Follonica

Follonica is an urban center located along the gulf between the promontories of Piombino and Punta Ala, to which it gives its name. Since ancient times this town has been a famous center for working iron and cast iron. Follonica as we know it today developed after 1836, when Leopold II of Lorraine decided to name it the administrative center of the Maremma foundries, giving it a central role in the industrial development of the entire Metalliferous Hills area.

Today, however, the fortune of this city comes from its enchanting beaches and the clear waters that bathe them and from the wild nature that surrounds them. Follonica is also famous for its nightlife and for this reason the city has been renamed “the Rimini of Maremma”.

What to see

The Viale Italia waterfront is the meeting place of the city. The area is known for its large ice cream parlors, ideal for cooling off after a day at the beach and for the roasted chestnut kiosks, a quick snack to enjoy while walking. Via Roma is the commercial street where the shops and most of the restaurants of Follonica are located, but also the civic art gallery where precious pieces of contemporary art are exhibited. Also on this street is the church of San Leopoldo, one of the most important examples of cast iron religious architecture in Europe. Opposite the church is the historic foundry of Follonica closed in 1960 and now the seat of the museum of cast iron arts which can be accessed by passing the monumental gate in via Bicocchi, a masterpiece of artisan art in working iron.