Piazza Giovanni Bovio, Piombino

Giovanni Bovio Square, in Piombino, is located at the tip of its promontory.

The square is located at the end of the city axis of viale del Popolo-viale Vittorio Emanuele II and has a vast natural terrace jutting out into the sea, embracing three sides. It was created in the 1920s by demolishing, at the end, the ancient Rocchetta from where the city walls departed and exploiting, adapting, the ancient buttresses.

The terrace, which is peninsular in shape, follows the conformation of the cliff and affords a very wide view of the Piombino channel, sweeping over most of the Tuscan Archipelago and, on clear days, as far as Corsica and Giannutri. Very close is the mountainous mass of the island of Elba, while the two islets closest by are Cerboli and Palmaiola; the other islands visible are Giglio, Montecristo and Capraia. Until a few years ago, a large walkable panel illustrated the map of the visible area. When the square was rebuilt, that panel was replaced by a wind rose in polychrome marble. It is now possible to recognize the visible islands by clear plastic signs placed at strategic corners of the square.

At the far end of the terrace is the Rocchetta Lighthouse, shaped like a turret in neo-medieval style. Passing by the Appiani palace, one can reach the Marina.