Castiglioncello


Castiglioncello is a frazione of the comune of Rosignano Marittimo, in the province of Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. It stands on a promontory reaching out into the Ligurian Sea, surrounded by pinewoods and hills that fall right down to the sea forming cliffs, little inlets, coves and sandy beaches.
The area was inhabited in Etruscan and Roman times, as attested by the presence of an ancient necropolis. The Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany had a watch tower built here in the 17th century.
Castiglioncello has been a renowned sea resort since the 19th century. People who made their homes here include Luigi Pirandello, Marcello Mastroianni, Luchino Visconti and Vittorio Gassman.
The Macchiaioli, a group of Italian artists active in Tuscany in the second half of the nineteenth century who had some points in common with the French Impressionists, chose Castiglioncello as an inspirational focus for their work. Macchiaioli painters who dedicated time to Castiglioncello included Giovanni Fattori, Silvestro Lega and Telemaco Signorini, among others.

Places of interest