Parco archeologico di Baratti e Populonia

About the museum

The park covers the area where the ancient Etruscan and Roman city of Populonia stood, known since antiquity for working iron obtained from the haematite of the island of Elba. It extends between the slopes of the Piombino promontory and the Gulf of Baratti, and is managed by the company Parchi Val di Cornia.

The visit is divided into two areas. In the lower part you can see the two Etruscan necropolises, the calcarenite quarries and the industrial districts where the ore was reduced to iron ingots: the Necropoli di San Cerbone has princely tumuli, aedicula, chest and sarcophagus tombs, while the Necropoli delle Grotte, on the wooded hills, has chamber tombs cut into the rock.

In the upper part lies the acropolis, with the remains of Roman temples, a large domus, the Edificio delle Logge, a nymphaeum and a bath complex, as well as the huts of the first Etruscan settlement and the walls that surrounded the city on the side of the gulf. The route also offers panoramic views of the sea and the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, and there are trekking paths through the woods; the visit is completed by the Museo archeologico del territorio di Populonia in Piombino.

Highlights

• Necropoli di San Cerbone with princely tumuli and aedicula tombs
• Necropoli delle Grotte with chamber tombs cut into the rock
• Acropolis of Populonia with Roman temples, domus and baths
• Remains of the ancient iron-working districts
• View over the Gulf of Baratti and the Tuscan Archipelago

Permanent exhibition

• Necropoli di San Cerbone, Necropoli delle Grotte e Acropoli – Open-air route among the Etruscan tombs, the iron-working districts and the acropolis with the Roman temples.

Founded

1998

Operated by

Parchi Val di Cornia S.p.A.

Visitors per year

approx. 46,980

Admission & discounts

The cheapest ticket listed (€11 standard, €9 reduced) is valid for a visit to one necropolis. The experimental archaeology workshop is included in the full visit ticket and in the ticket for two areas. Online tickets on the Ticketlandia platform.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

Family ticket for two adults and three children under 18; experimental archaeology workshops.

Getting there & parking

On the Gulf of Baratti and along the coast there is a paid parking system regulated by the Comune di Piombino.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit