Riotorto-Piombino

The national park Parco Costiero della Sterpaia is along the coast towards Follonica going east from Piombino. Here there are around 300 hectares of historically interesting beaches, woods and sand dunes. Between 1994, when the park was declared a protected nature park, and the year 2000, thousands of illegally built summer houses had to be pulled down. There were new infra structures created in 2004 on 5 cultivated sections of the coast: parking areas (with metres) toilets and fresh water showers, deck chairs and sun umbrella hire, but only on 5 sections, so that there are still kilometre long stretches of  free beach alternating with the cultivated parts. Directly above the beaches there are many bars and cafes for ice cream and coffee, which turn into good restaurants in the evening, most have a terrace overlooking the sea.