Capalbio is a remarkable little medieval town, perched on a hill 5km from the sea, surrounded by a great wall and fortress which was built around 1200.

The town’s origins are ancient, evidenced by Bronze Age tombs in the area, but it is first recorded in 806 AD, when Charlemagne donated the town to the Tre Fontane Abbey in Rome. It was then passed between the Aldobrandeschi family, the Republic of Siena, and the Orsini family, then conquered by the Spanish in 1555 and given to the Medici family as part of the Duchy of Tuscany, when it was subsequently ravaged by economic decay, depopulation, disease, and bandits.

In contrast to its traumatic past, Capalbio today is charming and lively year round, especially in the months between May and October with numerous festivals, feasts, and events.