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Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information a Tuscan town named for the company that built it have been a dumping ground for millions of tons of milky white industrial discharge that have transformed the beaches — and the seabed beyond Italian government agencies have warned for years that mercury has contaminated the sea floor — an unwelcome legacy that researchers have linked to work done years ago at a plant operated by Solvay SA Executives for the 10 billion-euro ($11.1 billion) multinational chemicals-maker have long maintained that its waste isn’t a danger to humans or animals and that the plant’s discharges contain only non-harmful trace amounts of mercury and other metals But questions about the plant’s environmental impact are mounting as activists a United Nations official have expressed skepticism about how it disposes of its industrial byproducts the Italian government renewed Solvay’s permit to operate a decision that sparked outcry among opponents Now a Bloomberg News review of that permit along with reams of regulatory documents and a 2013 criminal court record shows that prosecutors found the plant’s soda-ash unit had exceeded legal limits for mercury as well as for other potentially harmful substances After regulatory officials subsequently sought plant improvements aimed at reducing the heavy-metals content the company employed a fix that was only shown to abate lead according to test results that Solvay reported to Italy’s environment ministry a judge sentenced two Solvay employees to pay fines in a plea bargain that Solvay sought after investigators found that the effluent contained mercury at six times the legal limit according to a court record that was unsealed at Bloomberg’s request The plea bargain settled charges related to pollution and improper testing and the employees were given leaner sentences because the company pledged to change the plant to prevent similar episodes Solvay has never disclosed to investors the plea-bargain sentence The employees who paid fines did not admit guilt and Solvay disputes the prosecutors’ findings saying the levels of heavy metals in its discharges didn’t violate the law then The company says the treatment modifications it made in response to a requirement from the environment ministry do not “result in any change in the magnitude of metals concentration which remains limited to trace amounts.” It declined to make Chief Executive Officer Ilham Kadri available for an interview formally known as the Ministry for Ecological Transition said by email that it renewed Solvay’s permit this year in “full transparency,” with opportunities for public comment in a process that began in 2019 It added that heavy metals in the plant’s discharges have been within legal limits and said that if the terms of the permit aren’t met regulators would re-examine the license and could issue a warning after the permit renewal was greeted with public criticism the ministry announced that it would review reports it received in 2020 and 2021 on Solvay’s practices at the Rosignano site the company said in its annual report that it faces a new preliminary criminal investigation related to alleged “contamination of certain areas” outside its plant which has production sites on five continents these clashes on the Tuscan coast reflect the widespread concern scientists environmental activists and even criminal prosecutors have raised over chemical companies’ plants and operations pose challenges for overwhelmed or outmoded public authorities In the case of Rosignano Solvay — a short drive from the medieval and Renaissance treasures of Pisa and Florence — Italy’s outdated regulatory standards and the plant’s history of dumping industrial byproducts close to shore have drawn condemnation from activists and experts alike “It is striking that this can still happen,” said Jules van Lier a wastewater treatment and environmental engineering professor at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands “There’s already evidence of environmental harm in the area and the latent health impact of heavy metals cannot be estimated.” the potential stakes are high: A 2017 study found that local residents have elevated incidences of deadly diseases and researchers have suggested that heavy metals “could contribute” to increased death rates from them But a planned study that would examine the causes of those health problems hasn’t begun yet summer-time bathers have been perfectly content to use the faux-Caribbean beaches Painted on the inner wall of Solvay’s intake canal is a piece of street art: a sea monster In a mural signed by the Tuscan artist known as Exit Enter the creature’s horns billow smoke that forms the word “Welcome,” in English Its serpentine body is rendered as sections of pipe labeled with Italian words for pollutants: zinc The monster bares its teeth at a small figure on its back: the sea god Neptune who brandishes a tiny trident at the industrial leviathan Brussels-based Solvay built this plant in 1912 and it’s still the economic engine of its community Rosignano Solvay blossomed on the plains below the medieval hill town Rosignano Marittimo; the company helped build a hospital a siren fills the air to signal each factory shift Global sales of soda ash and derivatives brought Solvay €1.5 billion in 2021 Solvay announced plans to split into two companies one for high-growth ventures and the other for more stable The Rosignano plant’s permit renewal increased its value ahead of that reshuffling Soda ash is produced via the so-called Solvay process which involves breaking down limestone in a hot reaction that’s aided by cooling water sucked in from the sea and run through tubes attached to the production equipment the Rosignano plant discards solid material weighing almost 250,000 tons That’s roughly equivalent to the weight of 170,000 automobiles this is the milky discharge that gives the White Ditch and the White Beaches their names Solvay says its soda-ash process doesn’t add or use mercury But the limestone it uses naturally contains such metals To keep the discharge within the limits of Italian law Solvay must take samples and report the contents to regulators while ensuring that any pollutants don’t exceed certain threshold concentrations a professor at Boston College and director of its Global Observatory on Pollution and Health say the Italian law’s focus on heavy metals’ concentrations — instead of their absolute amounts — is decades out of date The environment ministry says its rules are in line with European Union requirements The Italian standard is also easier to circumvent than one based on reporting actual amounts of pollutants A plant could stay within the limits not by reducing the metals in its discharge but by increasing the amount of water around them the law includes a prohibition: No dilution allowed Any water included in samples must be “process water” — meaning it’s used in the actual manufacturing of chemicals It’s illegal to dilute samples with water from other functions like the seawater the Solvay plant uses for cooling Yet that’s what police found during a lengthy investigation that culminated in the 2013 settlement agreement Investigators made more than 70 visits to the plant to take samples and gather information Judge Antonio Pirato in the nearby port city of Livorno ratified a plea bargain under which two Solvay soda-ash employees paid  fines to settle charges for two crimes: polluting the stretch of sea in front of the plant and testing samples of effluent that contained non-process cooling water prosecutors developed estimates of what the concentrations for certain metals would have been if Solvay had measured them correctly at the soda ash facility and other units; those levels exceeded legal limits for some which Bloomberg obtained and translated from Italian Pirato cited “the harmful and dangerous consequences of the crime committed.” The two employees at the soda ash unit paid fines totaling 41,720 euros ($56,626) Details of the criminal allegations and the settlement parts of which have been reported by local media chiefly because Italian court records aren’t generally open to the public and the sentencing hearing happened behind closed doors Solvay points out that the offenses are minor criminal violations akin to misdemeanors the company disputes the prosecutors’ estimates The sentence document noted that the offenses could have led to stiffer penalties including prison time for the employees or a seizure of the premises Pirato approved the imposition of financial penalties instead partly because the company had “taken steps … to carry out plant modifications” aimed at preventing repeat offenses A few months before that plea bargain was approved Solvay sent some proposed plant modifications to the environment ministry The company’s proposal would have installed equipment to remove both heavy metals and ammonia an essential part of the soda-ash manufacturing process with chemicals and a physical process that “allows the separation of larger particles,” regulatory records show The company also told the ministry it would move its sampling point so that any pollutants would be measured before the effluent mixed with the cooling seawater Solvay told the ministry that the heavy-metals treatment and new measuring spot were among changes it had committed to before the court according to a letter posted on the regulator’s website Solvay’s new plan called for building a unit that would use pressurized seawater to cut ammonia That change meant about a third of the seawater that Solvay used for cooling purposes would be newly accounted for as “process water” in the discharge The additional water would effectively reduce the concentrations of any heavy metals without reducing their actual amounts The company also reworked its plans for treating heavy metals; records show it adapted an existing portion of its ditch and relabeled it a “reactor.” In lab experiments mixing seawater into the effluent triggered lead to fall out of solution While that process was already happening previously the company said its modifications to the ditch would “maximize the mixing and reaction time.” Tests and experiments that Solvay reported to regulators never showed that the method would have any effect on mercury or any metals other than lead Some cooling water is now used in a treatment plant that removes ammonia Portion of drainage ditch Solvay has modified and relabeled “reactor” the company didn’t move its sampling point A Solvay spokesperson told Bloomberg that executives decided it would be too difficult to move pipes around Samples are still taken at a spot known on company maps as SP4 — a point at which the discharge is fully diluted with non-process water The company now uses a mathematical formula designed to back out the effect of that water and reports the result to regulators Since these modifications became fully functional in January 2019 arsenic and other pollutants have often reflected values that the company said were too low to measure which officially imposed its requirement for additional heavy-metals treatment in 2015 said it wasn’t able to comment on Bloomberg’s reporting or whether Solvay had met that requirement in full Solvay says it never disclosed the 2013 plea bargain sentence because the judge merely accepted the terms of an agreement that resulted in fines which doesn’t constitute a determination of guilt (An Italian unit of the company did refer to the case in a 2013 filing that was not broadly available to the public That filing says that a settlement was reached with a court following a prosecutors’ probe; it provides no details.) “Given that there was no conviction of a crime and the settlement did not approach a level of materiality there was no public disclosure warranted,” the company said in a statement to Bloomberg made a categorical defense of Solvay’s procedures The “Rosignano facility has always treated — and continues to treat — its effluents in compliance with all legal requirements,” De Cuyper “Asserting otherwise is not only incorrect but damaging to our company and its shareholders.” Solvay declined to comment on the letter’s contents The shareholder who had received De Cuyper’s letter was not convinced of Solvay’s environmental protections Bivona is the co-founder of Bluebell Capital Partners an activist money manager that has drawn headlines for its scrutiny of drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc and mining titan Glencore Plc Bivona had set his sights on Solvay as part of what Bluebell calls a pledge to pursue socially responsible causes Bivona says the firm bought one share of the chemical maker and began raising questions beginning with an 18-page letter that elicited De Cuyper’s response during Solvay’s annual shareholders meeting Bivona peppered executives with 52 questions aimed at revealing exactly how the Rosignano plant uses the more than 80 million cubic meters of seawater that it pulls from the Mediterranean annually He walked away unsatisfied with the answers the chemical company accused the investment fund of promoting “misleading information” about its operations Bluebell responded in a news release that Solvay’s disposal of soda-ash byproducts “has created an open landfill with the captivating (and misleading) appearance of an idyllic Caribbean beach.” Such scrutiny contrasts with the high ratings on environmental, social and governance issues, or ESG, that Solvay has enjoyed. Until a year ago, it was rated AAA, the highest possible, by MSCI Inc. for investment funds that reflect ESG issues citing media attention about the Tuscan plant and other environmental controversies that Solvay faces elsewhere Bivona says he’s making it his mission to question the company’s environmental credentials further the U.N.’s special rapporteur on toxics and human rights He said he’s concerned about Rosignano for a litany of issues: excess mortality among local residents; reports of hazardous substances being discharged; the impact on seagrass; and questions around the use of water the environmental impact is a question — the beach is white,” Orellana said in an interview Several newly emboldened environmental activists have begun calling attention to a body of evidence that they say has long sat in plain sight: scientific studies that have detailed damage at Rosignano Solvay and raised questions about the plant Tuscany’s regional environmental protection agency said in a 2020 report that the seabed beside the town is already contaminated with high levels of mercury That’s linked to the legacy of a process at a separate chemical unit at Solvay’s facility that the company replaced in 2007 Researchers also say the soda ash factory is killing off seagrass that’s essential to the marine food chain Material dumped by Solvay covers the roots and parts of the Posidonia oceanica grass which grows in meadows across the Mediterranean according to a 2017 study on the bay by Italy’s National Research Council (CNR) and its Institute for Coastal Marine Environment Solvay has consistently responded that its white discharge stabilizes the coastline and that “underwater currents ensure that the non-toxic limestone does not accumulate.” Local residents experience elevated rates of Alzheimer’s coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease according to a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health But data from the European Pollution Release and Transfer Register point to the discharge of “considerable amounts of pollutants” in the seawater around Rosignano leading the 2017 study’s authors to conclude that heavy metals “could contribute to explain the increased mortality from both Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular diseases.” Solvay says that mortality rates in Rosignano are in line with the Tuscan region A follow-up study to geographically map out residents and scour their medical records to try to assess causality between pollution and mortality is awaiting funds from Rosignano city hall who live every day with the White Beaches and all the questions they raise One woman who lives just outside the plant mused on such matters as she hung her laundry on a recent sunny morning Holidaymakers splash in the turquoise waters of the Rosignano Solvay beach in Tuscany and laze on its pristine white sands — most of them fully aware that the picture-perfect swimming spot owes its allure to a nearby factory “I discovered it on Google Maps,” said Dutch tourist Lieuya who travelled to the beach with his family to enjoy a setting more reminiscent of the Caribbean than of northern Italy that the color comes from the soda factory next door,” he said Questions have lingered for decades over why the sea and sand are such startling colors — with some environmentalists suggesting the phenomenon is caused by heavy metals emitted by the plant which produces soda ash for making glass as well as sodium bicarbonate The plant strenuously denies polluting the surrounding coastline Tourists taking a dip or settling down in beach chairs for a light pasta lunch are not worried about the striking contrast between the waters off Rosignano Solvay and those of the nearby Monte alla Rena beach I think that if swimming is allowed by local we can believe them when they say that the water is clean,” said Italian teacher Marina A notice from the regional environmental protection agency Arpat at the beach entrance says the water quality is “excellent.” Swimming is banned along a small stretch of the beach but that is because of a strong current in the area opened at the start of the last century and a new town — Rosignano Solvay — sprang up to house workers and their families the global chemical giant operates in 61 countries and boasts about 24,500 employees “Solvay was like a mother to this area of Tuscany We called it ‘mamma,’” said Leonardo Martinelli a journalist born in the town and whose mother worked at Solvay for half a century “guaranteed well-being by opening a school The factory has ensured “the unemployment rate has always been low,” he added said it “respects all the rules of a high-risk site.” only discharges powdery deposits of limestone a harmless substance that is safe for the environment but explains the white color of the sand,” he said The startling blue of the water is caused by the reflection of the sky against the white sea floor Rosignano Solvay Mayor Daniele Donati also said the plant’s activities “do not pose any health problems.” from Italy’s Medicina Democratica health association Environmentalists have also deplored the gutting of limestone hills near San Vincenzo and mass extraction of rock salt a journalist with local daily Il Tirreno who has written extensively on the subject said Marchi’s concerns would once have been valid but the production cycle that used mercury and heavy metals has been changed,” he said He says the famous white beach is nothing more than an “artificial” construct — one which nonetheless offers holidaymakers a slice of paradise Italy is doing worst amongst the EU Member States for environmental progress The white beaches of Rosignano Solvay are a perfect example The European Environment Agency (EEA) described the three main bathing sites near Rosignano Solvay as being in an “excellent state” for at least the last three years This does not include those located near the company site not declared to be ‘bathing sites’ as they are closed to the public A simple research brings up a quite curious fact when comparing sources written about the area on English and Italian Wikipedia pages Whilst the Italian site contains details about the whole history and other similar information the English version contains a different section concerning the toxicity of the area albeit without any linked reference or referencing to a UN Report from 1999 However, what about the quality of the sand? ARPAT’s 2014 report identified high quantities of mercury within the bathing site judging the area to be in a poor state environmentally similar results subsequently declared in 2017 the ARPAT seeks to remind readers of their website that they test the soil and water periodically in light with environmental law concluding that whilst “this study retrospectively documents in [Rosignano] with elevated levels of air and seawater pollutants an excess of mortality for several chronic-degenerative diseases” there was “no direct evaluation of individual exposure to polluting agents has been performed and it is not possible to establish a causal link between environmental pollution and increased mortality.” Bluebell Capital Partners is a London-based hedge fund launched in 2019 that has started a campaign focusing on one company a year that they believe has ESG issues; their first target is Solvay According to Giuseppe Bivona “Solvay is rated very highly by companies specializing in providing an ESG ranking which is quite revealing about the real relevance of those ratings.” the green protester in me would like to declare that this company is polluting the land and that it should stop although no direct and certain connection has been proved it seems pretty clear that the whole system has put the issue on the backburner Here on Italics Magazine, we recently discussed that Italy is doing worst amongst the European Union (EU) Member States for environmental progress and proposed projects in the Recovery Fund and Green New Deal stronger environmental policies and other initiatives of the sort are not viewed positively demonstrated in the way in which we (poorly) rank environmental company standards Protecting our planet means creating policies that work and are coherent The EU should be the first to create stronger ranking systems and sanctions against eco crimes all the time and effort taken to create these environmental directives We are only fooling ourselves that bigger institutions want to change Italics Magazine was born from the idea of two friends who believed that Italy was lacking a complete across-the-board source of information in English writing about the latest news or focusing on specific areas of interest we do believe that other kinds of quality insights are just as needed to better understand the complexity of a country that is only known abroad for the headlines that our politicians make This is why Italics Magazine is quickly becoming a reference for foreign readers expats and press interested in covering Italian issues thoroughly and we are self-financing the project through (not too intrusive) ads as we have decided not to opt for any paywall we can surely boast our independent and free editorial line This is especially possible thanks to our readers who we hope to keep inspiring with our articles That’s why we kindly ask you to consider giving us your important contribution which will help us make this project grow — and in the right direction Destinations Lifestyle Culture Happening Interviews Guest Posts Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Subscribe About Contact us Advertise with us Support us Privacy & cookie policy Terms & conditions Privacy Policy and in the website's Terms & Conditions tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence which is a veritable terrace overlooking the sea where you can admire wonderful sunsets there are many nooks and crannies of paradise among bathing establishments and restaurants from the most gourmet to the most popular or curious where you can stop to savour the tastiest flavours of the sea If, on the other hand, you prefer to move towards Versilia, here are the restaurants not to be missed in and around Forte dei Marmi. Do you prefer the Maremma? HERE our selection with the unmissable! The Stabilimento Balneare Le Forbici is a comfortable and peaceful oasis of wellbeing where one can experience the comfort of the many services offered while respecting nature The best time to enjoy this marvel is undoubtedly sunset when people leave their sunbeds to head for the panoramic restaurant where between a bubbly and a delicious fish dish of the day you can watch the sun greet the day by diving into the sea on the edge of the pine forest with Marina di Cecina where more than half a century ago a family thought to prepare some fish dishes for a clientele that had begun to frequent those beaches Here we are in San Vincenzo where Fulvietto continues his father's tradition in the restaurant Il Bucaniere A pile dwelling on the beach with a design by Massimiliano Fuksas that is based on the quality of the raw materials and brings distinct flavours to the table one of the most beautiful on the entire coast The cuisine at the Tana del Pirata has always been led with passion and skill by the Olmi family who offer traditional Tuscan dishes characterised by excellent ingredients Recommended by the best guides in the sector wisely and lovingly run by Alberto and Mauro's wives offers refined and inventive first courses such as the famous spaghetti esagerati and maltagliati orata e tartufo without forgetting a selected wine list among which the excellences of the Bolgheri territory stand out A menu of extreme refinement proposed in a charming setting: you dine on the terrace of the establishment facing the sea is the bar-restaurant La Lucciola located at the historic Bagni Ausonia Thanks to its favourable position sheltering it from the winds and humidity it is the ideal place to dine al fresco on clear winter days and warm summer evenings The restaurant has a large sheltered outdoor area which at sunset takes on a special charm with the faint light of lanterns and the waving of light gauze curtains while in the evening the menu develops into seafood dishes with a refined taste delicate flavours and meticulous presentation Ristorante La BaracchinaLungomare Alberto Sordi - Castiglioncello (LI)ph On the most enchanting location in Castiglioncello surrounded by the blue sea and caressed by the fresh sea breeze Ristorante La Baracchina is not just a restaurant but a unique location to experience an enchanting day at the sea Mediterranean menu with traditional dishes revisited and modernised to satisfy even the most demanding palates 4 restaurants with a genuine and sincere taste perfect in every season Our top list of the best addresses of taste not far from the city Here are all the Florentine chocolate shops where you can buy the best Easter eggs Seaside restaurants you absolutely must try on the coast of Maremma Would you like to rediscover the Florentine tradition in the kitchen with a simple recipe We will help you with the ingredients and the procedure of the Florentine starter par excellence Our top list not to be missed to enjoy the delicacies of the sea The top places and fun things to do with the little ones Where to go in this period for a trip out of town in Tuscany not giving up the taste No one has to give up the delicious taste of pizza today we propose what we think are the best gluten free pizzerias in Florence Regala o regalati un abbonamento al Giornale della Vela cartaceo + digitale e a soli 69 euro l’anno hai la rivista a casa e in più la leggi su PC Appello a tutti gli appassionati di vela e di mare: da venerdì 23 a domenica 25 maggio: la VELA Cup Toscana è davvero imperdibile. È un’edizione speciale unica perché fa parte del weekend della Grande Festa per i 50 anni del Giornale della Vela che comprende la premiazione del Velista dell’Anno Special Edition con presenti decine dei più grandi velisti italiani della storia la grande festa in mare in regata raddoppia Domenica 25 maggio ci sarà la Triton Cup 2025 – LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 Alla Vela Cup Toscana ci saranno decine e decine di barche (ad oggi già 50 iscrizioni confermate) E ci saranno barche bellissime da ammirare in mare e in banchina orgoglio del Made in Italy che qui organizza il Mylius Rendez Vous La VELA Cup Toscana è la VELA Cup Special Edition 50 anni GdV È presto detto: quest’anno il GdV festeggia i suoi primi 50 anni usciva il primo numero del Giornale della Vela La VELA Cup Toscana in programma sabato 24 maggio è solo una parte (molto importante) della grande festa che si svolge a terra durante tutta la giornata c’è il rinfresco con drink e musica nella piazza del Marina Cala de’ Medici e a seguire inizia la grande serata di premiazione del Velista dell’Anno 2025 Special Edition 50 anni GdV Poi nella splendida piazza del Marina di Cala de’ Medici, alle 21. ci sarà la proiezione del film di vela di mare più visto e premiato del 2025, l’emozionante “No More Trouble – Cosa rimane di una tempesta” di Tommaso Romanelli che sarà presente. Tutti i dettagli sulla Grande Festa della Vela li trovate qui Solo le barche e agli equipaggi partecipanti alla VELA Cup Toscana riceveranno – oltre alla gift bag con tutti i gadget offerti dai nostri partner – la Polo Celebrativa “Limited Edition” creata per celebrare i 50 anni del Giornale della Vela Non si troverà in vendita e non verrà replicata dal 23 al 25 maggio (regate 24 e 25) c’è la seconda tappa del circuito di regate più affollato d’Italia: la VELA Cup A fine maggio c’è ormai un clima praticamente estivo l’ideale per regalarsi un weekend all’insegna della vela E quale luogo migliore della Costa degli Etruschi per viverlo con acque cristalline e calette incantevoli: un vero paradiso per i velisti e per chi ama il mare inizia la festa di cui vi abbiamo appena raccontato Ogni tappa della VELA Cup è aperta ad ogni tipo di barca a partire dai 3 metri di lunghezza fuoritutto e non è richiesto nessun requisito specifico oltre a quelli per la navigazione da diporto dalle barche da crociera con equipaggi famigliari a quelle più “tirate” dalle Classic Boat ai bolidi full-carbon: con un unico “diktat” Quello di divertirsi e godersi il percorso e la bellezza circostante uno degli ingredienti che rende unica ogni tappa della VELA Cup è la premiazione del sabato che si tiene nel pomeriggio dopo la conclusione della regata al Marina Cala de’ Medici E ricordate: non vince solo chi va meglio in mare perché con i premi a sorteggio offerti dai nostri partner vincono (quasi) tutti La novità di quest’anno è che ogni barca compete ad armi pari con un proprio compenso personalizzato Così può vincere anche chi sulla carta parte battuto La VELA Cup Toscana 2025 parte davanti alle acque del Marina Cala de’ Medici e punta Per la terza boa si torna in direzione nord il punto dove viene posizionata la terza boa è davanti al porto di Chioma dopodiché si ritorna davanti al Marina di Cala de’ Medici girando la boa di disimpegno Quest’anno la VELA Cup Toscana ospita un evento nell’evento il raduno delle barche del cantiere “made in Italy” Mylius considerate tra le più belle e performanti del mondo Al Mylius Rendez Vous saranno presenti scafi famosi come l’80 piedi Twin Soul B ben tre Mylius 60 e tanti altri modelli prestigiosi Anche Per gli armatori delle barche del prestigioso cantiere X- Yachts ci sarà un motivo in più per partecipare alla VELA Cup Toscana: a Cala de’ Medici si raduneranno modelli di tutte le epoche ci saranno anche decine di barche “Classic Boats” quelle con almeno 25 anni di vita che si potranno confrontare ad armi pari Qui sotto potete iscrivervi subito con la vostra Classic Boat e il vostro X-Yacht (o semplicemente con la vostra barca) La festa nel weekend che va dal 23 al 25 maggio non si conclude con la giornata di sabato 24 si torna in acqua per la Triton Cup 2025 – LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 con lo stesso percorso della VELA Cup del giorno precedente Centro nevralgico del ricchissimo weekend della VELA Cup Toscana è il Marina Cala de’ Medici tra Rosignano Solvay Castiglioncello (in rosso nella mappa sopra) che si trova al centro della Toscana in un suggestivo tratto di litorale nel cuore della Costa degli Etruschi Da qui è comodissimo partire per una crociera verso le isole più belle della zona visto che si trovano tutte a meno di 50 miglia nautiche di navigazione Arrivando dal mare è possibile esplorare la Fortezza Vecchia un’imponente struttura del XVI secolo che domina l’ingresso al porto Livorno è famosa per i suoi suggestivi canali cantine storiche e il ponte più ampio d’Europa Nelle immediate vicinanze del Marina Cala de’ Medici si trovano poi Quercianella e Castiglioncello Il borgo di Castiglioncello è famoso per le sue spiagge protette le calette tranquille e le scogliere rosse che si tuffano nel mare La Baia del Quercetano è un luogo perfetto per il relax o attività come vela e windsurf ma è stata negli anni anche una località molto amata da attori e personaggi del jet-set Tra i luoghi da visitare proseguendo verso sud lungo questa splendida costa ci sono sicuramente San Vincenzo ristoranti e diversi eventi estivi che animano il lungomare con la sua storica necropoli etrusca a Populonia e le meravigliose spiagge Dall’altra parte del promontorio si trova Piombino (conosciuta dagli amanti dell’Elba) e proseguendo troviamo un altro tratto di costa estremamente apprezzato sia per le spiagge che per le bellezze naturalistiche e la sua vita notturna – segnaliamo su tutte la cittadina di Follonica – che termina con Punta Ala LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 è un progetto europeo con programma di finanziamento LIFE che mira a valorizzare e proteggere i siti marini e costieri Natura 2000 coinvolgendo attivamente gli utenti del mare L’iniziativa punta ad aumentare la consapevolezza di velisti pescatori e altri frequentatori sulle aree protette e sulla loro importanza promuovendo comportamenti ecosostenibili nella loro gestione Il progetto si impegna inoltre a incentivare la cittadinanza attiva attraverso attività di conoscenza e monitoraggio dell’ambiente marino favorendo una formazione mirata per gestori e utenti La comunicazione efficace sui valori e i benefici di queste aree protette rappresenta un altro obiettivo chiave per migliorare la loro riconoscibilità e protezione Grazie anche alle attività di Citizen Science LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 vuole accrescere l’impegno collettivo nella conservazione di questi ecosistemi rendendo il mare un patrimonio da conoscere e difendere Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato Iscriviti ora alla nostra newsletter gratuita e ricevi ogni settimana le migliori news selezionate dalla redazione del Giornale della Vela E in più ti regaliamo un mese di GdV in digitale su PC accetta la Privacy Policy e clicca sul bottone “iscrivimi” Riceverai un codice per attivare gratuitamente il tuo mese di GdV Dopo avervi raccontato la VELA Cup Liguria/Chiavari che ha visto ben 70 barche al via nel Golfo del Tigullio (qui trovate la news con cronaca e classifiche finale) e avervi fatto vedere tutte le foto più belle della prima tappa Manca un mese al weekend del ponte del 2 giugno quello che inizia da venerdi 30 maggio e che sarà una vera festa anche della vela perché nello stesso fine settimana di tarda primavera Mancano tre giorni alla prima tappa della VELA Cup del 2025: l’inizio si preannuncia con il botto Tutto è pronto al Marina di Chiavari Calata Ovest per la VELA Cup Liguria (regata: Mancano 60 giorni al weekend dal 27 al 29 giugno ed è quasi tutto pronto per la prima VELA Cup dell’estate e la quarta del circuito del 2025 PER COMUNICARE CON LA REDAZIONE02 535 811111 – speciali@panamaeditore.it PER LA PUBBLICITÀSenior account:Guido De Palma:tel Cookie policyPrivacy policy 02 535811 111/200abbonamenti@panamaeditore.it