Golden beaches, art, salt water and good food at the centre of the Costa degli Etruschi

"The first colour was gold but it was sand, golden sand I would say, or sand like gold, it stuck fast between my toes on my chest and back
and then everywhere as soon as I was spilled from the warm belly lying on the beach."
 A country painted by the wind
There are places where nature does its work impeccably.
It sometimes happens that under the Ponente the sea is stormy and the foam from the cavalloni fills the air so much that it dyes the windows white. It also happens that the Scirocco suddenly wakes up and, like an indolent or mad demon, rages over the city with impunity: on these days the sky turns grey, and becomes watery and heavy like an enormous damp fleece.
It happens, in a place by the sea, because here it is the wind that commands everything.
That's why those magnificent Tramontana days also happen, when at nightfall the island of Elba seems so close that you can count the lit candles in its windows; or the cool, clean mornings when the Maestrale ruffles the hills and brushes everything blue; or the afternoons when the Libeccio blows, docile or impetuous, and causes the sunset to dye the sea red and purple, while all the perfumes of the brackish scent spread through the streets, enter the houses, the hair, the heart.
San Vincenzo is a town of a thousand colours. Its inhabitants know it, and they love it even more when summer is over or is still to come.
Strange as it may seem, in fact, summer is not the best season in this place.

San Vincenzo's accommodation, both hotel and non-hotel, is the largest on the entire Costa degli Etruschi. In the summer, in fact, this small seaside village of about seven thousand inhabitants can accommodate up to 80,000 people at a time.
Its coastline of fine sand is the colour of gold and stretches for 12 km. The best-equipped bathing establishments are located in the central part of the town, while the wide free beaches lapped by the dune extend northwards, towards Castagneto Carducci, and southwards, towards Baratti and Populonia.
The latter to the south is the wild beach of the Rimigliano Coastal Park, over 7 km long and accessible from the equipped paths that wind through the park. Here the sand has a slightly thicker grain than on the other beaches, and the seabed is deeper.
Right in the centre of the village is the tourist harbour: a strategic landing place for yachtsmen as it is a perfect bridge to all the islands of the Tuscan archipelago. In summer, daily cruises to the islands of Elba, Pianosa, Capraia and even Corsica depart from here.

The San Vincenzo Marina hosts a total of 283 berths and offers all the best services related to boating. It also houses a boatyard for storage and repairs, a bunkering point with a fuel station, reserved covered parking spaces, mooring assistance and 24-hour surveillance, the Yachting Club, the Circolo Nautico and the Circolo della Pesca, many shops and, of course, quaint places for a special lunch, dinner or aperitif overlooking the quays. The harbour is also the main meeting point for young people for after-dinner drinks.
The sea is everywhere in San Vincenzo. It is a way of life.

And yet in this town there are also farms that have made excellence an indispensable quality, beautiful nature trails in the maquis, and a hillside hamlet, San Carlo, which was once a mining village and is now a real hillside district from which one can admire the beauty of the coast.

Sport is also very popular in San Vincenzo: the facilities are modern and well equipped and there are facilities for almost every type of activity, both indoor and outdoor.

All around the town, just a few kilometres away, are delightful medieval villages such as Sassetta, Suvereto, Campiglia Marittima and Castagneto Carducci, the great wine cellars of Bolgheri and the Val di Cornia, the thermal baths of Sassetta and those of Venturina, adventure parks and amusement parks such as the Cavallino Matto, the Giardino Sospeso and the two Acqua Villages of Cecina and Follonica. The most beautiful cities of art in Tuscany are all nearby and can be visited with day trips. Even Rome is within reach by car or train and can be visited in a day.

And yet in this town there are also farms that have made excellence an indispensable quality, beautiful nature trails in the bush, and a hillside hamlet, San Carlo, which was once a mining village and is now a real hillside district from which all the beauty of the coast can be admired.

Sports are also popular in San Vincenzo: the facilities are modern and well equipped, and there are facilities for almost every type of activity, both indoor and outdoor.

All around the town, just a few kilometers away, are delightful medieval villages such as Sassetta, Suvereto, Campiglia Marittima, and Castagneto Carducci, the great wineries of Bolgheri and Val di Cornia, the spas of Sassetta and those of Venturina, and adventure and amusement parks such as the Cavallino Matto, the Giardino Sospeso, and the two Acqua Villages in Cecina and Follonica. Tuscany's most beautiful art cities are all nearby and can be visited on day trips. Even Rome is within reach by car or train, and can be visited in a day.