Discover the ancient castle of Livorno
Take the remains of a tower overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, make it become a castle overlooking the sea behind the cliff of the Pirates’ Ladder and here is the charming Castello del Boccale.
This ancient manor is located in Livorno in Tuscany and thanks to its unique location offers a wonderful view of the Tuscan coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
We discover this place of ancient charm, the castle has a long history and was built incorporating the medieval tower formerly called “the Devil”. The surrounding area offers many attractions for those who want to discover the beauty of this Italian region.
The history of the castle of Boccale
The castle of Boccale was originally a modest watchtower built by the will of the Medici family. They had built the tower over the remains of a pre-existing structure. In fact, according to historical evidence, the Republic of Pisa already in medieval times had built here a watchtower being the strategic position.
At the end of 1800 the tower became the property of the Marquise Eleonora Ugolini who decided to build a medieval style residence. This included the tower. Later, the property passed in the early 1900s to the Witaker-Ingham family who had the battlements removed. Subsequently the structure has undergone many changes of ownership and restructuring and has been used as a private home. For this reason, the interior of the castle cannot be visited today.
Castello di Boccale, where it is located?
The castle of Boccale is an ancient manor house located on top of a cliff on the Cala dei Pirati in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is located south of the city of Livorno in one of the most beautiful stretches of coast of Tuscany. Livorno is the sea city par excellence of the region. In 1500 it was transformed by the Medici from a fishing village to a town of great strategic importance.
Its port today is one of the most important in the Mediterranean. To get to the manor you can use the car or the bus. Start from Livorno and follow the road to Quercianella that crosses this stretch of coast. The castle of Boccale stands out thanks to its towers and is reflected in the crystal clear sea. For this reason it is a destination for tourists and residents who photograph the wonderful Cala dei Pirati. the cliff that serves as a defense against the storms is now a magnificent natural pool.
Castello del Boccale, here’s what to see in the area
The castle of Boccale is located a short distance from other sites of architectural and historical interest must visit. Continuing south you reach the wonderful cliff of Calafuria. It is a beautiful stretch of coast behind which lie the green hills of Livorno. Here develops the nature reserve Calafuria.
One of the tourist attractions of the area is the Calafuria tower dating from the sixteenth century. It was part of a system of watchtowers that had a defensive purpose. This had been built by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Not too far away is a majestic architectural and engineering work. It is the Colognole aqueduct. Until 1912 this was the main source of water supply in the city of Livorno.
Castello del Boccale, Livorno gastronomy
The traditional cuisine of Livorno has many interesting recipes to discover. The most famous dish of the Livorno area is undoubtedly the caciucco. It is a type of soup that is prepared using a rich selection of fish, crustaceans and molluscs. All the ingredients that are used for the preparation of this recipe belong to the poor tradition of the local fishermen. Another traditional dish is pasta with arselle.
These are seafood similar to tellins and are cooked in tomatoes to create pasta sauce. The typical dishes of Livorno are often made up of local fish. Very famous is also the cod to Livorno. The fish is fried and then continue cooking in the tomato. It is often accompanied with stewed potatoes. Another typical recipe of Livorno is the famous chickpea cake. It is a savory cake made with chickpea flour, water, salt and oil.
According to legend, this dish has a thousand-year-old tradition, and is as simple in ingredients as it is delicious in taste. The traditional cuisine of Livorno reflects the traditions of the entire region and includes a traditional drink of the territory of Livorno: the ponce. It’s hot coffee and rum.
Copertina: tuscanypeople
