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Bolgheri - Località Felciaino 189
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The tiny Bolgheri, home to just over 100 residents, is one of Tuscany’s most trendy and chic destinations. This small village in Livorno province, located in the municipality of Castagneto Carducci, sits at the end of a dramatic tree-lined avenue and is renowned worldwide for its red wines produced in the area.
Big names like Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Masseto and Guado al Tasso are indeed familiar to food and wine enthusiasts and sommeliers alike, though not everyone realises that they’re all produced right here. In fact, such a concentration of world-class wine labels in such a small territory is exceptionally rare, and this is yet another reason why people choose to visit Bolgheri.
But even if you’re not a wine enthusiast, Bolgheri will surely have something to show you: whether it’s the narrow streets of the historic village, the castle, or the beauty of its surroundings, you’ll certainly return home satisfied. Finally, it’s worth noting that Bolgheri, whilst not strictly a coastal resort, is still close to the sea, just 10-15 minutes away. You can therefore use it as a base for sleeping and enjoying this typical Tuscan village to the full, and drive during the day to reach the beaches of the Etruscan Coast: after all, Marina di Bibbona and Marina di Castagneto Carducci are no more than 20 minutes’ drive away.
It takes only 8 minutes to walk the entire length of Bolgheri. It’s really quite a tiny village, and whilst very charming, once you’ve explored it all there isn’t much else to do. However, if you combine a stroll through the centre with a series of beautiful attractions in the surrounding area, there’s actually quite a lot to see in Bolgheri.
It’s impossible not to be enchanted by the Avenue of Cypresses, the road leading into Bolgheri: composed of around 2,400 ancient cypress trees and stretching almost 5 kilometres, it cuts through the Maremma countryside from the Oratorio di San Guido to Bolgheri itself.
Considered Italy’s most famous and well-known avenue thanks to poems by Carducci, its origins date back to 1831 following the straightening of the Aurelia state road. Along the San Guido lane, originally remembered as a simple straight path, long rows of tall cypresses were planted which, following the success of Carducci’s verses and the poet’s death, were extended to Bolgheri in an evocative and atmospheric route.
Its history is inextricably linked to the Della Gherardesca noble family and Giosue Carducci. In the ode “davanti a San Guido” the poet celebrates the Avenue of Cypresses, today a national monument:
“I cipressi che a Bólgheri alti e schietti
Van da San Guido in duplice filar,
Quasi in corsa giganti giovinetti
Mi balzarono incontro e mi guardar”
At the end of the Avenue of Cypresses, one of Bolgheri’s first buildings is the majestic castle, a medieval structure owned by the Della Gherardesca family since the 13th century. Its crenellated tower represents the exact point of access to the village, as the entrance gate lies beneath it. The tower is also the building’s most striking feature, tall and crenellated, with a rectangular floor plan.
The Della Gherardesca Castle, enclosed within the village walls and adjacent to the church, stands with its full mass across three floors. Its construction probably dates back to around 1000. Externally, the complex has undergone significant and varied modifications that have altered its original configuration, which once consisted of a central structure connected to a system of towers by means of a curtain wall. The church dates from the medieval period, whilst the bell tower and rectory were perhaps built during the 1800s. The two-storey building has a simple and linear façade, punctuated by single and double windows.
The entrance to the castle and village is particularly characteristic, marked by an acute arch above which stands a roundel featuring floral motifs and the family coat of arms. Although the castle, used as a family residence, has undergone expansions over the centuries, it represents in every sense one of the most important historical testimonies of the village.
Bolgheri Castle is a private residence and is not open to daily visits but is accessible only once a year, on 16 July, during the patron saint’s festival.
The small Church of Saints James and Christopher is located in Piazza Teresa, practically at the entrance to the village just beyond the main entrance gate. It’s tiny and very ancient, though what we see today is the result of an early 20th-century restoration.
The church features an original gabled façade dating from the Middle Ages, whilst the interior has been rebuilt whilst maintaining the medieval style. The images of Saints James and Christopher are placed above the two doors leading to the sacristy.
The Bolgheri Wildlife Refuge was established in the late 1950s and covers an area of 500 hectares. It was Italy’s first private nature reserve, and since 1968 has been part of the WWF Oases.
Within the Bolgheri Wildlife Refuge there is an extensive marsh with reed beds, along with forests of junipers, holm oaks, pines and ash trees. The wildlife you can encounter is notably diverse, including roe deer, rabbits and squirrels, as well as birds such as peregrine falcons, owls and mallards.
Visiting the Bolgheri Wildlife Refuge is only possible during the winter season, from October to April, and only by reservation.
Bolgheri is renowned worldwide for the wines produced in its territory and immediate surroundings, thanks to its sunny microclimate and soil characteristics. The grape varieties in the area are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Most wines produced here are of the “Bolgheri DOC” denomination.
Among these, the most famous are particularly Sassicaia, Vermentino and Bolgheri Sauvignon. There are also white and rosé variants, whilst special mention goes to Masseto, considered among Italy’s finest wines and at the same time one of the most expensive on the market, with an average bottle price exceeding €700, though record purchases do occur, such as a 15-litre bottle that sold for over $50,000 in 2007. It is produced at the Ornellaia estate, owned by the Frescobaldi family.
In the historic village of Bolgheri there are some excellent accommodation options. These are essentially apartments and holiday homes, and staying here will allow you to fully enjoy the atmosphere, especially in the evening or morning before tourists arrive.
If you prefer a different type of holiday, around Bolgheri there are numerous farmhouses, ideal for those seeking complete relaxation whilst enjoying the Livorno Maremma countryside and the fabulous local wines.
Finally, if you want to stay near the sea, you’ll need to head to the coast, to Marina di Bibbona just to the north, or to Marina di Castagneto Carducci, a few kilometres to the south. In both resorts there is abundant accommodation for all budgets.
Bolgheri is just 10 minutes’ drive from the La California exit on the SS1 Aurelia state road, and so regardless of where you’re starting from, getting there is always relatively simple and convenient.
From Florence, for example, the distance is around 150 kilometres, easily covered in just over an hour and a half by first following the SGC FI-PI-LI highway to the Vicarello junction, from where you enter the A12 motorway which you stay on all the way to the south toll booth of Rosignano Marittimo. From here you enter directly onto the Aurelia, which you follow to the La California exit; from the exit, reaching Bolgheri takes just 10 minutes.
From Siena, the distance is considerably less, just 95 kilometres, though it takes longer to cover: nearly two hours, as you don’t use motorways or major roads, but rather the SS68 Val di Cecina state road, which passes through Badesse, Monteriggioni, Colle Val d’Elsa, Volterra, Saline and Montescudaio, before reaching Bolgheri from the north via the SP19 provincial road.
From Tuscany’s coastal cities, things are fortunately much easier: Livorno centre is 45 minutes away, whilst Pisa is almost an hour. In both cases, you drive south along the Aurelia.
If you choose to travel by public transport, don’t be misled: there is a Bolgheri railway station, located on the Tyrrhenian railway linking Pisa to Grosseto and Rome, but it’s about 7 kilometres from the town centre. There are no local bus services to get there, so you’ll either need to call a taxi or walk.
You might be better off using the “Borgo in Bus” shuttle bus service departing from Castagneto Carducci, which is reachable by train: simply don’t get off at Bolgheri station and continue the journey for a few more kilometres.
What's the weather at Bolgheri? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Bolgheri for the next few days.
A tiny hamlet just a few kilometres from the sea, Bolgheri sits in the province of Livorno, nestled between Marina di Bibbona and Donoratico.
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