Le Rocchette Beach

Castiglione della Pescaia

Le Rocchette is a long coarse sandy beach situated along the spectacular Maremma Grossetana coastline, a short distance from the popular sailing port and pretty medieval old town of Castiglione della Pescaia.

During the summer months, many "bagni" - summer beach bar and sun lounger/parasol facilities - operate along its length. This, together with the fact that the village of Rocchette (link to the page at the bottom of this one) - which runs parallel to the beach - basically comprises of holiday accommodation and eating out options, makes this Italian beach a favourite spot for a summer vacation for Italians and foreigners alike.

But I have to say that it isn't one of my favourite of Maremma beaches; at least not during the summer. There is little to be proud of about the amount of rubbish throughout the year at its northern-most end, along its short access path from the car park to reach it, or the upkeep of the most immediate establishment.

It's sister beach into which it mergers, Roccamare (link below), is, on the other hand, simply beautiful and is definitely one of the very best beaches in Maremma.

Getting there

The gorgeous purple sunset at the beach picture is by kind permission of Carlo Micheloni

Take the SP62, signposted Rocchette, directly off the SP158 between Follonica and Castiglione della Pescaia.

Public Access to the beaches along Rocchette's 3.4km long pine tree lined road is in two places. Neither of which are well sign-posted. The first is about half way along the village, opposite the "Giornali Tabacchi" and on the eastern side of Hotel Residence Roccamare. Look for the spray painted red arrow. It is a tortuous route around and between the fenced holiday accommodations.

The second is at the very end of the village, where the road reaches its dead end, and there is a free public car park (home to a large number of feral cats). This access (a rather ugly one) isn't signposted, but starts from the furthermost coastal corner of the car park, behind the end of village sign. It is only a few metres in length and brings you out between the buildings of a bar onto the very end of the beach and its promontory.

Unless you are a visitor/guest of one of the establishments that occupy the coastal side of this strip, access otherwise is not possible anywhere else along the road. Each establishment has gates and fencing which but up one against the other.

Le Rocchette beach at sunset in Maremma

Surfing at Rocchette

There is a UISP surfing and SUP school - MaremmaSoul - based at one of the beach "bagni", where you can hirea board etc.

The video

This video was taken on an October afternoon during a storm: it was hard to stand upright and also avoid being drenched by the waves reaching up the whole shore to the pineta behind. But the most amazing thing was the white surf "snow" balls that blew from the sea across the sands... never seen anything like it before.

The Map

View Larger Map

The blue icons mark:

• the beach of Le Rocchette, and
• the beach of Roccamare

The red icons mark

• the public footpath access from Rocchette to the beaches, and
• the Forte delle Rocchette sat on the top of the promontory of Le Rocchette: once a look-out tower and now a private residence with uninterrupted views across the Mar Tirreno, Tyrrhenian Sea.

The Fortress - Forte delle Rocchette

Built as a look-out tower in the twelth century, the Forte delle Rocchette - originally called the "Rocca de Campo Albo" - protected a now non-existent fort and church. The tower became a fortress in the sixteenth century when it was renovated and fortified by Cosimo I 'Medici as part of the coastal defence system to protect the lands owned by the then Duchy of Tuscany. This part of Maremma was subject to many pirate attacks.

Abandoned by the miliary, the fortress first became a lighthouse and then a private dewlling. And boy, what views it has!

Both the aerial photograph at the top of this page and this one of the Forte delle Rocchette are by kind permission of Opaxir.

Places to stay

Tuscany hotels

The residential hotels - hotel accommodation and facilities combined with self-catering apartment or bungalow etc accommodation options: residence Rocchette and residence Roccamare.

Campsites

Rocchette camping: Castiglione della Pescaia campsites

More Castiglione della Pescaia beaches

Punta Capezzolo

Riva del Sole

Roccamare