The first stop of any tour of the area would have to be Livorno, one of the most important ports in Italy and home to the Naval Academy.
The city still preserves the charm and structure conferred upon it by the Medici in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries: the pentagonal defensive wall surrounded by navigable moats, the distinctively red coloured fortifications such as the Old Fortress, work of Antonio da Sangallo; the Cathedral and the Via Grande portico. The Venezia Nuova district is also charming, built in the seventeenth century after the style of the lagoon city; it includes a dense network of canals with bridges and tall buildings and is home to many fashionable bars and typical restaurants.
The church of Santa Caterina is of particular artistic importance, while the Sanctuary dedicated to Santa Maria delle Grazie, located in the village of Montenero, a few miles from the city is of great religious significance. In terms of outstanding architecture the Cisternone and the Cisternino stand out, these two large reservoirs in the Neoclassical style by the architect Poccianti are nowadays used as venues for cultural events.
Do not miss the Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori (civic museum), located in the beautiful Villa Mimbelli, which houses a magnificent collection of Tuscan paintings realised between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and another of works by Fattori.
An ideal destination for a seaside holiday is the Gulf of Baratti, with its picturesque port, crystal clear waters, sandy beach in the shade of a cool pinewood and the Parco Archeologico (archaeological park) with Etruscan necropolises and evidence of ironwork from nearby Elba. The Gulf is dominated by the picturesque village of Populonia, perched on the summit of the headland, enclosed by defensive walls and defended by a mighty fortress. In the heart of the Colline Metallifere the Parco archeominerario di San Silvestro preserves evidence of mining activity in the area reaching back into antiquity, including the ruins of a medieval mining village, making it well worth taking the time to visit.
Other places of particular cultural value include Castiglioncello with a necropolis from the late Roman Republic era and Cecina with its interesting Etruscan-Roman museum. The Castagneto Carducci territory is of particular interest, it is made up of several villages including Bolgheri where the poet Giosuè Carducci lived for a period. It is still possible to admire the Oratory of San Guido and tread the path, with the two rows of cypresses, celebrated by the poet in his verses.
A village of great charm and ancient origin is Suvereto, located in a panoramic position in the hills, it has a remarkable artistic heritage, from the Romanesque church of San Giusto and the thirteenth century Town Hall to the Fortress.
A tourist destination par excellence is the Island of Elba, known for its crystal clear waters and high, rugged coastline which opens up into bays and shingle, sand, or rocky beaches. The Island is rich in minerals and has been inhabited since ancient times, as is shown by the typical villages of Rio Marino and Capoliveri. The places most visited by tourists are the picturesque Porto Azzurro with its grand Fortress, and Portoferraio which preserves many reminders of Napoleon including the places where he lived – the Palazzine dei Mulini with original furnishings and objects; and Villa San Martino, his country residence.