Excursion The tarots garden & capalbio village tour at Porto Santo Stefano

Enjoy some of the most modern and the most ancient wonders of Tuscany on this excursion that takes you to a modern sculpture garden representing the arcane system of tarot, followed by a tour through Capalbio, a village dating back to the Bronze Age.

Tarot Garden

Visit the unique Giardino dei Tarocchi (Tarot Garden), created by artist Niki de Saint Phalle beginning in the late 1970s and continuing until the artist's death in 2002. The visionary and modern interpretations of the ancient tarot system may remind you of the creations by Spanish sculptor and architect Antoni Gaudi.

In fact, the artist took her inspiration from Park Gűell in Barcelona, Spain. At Tarot Gardens, the French artist de Saint Phalle created 22 enormous and beautiful sculptures depicting the journey of the Major Arcana of the Tarot cards, from the Fool to the Universe. The garden was the result of the wish to express Niki's idea of a "small Eden where man and nature meet each other."

Drive 45 minutes from the port to the site of the Tarot Gardens, built on a small plot of land in the wilds of Maremma just a few kilometers away from Capalbio. De Saint Phalle created and personally built the great statues for the garden. The 22 Major Arcana sculptures possess a steel frame that has been covered by concrete and decorated in mosaic fashion with mirrors, glass and ceramic tile.

Admire the imposing interpretation of the Empress, an artistic house was also where Niki lived while working on the garden. The sculpture representing Justice encapsulates another sculpture by Jean Tinguely representing iniquity imprisoned by a huge lock. The Tree of Life, whose branches are snakes, are covered by designs and texts by the artist. You may also admire The Devil, The Magician, The Sun and all other Major Arcana.

Brief visit to Capalbio

After visiting Tarot Gardens, make the short transfer to Capalbio, which has recorded history as far back as 806 AD/CE, when it became the property of Tre Fontagne Abbey. This medieval city is worth a visit if only for its breathtaking view of Maremma from its highest vantage points. See the Fortress of Aldobrandeschi, the tall towers of which are distinctive amongst the red-topped roofs of the surrounding stone homes.

Stroll at your leisure or make a relaxing stop at a café, enjoying the view from the city-walls down onto the valley and seashore just few miles away.

Make the return 45-minute drive to the ship.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Tarot Garden, Capalbio

Note

Please note: This tour involves an extensive amount of activity (approximately 2 km) with a few stairs, naturally wild terrain and some cobbled surfaces. As such, the tour is not recommended for guests with difficulties walking or for individuals using wheelchairs. To guarantee a child seat, the children's reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Children seats are mandatory for children under twelve years old, unless they exceed 79.4 lbs or 4'9". Guests are recommended to wear hiking shoes and to expect significant sun exposure and Euro currency or credit cards for purchases from the ship. Guests are recommended to bring bottled water, as the tour involves extended walking under the sun with limited shade, especially during hot weather conditions.Space on this tour is limited; we suggest you book in advance to avoid disappointment.