Cala del Porto Punta Ala

Punta Ala Cove, Maremma

"Cala del Porto Punta Ala" - Punta Ala cove - is a sandy bay situated at the southern-most point of the Gulf of Follonica at the Port of Punta Ala.

From here, the outcrop of "Scogli Porchetti" rocks and the small island, the "Isolotta dello Sparviero" mark the very extremity of the "Promontorio di Punta Ala" - the Punta Ala promontory.

Once terrorised by pirates, it is now a pretty beach in an elite sailing resort in Maremma.

The cove sands give way to a rocky shore at the coves southern end.

These photographs were taken during an early November evening with storm winds and a fantastic sunset: simply magical Maremma.

Sunset over Isolotta dello Sparviero from Cala del Porto Punta Ala

Getting there

Leave the SP158 for Punta Ala at the Pian d'Alma crossroads: the road will take you to the beginning of the holiday homes, second homes and hotels that are Punta Ala. From here follow the signs for the centre and port, until the point where you can proceed no further: you will reach a series of dead-ends with parking bays (all pay and display).

NOTE: Vehicular access to the port and hence the cove is restricted to those with permits.

You will be on the rise that is the backdrop to the port and from here you will need to take one of the paths down into the port itself.

A couple of points worth bearing in mind if you have young children. The main pedestrian path down into the port - through the apartment block complexes - is stepped. Not a problem for most youngsters going down, but in my experience the return journey after playing on the beach often warrants carrying them some of the way! You may wish, therefore, especially if you have buggies or pushchairs to manoever, to take the longer road route out of the port and find the road in which you left your car from the top.

There is another sweeping path that leads up and out of the centre of the port, but take it from me it is tortuous and has a number of stepped and awkward junctures along its route not evident until you are well commited to proceeding!

The second point of note is that, although there are well equiped toilet (including shower) facilities close to the cove which upon first sight appear to be public facilities, they are not. They may only be used by permit holders. Punta Ala is like that: it is a millionaires sailing port after all.

Refreshments

There are a handful of bars in the Port of Punta Ala that also serve light meals and even during the winter months there is usually at least one open.

The November sunset

I know that including these additional photographs is going to make the page load slower, but it really was a stunning sunset, made even more special by the stormy sea whose deep emerald green waves broke on shore and against the lighthouse...

Sunset over Isolotta dello Sparviero from Cala del Porto Punta Ala

The photos above and below are of the Isolotto dello Sparviero or Troia as it was known, with the Scogli Porchetti rocks in the foreground. The latter are more readily visible in the second photo.

The tower on the island is the medieval tower of "La Torre degli Appiani", also known as the "Torre dello Sparviero, or the "Torre di Troia Vecchia". Built to defend the Port of Punta Ala and the Maremman coastline, it was subject to violent pirate attacks that resulted in serious structural damage and the refusal of the military stationed there to remain.

Maremma may be a quiet place now, but her history is all but...

In this image, the beautiful Isola d'Elba - the Island of Elba - is in the background.

Sunset over Isola d'Elba from the cove