Scarlino can be reached from the north, along the routes once taken to avoid the marshes by Frankish adventurers and, centuries later, by Leopold II.

It can be reached by sea, like the mercenary captain Leone Strozzi—and perhaps many Saracen pirates before him.

Or you can arrive from the east, as Alfonso of Aragon, Louis the Bavarian, and Charles IV of Bohemia did with their armies.

And again from the northwest, as Garibaldi did in 1848, a fugitive yet never subdued.

Whichever route you take, Scarlino never fails to surprise. The village, nestled in the hills, overlooks a plain reclaimed from the ancient lake and commands a view of the Gulf of Follonica, with Elba Island framing the horizon.

Welcome to Scarlino!

Today, as in the past, the sea remains a fundamental part of life in Scarlino.

The Marina di Scarlino tourist port provides mooring for sailors and yachtsmen, while from Portiglioni, in the Puntone area, a typical Mediterranean trail leads to the beautiful coves of Cala Martina, Cala Violina, and Cala Civette.

In summer, it is also possible to begin the walk from Cala Violina, keeping in mind that parking near the beach is limited.

Along the trail, in addition to access points to the bathing coves, you will encounter the monument dedicated to Garibaldi and the former Terra Rossa mining port.

The coastal environment of Scarlino combines natural features with centuries of human intervention.

Although land reclamation, agriculture, and industrial development have reduced its marshland surface, the Padule remains a wetland of great ecological interest.

In addition to representing a landscape once typical of almost the entire Lower Maremma, the Padule is now an oasis where rare species—especially birds—live and find shelter.