A friend we had met online lives down the coast from the area where we were staying, and had recommended we visit the coastal areas near Populonia. We had some other plans that required a car, so when we saw how difficult it was to reach this area by train or bus, we rented a car and drove down the coast to Populonia and Piombino.
It was a lovely drive down the coast. We stopped at a beach area just north of Populonia, where we saw the trees above (which, in fairness, are all over the western part of Italy), and got some feet wet in the water. We discovered that the region is also known as the Etruscan Coast, for the discoveries that have been made of ancient Etruscan populations in the area.
Populonia sits on a hill overlooking the sea, from which you can see Corsica and other offshore islands.
The Church of Santa Croce at Populonia was built in the 11th and 12th centuries. Frescoes inside date from 1516. The altar is a 3rd century Roman sarcophagus, found below the level of the present floor.
Our hopes for a fabulous sunset would have to wait, as the rain, which had threatened all day, came with much cloud cover in the evening, so it was back to Lucca for us.
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