Description

Torre di Cala Galera is situated in the small seaside resort Le Rocchette, part of Castiglione della Pescaia on the Tyrrhenian coast in Tuscany. The name of the area derives from the rocky promontory on which it is standing.
It is a housing complex, composed of watchtower, baracks, ordnance depot, antique bakery house and  another smaller watchtower. All this has been recently renovated, without altering the original structure. The whole accommodation is able to accommodate up to 8 persons in four bedrooms, each with own bathroom and breathtaking view. The spacious living and dining area, the spacious kitchen and a toilet are in one of those antique buildings, originally used as ordnance depot, thus they are completely independent from the sleeping areas.

Around the watch terrace, embracing in one  single view the whole Tuscan archipelago, situated next to the barbecue and a suggestive "jacuzzi tower". This area is absolutely indicated for those who love nature. Just a bit more than 1 km away you'll find the beach with bathing establishments and free-access beach. Another possibility is to go to the cliffs underneath the fortress of "Le Rocchette". In the surroundings you'll also find a great variety of recreation and pastime: about 2 km away from the tower, next to the entrance of the estate, there are situated the tennis court, a football field and a huge swimming pool (776 sq.m.).

In only 15 minutes by car it is possible to reach Castiglione della Pescaia, the nearest village, with elegant boutiques, banks, restaurants, water sport possibilities etc. Golf players can play on the well-cared 18-hole golf courses of Punta Ala or at "Il Pelagone" outside the hilltop village of Gavorrano. Horsebackriding is possible at the farms in the surroundings, offering also rides in the countryside. The Uccellina Nature Reserve can be reached in approximately half an hour from Le Rocchette; here it is possibile to hike on foot or horseback in this marvellous, untouched countryside, discouvering a unique flora and fauna. It is also possible to make day trips to the islands of the Tuscan archipel (Elba, Giglio, Montecristo or Pianosa).

These trips can be made on your own, taking the ferry from Piombino or participating in one of the mini-cruises starting from Castiglione della Pescaia. In the nearby countryside you'll find characteristic hilltop villages such as Scarlino and Massa Marittima that, during the summer, offer performances and concerts. Roselle, Sovana and Sorano, are famous for the Etruscan excavations. Connoisseurs of wine can taste the wines of the small wineries in the surroundings or make wine tours to the well-known Tuscan wine-growing areas, such as Montalcino, Scansano or Pitigliano to name just a few. Siena, Florence, Pisa and Rome are magnificent places worth visiting and reachable in up to two hours from Le Rocchette.

History

During the Middle Ages, the watchtowers were built for the defence of Saracen pirates, who had their base in the Tyrrhenian sea on the island of Montecristo.
These watchtowers were situated in strategic points, thus they were able to alert the garrisons of the nearby towns.
In the 16th century, when the threat of the barbaric pirates increased, the authorities started to extend and fortify the towers that were easily accessible from the coast, thus they were able to accommodate more soldiers, able to offer immediate resistance to the enemy.

A very good example for this, as afore ascribed, is the fortress Forte delle Rocchette, in its breathtaking position, making it to a unique masterpiece of military architecture in the world.
At a height of approximately 100 m and a sheer drop to the sea, with its battlemented walls and the cut-off tower with more than thousands years of history, the fortress has been changed the last time in the 18th century, when the Lorenese Granduchys adapted their fortresses to the military needs of that time. Accessible both from the sea then from the land, until a few years ago only through a muletrack, it is now accessible through a dirt road.

Even if Forte delle Rocchette has maintained a kind of wild austerity, today it is the summer residence of the Marquis Lucifero.
Only 1 mile away from the fortress is situated the watchtower Torre di Cala Galera, facing the sea, with its characteristic round form and drawbridge.
Built in the 16th century only to guarantee the visual continuity between Forte delle Rocchette and Torre della Troia, Torre delle Galere had a double purpose: watch- and prison tower.

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