Buca delle Fate
Populonia - Enchanted woods, fairies, unspoiled coast? Probably just a dream . .
Yet half-way along the winding road from Baratti to Populonia, on the Etruscan coast of Tuscany is a 15-20 minute trail that winds through a Mediterranean pine forest past ancient Etruscan tombs. It then opens onto a sea-cliff shelf that drops into the crystal clear blue sea. The cliffs make it an idyllic place for sunbathing and swimming in the summertime, while in winter it's spectacular to just sit and watch the waves beating wildly against the rocks.
Buca delle Fate, literally "Fairies Cove", really is a magical place. Legend has it that many years ago fishermen heard sweet melodic singing and saw the smiling faces of beautiful young women on the water's surface, which disappeared as quickly as they had come. Wanting to explore further, they saw many strange and wonderful things: hordes of sea horses playing games together, dolphins swimming with the young women. But each time it all lasted only moments, before disappearing again. The fishermen thought they had been dreaming, but always went back to the Buca delle Fate, just to catch one more glimpse, to see if it had been true.
So was it all just a dream? There's only one way for you to find out . . .
Images courtesy of www.castellodipopulonia.it and www.turismopiombino.it