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Scarlino, the ancient lighthouse
- Category What to visit in Maremma
Agriturismo - Where to stay overnight
The name Scarlino comes from the Gothic “scherlin”, “torch-light procession” and indicates the role it played with its light house on the Roman port of Scabris (today’s Puntone). Recent archeological excavations in the area south of Puntone have brought to light an important Etruscan Necropolis, with burial mounds, offering proof that the first settlements date from the 7th and 6th centuries B. C..
Built on the top of a hill, it had the function of bastion in the Aldobrandeschi family defense sector. They fortified it with the castle that still dominates the town. In 1855 it was struck by a cholera epidemic which seems to have unaccountably disappeared on August 19th. A celebration called the “Carriere del Diciannove” is held annually in honor of this miraculous event. Today Sarlino has become a modern industrial center with a fully equipped tourist port near the locality of Puntone. This has been accomplished without sacrificing environmental and historic values.
The coastline offers uncontaminated beaches such as Cala Violina and Cala Martina that have the Mediterranean scrub reaching as far as the sea and are far from settlements. There are also protected natural areas such as the Scarlino Oasis for protection of marsh and coastal fauna and The Poggio Spedaletto Natural Reserve. The hills, wooded with Chestnut and Holm oaks, are ideal for outings in the quiet of the Maremma countryside but a few kilometers from important Etruscan settlements such as Vetulonia and Roselle.
The area of Scarlino is also remarkable for the quality of its argriculture and typical local products such as olive oil and chestnuts. It is also to be noted that the territory belongs to the zone for the production of Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC wine.
