Resort Capalbio
Capalbio - Strada Pedemontana, 58
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A little Athens in the shadow of Argentario, Capalbio is a town steeped in ancient history and the heritage of seaside tourism, perfect for both unforgettable beach holidays and romantic weekends in Tuscany.
The town centre is a typical medieval hilltop village perched almost 300 metres above sea level, enclosed within well-preserved walls and dominated by a medieval fortress from which you can enjoy breathtaking views over the sea, the nearby islands of the Tuscan Archipelago and the Maremma hills. Access to the historic village is on foot only, the best way to hunt out charming corners and romantic vistas.
The coastal area has been for years, and largely still is, the summer drawing room of Rome’s fashionable set: intellectuals and celebrities have chosen the exclusive beach clubs along the Capalbio coastline to spend their summer holidays and meet up.
But a beach holiday in Capalbio doesn’t mean exclusively billionaire villas, exclusive clubs and glamorous aperitivos. Everyone can find the perfect spot to lay their towel, whether at a family-friendly beach club, a black sand equipped beach or a completely free wild-looking beach, perhaps even with a naturist area.
Capalbio is also an ideal base for exploring southern Tuscany: from here you can take exciting day trips to Porto Santo Stefano on Monte Argentario, to Saturnia Thermal Baths or to other historic villages such as Pitigliano.
But you may not want to venture anywhere – in fact, Capalbio has it all: the charm of the village, the carefree seaside atmosphere, the peace of the countryside and of course excellent food.
The attractions in Capalbio are concentrated in the historic village and its immediate surroundings; the coastal area is more like a typical seaside resort, with beach clubs, beach bars, shops and venues for evening entertainment.
Who would expect to be welcomed to an ancient village by such a bizarre and colourful monument reminiscent of Antoni Gaudí’s works in Barcelona? Yet this is exactly what happens in Capalbio: the first monument you encounter upon arriving in the town is Nanà Fontaine, an enormous statue of a generously proportioned woman in a gaudily coloured costume placed in the centre of the square giving access to the historic centre.
The artist is Franco-American Niki de Saint Phalle, who donated it to the city in the 1990s as thanks for making space for her Tarot Garden project.
Originally designed as a fountain, the statue stopped spouting water for several years but a recent restoration has returned it to its original function.
The historic village of Capalbio is enclosed within two sets of walls: the inner circle dates from medieval times, whilst the outer one dates back to the Renaissance. You can walk the full circuit of the walls: the ideal way to get your bearings in town and enjoy splendid panoramic views; the main access to the walls is from Piazza Magenta.
Along the north side of the walls, facing the square dominated by Nanà Fontaine, stands Porta Senese, the gateway to the historic village. On the gate is a 15th-century plaque commemorating the restructuring of the original walls and a Medici coat of arms added in the 17th century.
The highest point in Capalbio is marked by the Rocca Aldobrandesca, a magnificent fortress built in the 11th century as a possession of the Abbey of Tre Fontane in Rome. In the 13th century it became the property of the Aldobrandeschi family, who enlarged and modified it; its current appearance is due to the Sienese and dates back to the 15th century.
It has an L-shaped layout: on the shorter side the fortress adjoins an elegant noble palace known as Palazzo Collacchioni.
A visit to the Rocca allows you to climb to the top of the tower to enjoy fine panoramic views and admire rooms furnished with period furniture; the most famous room is dedicated to Giacomo Puccini and still contains a piano used by the celebrated composer during a brief stay in Capalbio.
Piazza Magenta is the heart of civic life in the historic centre: a little square nestled between the ancient walls and village houses that comes alive with events and festivities throughout the year. Adorned with flowers, it’s an ideal spot for taking romantic photographs.
The most notable religious building in Capalbio is Pieve di San Nicola, a small church originally built in Romanesque style in the 12th century; it was later modified with the introduction of Gothic and Renaissance elements. The façade is very simple, while inside the church preserves beautiful frescoes.
Walking along the walls you can see the church and its bell tower from above.
The Nanà Fontaine statue not only welcomes all visitors to Capalbio, but is also an invitation to visit one of the most interesting attractions in the area.
Less than 10 km from the village is the Tarot Garden, an exuberant and colourful artistic park where Niki de Saint Phalle, the creator of the statue, brought her magical and spiritual vision of life to fruition. It’s a magnificent example of how nature and artistic genius can create a magical place.
The park’s attractions include around twenty statues inspired by the figures of the major arcana of the tarot. Made of steel and reinforced concrete, they’re covered with mosaics of glass, ceramics and mirrors inspired by Gaudí’s Parc Güell in Barcelona. They are sculptures of enormous proportions and immense symbolic and esoteric significance.
Along with these mysterious and sometimes monstrous figures, along the pathways that crisscross the park following the natural contours of the land, you’ll find the thoughts, memories, quotations and drawings of the park’s creator.
Work on the park began in 1979 but was only completed in 1996.
The Burano Lake at Capalbio is Italy’s first WWF nature reserve. It’s called a lake, but is actually a pond of around 140 hectares and just one metre deep; it was formed from an ancient lake following the creation of a sandy spit. It’s an area of great natural importance, home to the natural habitat of over 300 bird species.
A dedicated pathway allows you to traverse the reserve in respect of its flora and fauna; there are 7 observation points over the lake.
The coastal area of Capalbio is called Capalbio Scalo and is located about 10 km from the historic village: all beaches are found here.
The beaches of Capalbio are actually a single 12 km stretch of coastline that extends to the border with Lazio to the south and the municipality of Orbetello to the north.
Each area has a different name and is a world unto itself; common characteristics are sandy beaches, shallow seabeds, clean calm waters, easy access and dense Mediterranean scrubland behind the shoreline.
Moving from the Ansedonia headland in a southerly direction towards Lazio you’ll encounter Playa Torba, Macchiatonda, Ultima Spiaggia and Chiarone.
Playa Torba is a tranquil area, largely free. It’s characterised by dark-coloured sand that’s particularly heavy, which means that despite the sandy seabed the sea is surprisingly clear.
As you head south the sand becomes lighter. Macchiatonda is famous for the exclusive La Macchia club with restricted access, though this only occupies part of the beach: there are in fact a couple of other establishments and another free area. Behind Macchiatonda beach stretches the Burano Lake WWF Nature Reserve.
Ultima Spiaggia in the Chiarone area is a legendary Capalbio beach club, which has become an icon of elite seaside tourism, mostly favoured by the radical chic crowd: politicians, entrepreneurs, journalists and writers have all passed through here. We’re now in the Chiarone area, at the southern end of Capalbio’s coastline.
With a car at your disposal you can explore the beautiful beaches around Capalbio. We recommend heading to Monte Argentario, where you can swim at enchanting beaches and coves; you can reach it in just 40 minutes.
Capalbio has a long tourism tradition which translates into a well-developed hotel offering. Capalbio holiday accommodation is scattered from the village to the waterfront, with varied options to suit all needs.
Staying in central Capalbio or staying in Capalbio Scalo are two very different experiences: the former is certainly more romantic, whilst the latter is better suited to those who want to immerse themselves fully in a seaside holiday atmosphere. In the centre accommodation is predominantly bed and breakfast and apartments; moving towards the sea you’ll find more hotels, resorts and campsites.
A third option is to stay in farmhouses, rural homes and country houses in the surrounding countryside. It’s the ideal choice for those seeking relaxation and nature, but in this case you’ll need a car to get around.
For those wishing to reach Capalbio by car the main road is the SS1 Aurelia. It’s accessed from the A12 if coming from the south or from the Florence-Siena motorway link if coming from the north.
Getting to Capalbio by public transport is straightforward thanks to good rail connections. Capalbio station is located on two important lines, the Rome-Pisa and Rome-Genoa, so connections are fairly frequent. Alternatively you can reach the nearby Grosseto station and from there reach your destination by bus.
The nearest airport to Capalbio is not in Tuscany but in Lazio: Rome Fiumicino, Italy’s most important airport, located about 122 km away. The nearest Tuscan airport is Pisa, around 215 km away.
What's the weather at Capalbio? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Capalbio for the next few days.
Capalbio is a municipality in the Province of Grosseto located in the coastal area of northern Tuscany. It's closer to Rome than to Florence: the distance is approximately 140 km to Rome, 200 km to Florence. It lies 130 km from Siena and 210 km from Pisa.
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