I will admit that I am one of those people who keeps thousands of photos on my phone for a few reasons. One is that I am just too lazy to upload them to the computer and in some way I am nervous that if I upload them and delete them from my phone, anything could happen and those photos will be lost forever. The second reason is that I love having at my fingertips thousands of memories. Scrolling through my photos gives me comfort and helps me appreciate all the things I have, the people in my life and the experiences I’ve had.
Right now, travel has been put on hold due to Covid-19 but that shouldn’t stop us from making future plans because this will get better, we will travel again. So maybe now is a good time to start doing some research on places you’d like to visit. If you’re thinking of visiting Italy ( I mean, who isn’t?), I’ve got another hidden gem for you to check out: Suvereto.
Suvereto, is a small medieval village in central Tuscany in the Val di Cornia. It is located about 98 miles south of Florence and 52 miles south of Livorno. It takes its name from the latin suber , or cork wood, because of the many cork oak trees that surround the area. The first mention of this village goes back to 973 according to their town history. Its stone walls and streets will transport you back in time and make you feel at home, all at the same time.
I am always looking to visit small towns or villages in Italy after the main tourist attractions. It’s a way to see the “real” Italy and gain a deeper appreciation for what it really means to live La dolce vita. Major cities like Rome, Venice and Florence are favorite destinations for a reason but there is just something about slowing down and exploring areas not overrun (for now!) by hordes of tourists. The association, I borghi più belli d’Italia (The most beautiful villages of Italy), which was created in 2001 to promote tourism and appreciation of all the beauty, culture, and history small towns in Italy have to offer, has Suvereto as one of their featured towns. Check it out here.
I came across Suvereto when I was doing some research on where to stay if I wanted to visit the island of Elba but have a home base on the mainland. My goal was to take a ferry from Piombino to Elba to celebrate my birthday but wanted to stay somewhere charming. I had originally found an apartment to rent in Caldana but after messaging back and forth with the owner and having some troubles, I had to scrap that place and start over. I searched the airbnb site for places to stay near Caldana and came across this listing. The apartment itself seemed to fit our needs and price range so I started to look into the town of Suvereto. What I can say now is that I am so glad I had so many issues with the place in Caldana that forced me to cancel and find Domenico’s apartment.
Living room 
Main piazza
First of all, Domenico was easy to work with, and was very accomodating from the get-go. I’m not sure if he speaks English since I communicated with him in Italian, but I am sure that he must speak some English since I see that after being the first Americans to stay in his place, there was another couple from America that stayed there. His place has everything you can need, 2 bedrooms, a bathroom with a tub, a kitchen, living room and the best part- a gorgeous private garden! Parking is nearby and free and the apartment is located right in the heart of the town. It’s only a few minutes walk before you reach the main road and piazza.
Suvereto has many restaurants to keep you happily fed for the entire time you are there. However, there was one pizzeria which we loved for the pizza and for the fact that it was located in what used to be a movie theater! The upstairs of Bar Torrione Pizzeria Spaghetteria da Gegè still has movie theater seats in the upper level, if you eat inside. Of course, we ate inside and outside! With two kids, pizza is always one of the best options.
Il Torrione 
Il Torrione
Another really happy coincidence was that we happened to be staying the week that Suvereto hosts Serate medievali or Medieval Nights every year in July. We just happened to be staying there the right week! Each evening, the town transforms into a medieval town, burlap over the street lights, parades of people in costumes, medieval games, food and a different show each night. One night, we were entertained by a fire breathing, tight-rope walking performer followed by a medieval procession and dancing after eating probably the best sausage sandwich. A really nice touch is that you are able to exchange your euros for medieval coins to pay for the food or games.
Exchange your euros for medieval money! 
Medieval game 
Street in Suvereto 
Medieval game 
Medieval performer 
Horse dressed in medieval attire
During the day, thanks to Domenico’s suggestion, we visited nearby Baratti beach. This beach along the Etruscan coast is well-known to locals but is well worth your trip there. On one side, you have the gorgeous, clear water of the Gulf of Baratti, which when you look close looks as if it is shimmering with the metals that were once mined by the Etruscans, and other side a pine forest. Parking is available for pay at the beach. There are also two restaurants on site. You will have to bring your own umbrellas and chairs, however. If you’re visiting in the summer, Baratti is a must!
Other day trips we made from our home base in Suvereto are Livorno, the capital of the province, Volterra, Sovana, Sorano and the island of Elba. These are certainly not an exhaustive list of possibilities but we only had a week there.
Livorno, the provincial capital was a nice day trip and only about an hour drive north. We easily parked on the street and just walked around the area near the water to discover what Livorno had to offer. We found the Terrazza Mascagni to be a nice first stop where we could walk along the water while taking in incredible views and do some people-watching. There were bathers, fishers and of course other people just walking along the terrace as we did. We stopped nearby for a bite to eat, but I will say this, if you are afraid of birds (as I am), you might want to eat inside if you’re near the water! Our next stop was the aquarium. The aquarium was well-organized and not overwhelming to visit. The kids had a blast!
Another day trip was to Volterra, another Etruscan hilltop town. Some may recognize Volterra from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. Luckily, we did not encounter any vampires, but we did have a nice day just walking around and taking in the city. Once you climb the stairs to enter the walled city, you can easily walk through the city. There are plenty of restaurants and shops to keep you busy for the whole day. We were happy to just wander around and enjoy the city vibe but if you like more info on the many things to see, check out this post from Discover Tuscany.
I had read about the Vie cave or the excavated roads made by the Etruscans of the tufa rock. We started by visiting the tiny town of Sovana. Here, we walked through the one road town and visited the Museo di Mamiliano, where you can find the bones of Saint Mamiliano. We also went into a shop that specialized in alabaster products, which are well-known in this area. We made a few purchases to bring home as gifts and then headed out to explore the Vie cave. I will admit they were a bit difficult to find driving but we eventually did and were able to walk through some of these ancient roads that pre-date the Romans.
Finally, we did get to visit the island of Elba. We booked the ferry ride with Corsica-Sardinia Ferries easily. We did take our car on the ferry since after reading up on Elba, it seemed to reach certain areas, especially some of the best beaches, we would need a car. We did walk around the port area and the downtown area a bit but our real goal was to have a beach day. The drive to Scaglieri beach was a bit scary for my wife but once we got down to the beach, everyone was so helpful and welcoming. The parking attendants right across from the beach took the car, and also set us up with umbrellas and chairs for four for just about $50! The beach did not disappoint! The water was amazing! It was a sandy beach with crystal-clear water. My kids met a local around their age who they played with until we went to eat something at the beach restaurant. The restaurant had something for everyone, was economical, delicious and gorgeous views of the beach. Our day could not have been more perfect. We boarded our return ferry and headed back to Suvereto that evening.
Ferry ride to Elba 
Gorgeous Scaglieri Beach 
Restaurant with a view! Pizzeria Due PIni 
Waiting for ferry back to Suvereto
Unfortunately, our vacation had to come to an end and we had to head back to reality but making Suvereto a home away from home may one day become a reality. My wife and I have often discussed owning a home in Italy but we were never really sure where. We have family spread out all over Italy and we have traveled pretty extensively but could never really agree on where to make our Italian dream become a reality. Suvereto changed this. We don’t often agree on a decision this big but we can say that Suvereto has the feel of a small town we could see ourselves spending our time in while still being within driving distance to so many other towns waiting to be explored.
