A journey into the heart of the earth

An incredible journey hovering between nature, history and archaeology, ideal for visitors who want to discover Tuscany with their children, but not only.

In the Archaeological Mines Park of San Silvestro – 450 hectares behind Campiglia Marittima and the headland of Piombino – there are museums, mine tunnels, a medieval village of miners and smelters founded thousands of years ago…But also trails of historical, archaeological, geological and natural interest. Enter the heart of Val di Cornia.

From the depths of the mine to the medieval castle

There’s no time for boredom at the Archaeological Mines Park of San Silvestro.

The visit begins at the ticket office in the Archaeology and Minerals Museum and continues in the tunnel of the Temperino Mine, to discover the underground world and the evolution of copper, lead, silver and zinc exploration and extraction techniques in the Val di Cornia.

After leaving the mine, in just a few minutes you reach Pozzo Earle, where the Museum of Mining Equipment and the Miners’ Museum (Morteo) tell the story of the final decades of mining activities in the area.

The entrance to the Lanzi-Temperino Tunnel is in front of the Morteo, the miners’ old canteen and meeting place where they could chat about their lives underground. From here, the journey starts on board the characteristic mining train, re-tracing the journey of the minerals, from where they were extracted in the Valle del Temperino to the processing plants in the Valle Lanzi.

At the back of this valley stand the ruins of the medieval Rocca San Silvestro castle, which dominated the mining valley in medieval times and is now the heart of the Park.