Cala Violina, Mediterranean cove and beach in Scarlino, Italy.
Cala Violina is a cove with a sandy beach located within the Bandite di Scarlino Nature Reserve on the Tuscan coast. Pale sand meets turquoise water, and pine trees grow down to the shoreline.
The coast once belonged to the defensive system of the Republic of Pisa. Watchtowers were built to observe and report attacks coming from the sea.
The beach has become a symbol of environmental preservation in Tuscany, implementing a visitor quota system to maintain its natural conditions.
Access requires an online reservation in advance, and visitors walk roughly 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) from the parking area to the cove. The path goes through the forest and is manageable for families, but strollers are difficult to push.
The quartz sand produces a faint sound when you walk on it, similar to drawing a bow across violin strings. This phenomenon gave the cove its name and is most noticeable when the sand is dry.
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