the summer, with average highs of 85 in July and August, and a bit milder in the winter.

As a result, the water temperatures are slightly higher as well.

Here are the criteria we used to determine the best seaside towns in Tuscany…

• Scenery/Nice Beaches
• Historical significance
• Activities
• Smaller population

Based upon our criteria, here is our list of the best seaside towns in Tuscany, from north to south.

Forte Dei Marmi

Forte Dei Marmi is located in the province of Lucca, approximately 50 miles west of Florence.

The year-round population is just under 8,000 people, and this triples during the summer months.

Well over 100,000 tourists visit the town during the summer months each year.

In Italian, it means “fort of the marbles,” which is based upon the fortress that rises in the main town square.

The town is noted for its wide sandy beach and luxury villas.

It is known as the playground for Tuscany’s wealthy residents, and it is also a popular destination for European visitors.

The goal is to enjoy the beach clubs during the day and the restaurants, clubs and bars in the evening.

Given that it is a popular destination with wealthier families, you’ll find high end shopping boutiques in the downtown area.

Another favorite pastime among visitors is to bike along the promenade that runs parallel to the beach.

The nearest train station is in nearby Pietrasanta, about two miles to the east.

Pietrasanta provides additional activities, as it is known as a bit of an artist colony, with over 50 marble workshops and bronze foundries.

Follonica

Next on our list of the best seaside towns in Tuscany is Follonica.

Follonica is a small resort town located just over 60 miles south of Florence.  It is accessible by train from Florence within about 2 1/2 hours.

Follonica is also about 60 miles south of Pisa, and the train rides between the two towns are about 75 to 90 minutes.

The port city of Livorno is located about 47 miles to the north of Follonica and the rides are 45 to 75 minutes.

The train station is then located less than 1/2 mile from the beachfront.

The area was originally settled by the Etruscans followed by the Romans.  A medieval castle was constructed in the 9th century on a hill overlooking the current town.

The town itself was founded in 1834 by Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany for workers at an iron working facility.

The year-round population is about 20,000 people, and it is mostly visited by Italian tourists.

cala violina beach

Follonica offers a wide sandy beach and has a classic Italian promenade lined with shops and cafes.

There is also a small, pedestrian friendly downtown area with more shopping and restaurants.

Follonica hosts a number of festivals throughout the year, some of which celebrate its maritime history.  The most popular of these is the Festa della Madonna di Follonica, which occurs in August.

Lastly, a beautiful stretch of untouched coastline may be found about four miles to the south of Follonica.  It is a public beach known as Cala Violina Scarlino.

However, from the nearest parking area, you must hike just over a mile to get to the beach.

Castiglione Della Pescaia

Castiglione Della Pescaia (Castiglione in short) is an ancient town with a fortress constructed in the 12th century.

Etruscans were likely among the people who originally settled in the area, followed by the Romans.  In the early Middle Ages, the town was under repeated attack by pirates.

Eventually, the town fell under protection of the Republic of Pisa, who used the town as part of its defenses.  The Pisans constructed a citadel on top of a hill overlooking the town and the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Castiglione became a commune in the Grosseto province in 1859, and it is surrounded by a number of small hamlets that form the municipality.

The year-round population in Castiglione is just over 7,000 residents.  It is a popular destination for Italian tourists during the summer months.

Similar to other seaside locations in Tuscany, Castiglione has wide sandy beaches and a promenade that runs parallel to the beach.

One of the main sights in the area is the Etruscan center of Vetulonia, which houses a museum and preserved archaeological site.

Punta Ala is a notable beach resort with golf course that is one of the small hamlets that are part of the area.

The aforementioned Cala Violina Scarlino beach is located less than nine miles to the north.

There is a long stretch of a wide sandy beach that then runs between Castiglione to Marina Di Grosseto to the south.

Porto Ercole

Porto Ercole

Porto Ercole is located on what is effectively the island of Monte Argentario.

Monte Argentario is connected to the Tuscan coast by a land bridge that contains Feniglia Beach, another land bridge to the north, and a man-made bridge from a small peninsula housing the town of Orbetello.

There are two main towns on Monte Argentario… Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano.

Porto Ercole is arguably the more beautiful of the two towns, and it is located closer in proximity to Feniglia Beach, which is a must visit when visiting this area of Tuscany.

Overlooking the town is a fort situated upon a small hill outcropping, and next to that is a lighthouse.

The town itself has a year-round population of about 2,800 people.

There are several resorts nearby, including the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort, which hosted the Italian Open golf tournament in 2025.

In the town itself, there is a promenade area along the small harbor and a small beach.  Shops and restaurants are located nearby.

The western most portion of Feniglia Beach is located just over a mile from the heart of Porto Ercole, but a little further by car.

Isola D’Elba

Porto Azzurro

To round out our list of the best seaside towns in Tuscany, we are actually going to head back north and then a little west, where we find the island of Elba.

Elba, best known for being the island where Napoleon was exiled after his first defeat, is a part of the Tuscan region, located within the province of Livorno.

The island has a total area of 86 square miles and a total population of only about 31,000 residents.  Therefore, we are counting Elba as one of our best seaside towns in Tuscany.

There are a couple towns you can choose as your base, and it is probably a good idea to spend a couple days in both.

Portoferraio is the most populated town on the island, located along the north coast.  It has a year-round population of about 12,000 people.

This town was founded by Cosomo I de’Medici in 1548 in an effort to provide balance against the Spanish citadel in Porto Azzurro, located along the southeast coast of Elba.

The town center of Portoferraio crowds around a small marina.  There are then three forts that were constructed at the location…

• Forte Stella
• Forte Falcone
• Forte Inglese

Portoferraio is also where you will find the house where Napoleon stayed during his exile.

Porto Azzurro is a smaller town with a population of under 4,000.

Cavoli Beach Elba

Isola D’Elba is known for its amazing beaches with Caribbean-like turquoise waters and stunning scenery.

Some of these beaches include Cavoli, Procchio, Marina Di Campo and Fetovaia, among others.

While there is a small airport on Elba near Marina Di Campo, the best way to get there is by ferry from Piombino on the mainland.

Ferry service is provided to Portoferraio, Cavo and Rio Marina.

Ultimately, the best way to get around the island is by renting a car.  There is a car rental agency in Portoferraio that offers both small cars and scooters, and another located in Rio Marina that has similar offerings.

Final thoughts on the best seaside towns in Tuscany

As mentioned, Tuscany is not necessarily known for being a prime summer destination in Italy.

However, it has an estimated 248 miles of coastline, and much of it remains undeveloped.

With that said, there are several jewels that you should absolutely visit if you enjoy beautiful coastal scenery along with classic Italian small towns.

There are a few towns that didn’t quite make the list, but you will likely enjoy as well.

These include Viareggio, Piombino, San Vincenzo and Castiglioncello.

If you want to make a road trip of seeing many of these towns, we highly recommend renting a car, and Discover Cars provides you with some of the best options.