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This modestly scaled resort island derives its name from Aethalia , the Greek word for the sparks of its busy iron forges. Portoferraio, where ferries arrive from Piombino, has two fortress/parks, Napoleon’s Villa dei Mulini (his Villa San Martino south of town is more interesting, however), and a small archaeological museum. Porto Azzuro was the island’s Spanish capital and is today a bustling resort that manages to retain something of the old fishing town. Hilltop Capoliveri has the best nightlife and evocative medieval alleyways. Ancient Marciana is a good hill town base for exploring the island’s western half.

Grubby Grosseto lacks real charm, but its Museo Civico Archeologico e d’Arte della Maremma is a must for Etruscan lovers. Many of the more portable finds from the Maremma are housed here, along with works of art from city churches, including Guido da Siena’s 13th-century Last Judgement and a Sassetta Madonna of the Cherries . The 13th-century church of San Francesco has fresco fragments and a high altar Crucifix (1285) attributed to Duccio.

This hilly isle off l’Argentario (ferries from Porto Santo Stefano) has a medieval hamlet Castello above the docks, a beach at the port and an even better low-key resort and beach on the bay at Campese. Ansonico, the local wine, is known mainly to the habitués who crowd here on summer weekends.

This quietly chic peninsula is really an almost-circular island, connected to the Tuscan mainland by causeways.

Tuscany’s greatest protected parkland. Coastal Monti dell’ Uccellina (“Mountains of the Little Bird”) is a large area of pine forests, teeming with boar, roe deer and porcupines, bird-filled marshland to the north, as well as tracts of pristine beach. A pack of wild horses and roaming long-horned white Maremma cattle are looked after by Butteri cowboys. Buses from Albarese take you to the park’s centre.

Etruscan Pitigliano seems to grow right out of its rocky terrain. This hill town’s greatest sight is its medieval self, though the Palazzo Orsini castle (a 13th-century structure, enlarged by Giuliano da Sangallo) houses a few modest museums of local Etruscan finds (“Museo Civico Archeologico”) and its own rooms (“Palazzo Orsini”). The synagogue offers tours (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) of Pitigliano’s significant Jewish heritage, which all but vanished with Nazi deportations.

Baratti Bay’s Iron Age role as port for Elba’s mines helped preserve Populonia’s Etruscan necropolis – under a slag heap. Half a dozen of the tombs are visitable, several almost intact. Museo Gasparri has many of the items excavated here.

You come to Saturnia, not for the little town and its 15th-century Sienese castle, but to take the waters. The warm, mineral-rich waters in the valley feed both a four-star spa (which is elegant, but smells of rotten eggs), hotel complex and a lovely outdoor stream (Cascate del Gorello), which gushes down a hillside, running into small pools and waterfalls. (see Spas and Resorts)

Sorano is an ancient Etruscan hill town literally slipping off its rocky outcrop. The restored 13th-century Aldobrandeschi fortress (expanded by the Orisini in 1552), is now partly medieval museum and partly hotel (see Banking and Communications). The 18th-century Massa Leopoldino fortress is also open to visitors.