Castagneto Carducci is the main town of the municipality of the same name, perched on a hill less than 10 kilometers from the sea and about 15 minutes by car from our hotel. Considered one of the most popular villages on the Etruscan Coast, Castagneto Carducci was first mentioned in a document dating back to 754 A.D. and today the original nucleus of the town is formed around the castle, whose construction probably dates back to the year 1000.
The village stands on a hill 188 meters above sea level, offering great views, surrounded by olive groves, and vineyards from whose grapes are produced some of the world’s most famous wines.
It was once known as Castagneto Marittimo and only in 1907 did the municipality rename itself with the surname of its most illustrious ‘tourist’, Giosuè Carducci, to pay homage to one of the most important Italian poets who had just passed away and who stayed here for many years.
How to reach Castagneto Carducci
The easiest way to reach Castagneto Carducci is by car; in the summer months, consider the possibility of paying to park your car, while in the low season you can easily find free parking spaces. An alternative is the regular bus service run by Tiemme spa or the mobility service with a small train, shuttle and bus reaching the villages in the surroundings.
Coming by car from the north, take the SS1 – E80 (Aurelia bypass), exit at Donoratico, continue towards the Bolgherese provincial road and then follow the signs for Castagneto. If you are coming from the south, the nearest exit is San Vincenzo nord, continue towards Donoratico, take the Old Aurelia and take the Bolgherese provincial road to Castagneto. From Hotel I Ginepri the route is very simple: from Via della Marina you cross Via Vecchia Aurelia and Passo di Bocca di Valle.
The places of Giosuè Carducci in Castagneto
Let’s start the exploration of this lovely village. The center of Castagneto developed around the Church of San Lorenzo and the castle that originally belonged to the Counts of Della Gherardesca. These ancient buildings are the fulcrum of an urban center in concentric rings in which charming streets, houses, squares and alleys unravel.
Here two museums recall the figure of Italian poet Carducci, who spent the years of his childhood and then his maturity here: the Carducciano Archive Museum and Casa Carducci, both in the oldest part of the village. Located at 1 Via Carducci, the Carducciano Archive Museum was opened as part of the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the poet’s death and renovated in 2007 with the exhibition organized for the centenary. On display there are books, magazines, photographs, and precious drafts of poems related to the territory. By visiting the museum, it is possible to retrace the main moments of the poet’s literary activity. Among the places in Castagneto linked to the illustrious Nobel Prize winner there is also Casa Carducci, the house where the young Giosuè stayed with his family, and which saw him as a guest for almost two decades in his maturity. Admission costs 2€ and we recommend you check opening times.
The Little Museum of Olive Oil (Piccolo Museo dell’Olio)
Not to be missed the Piccolo Museo dell’Olio, literally the Little Museum of Olive Oil, celebrating the extra virgin olive oil produced in the area since Etruscan times. It is located in the same building of the Carducci Archive Museum and displays old equipment, period photographs of olive harvesting moments and some technical explanatory panels.
The Castle and other historical buildings
Located at the highest point of the village, the castle towers over the panorama of Castagneto Carducci with its thousand years of history. It belonged to the noble Tuscan family Della Gherardesca for centuries, and is now privately owned and used for parties and private events. The castle is flanked by a bell tower built between 1929 and 1931 using stones from the ruins of Donoratico Castle. The castle used to be surrounded by massive walls, of which only those facing the sea survive.
In addition to the castle, there are other important historical monuments in the village, such as the Palazzo Pretorio, which became the town hall in 1849.
Propositura di San Lorenzo – Ph Lucarelli from Wikimedia Commons
The churches of Castagneto Carducci
The Church of San Lorenzo, also known as the Propositura di San Lorenzo, is – together with the Castle – the oldest building in Castagneto Carducci. It dates back to the 11th century, when it served as the castle chapel. Nowadays we can still admire the arch of the façade carved into the walls, bearing the Della Gherardesca coat of arms on the keystone.
On the opposite side there is the Church of the Santissimo Crocifisso, built in 1587 in neo-Gothic style. Inside, a large 15th-century wooden crucifix of the Pisan school from the monastery of San Colombano di Donoratico is preserved in a closed casket. The crucifix is a much-loved object of local worship, celebrated every year in the ‘Feste Triennali’ since 1801.
The Holy Staircase
The Holy Staircase (Scala Santa) is located in the Salita di San Lorenzo and allows one to quickly reach Via Varese in a straight line. Consisting of eighty-three rather steep steps, we still don’t have precise information about the term ‘holy’ and its derivation. Suppositions include a special penance or a symbolic representation of the journey each of us has to make in life up to the ascent to heaven. In any case, whichever route you choose to take in Castagneto Carducci, you will realize its intimate dimension and the alluring charm of the small houses and shops scattered along the alleys.
The frame in Piazza Belvedere
If we are talking about glimpses not to be missed, we must mention the large frame in Piazza Belvedere, a project by the company Le Macchiole. This is one of the four frames donated to the Municipality of Castagneto Carducci as part of a project to enhance the territory linked to Messorio, the 100% Merlot wine produced by this historical winery in the area. The four frames have been placed in symbolic positions within the municipality, to recreate a route through the places narrated by Giosuè Carducci in his poems as a “frame” to the most evocative views.
Roma Theatre
The Teatro Roma, which traces its origins back to 1862 when the town’s most prominent men set up a society for its construction, is still today the fulcrum of local cultural activities, an emblem of the musical and theatrical tradition that is widespread among the population. Located in Via Gramsci, the Roma Theatre is still a lively stage where prose, poetry and music performances take place.
Tips for foodies
Finally, we would like to give you some advice on what to taste in Castagneto Carducci. For a mouth-watering stop, we recommend you stop at the Piccolo Biscottificio Castagnetano, born out of a desire to revive ancient recipes that would otherwise have been lost. Here Nonna Carla still spends entire days with her hands in the dough creating hundreds of traditional sweets like spumini, pinolate, mielatini, cavallucci, corolli incesi and burrini.
In Castagneto Carducci, a stop at the Premiata Fabbrica di Liquori ‘Emilio Borsi’ is a must. It was founded in 1800 and is famous for its China Calisaja, precious because it was also used to cure the malaria that raged in those years. After 220 years of history, production is still exclusively manual.
For a real Neapolitan pizza, head to Piazza del Popolo, where Pizzeria da Ciro will also delight your palate with fish dishes. A good alternative is the Pizzeria il Cappellaccio, housed in a 15th century building and using organic flours for a highly digestible pizza.
[Cover image: Alessandro Corsoni]
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