Follonica, Coastal commune in Province of Grosseto, Italy
Follonica is a commune on the coast of Tuscany that stretches along a wide bay on the Tyrrhenian Sea and sits just above sea level. The settlement extends between hills inland and flat beaches lined with pine groves.
The settlement began in 1834 when the Grand Duke of Tuscany built housing for workers at a new ironworks that stood near old Etruscan sites. The facility grew quickly and drew people from across the region who sought work in the metal industry.
The name comes from the Latin word for forge and recalls the iron work that shaped life here for generations. Visitors can now see cast iron pieces in the local museum collections that were once made in the furnaces of the region.
Visitors reach the place via the Via Aurelia that runs along the coast and offers a direct link to larger cities in the north and south. Rail travelers find a stop here on the line between Rome and Turin that is served regularly.
The beaches received the Blue Flag for water quality and cleanliness for several years in a row, an award that many well-known resorts on the Italian coast do not consistently achieve. This recognition draws families and visitors who seek quieter sections of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
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