The village of Bibbona perches on a limestone ridge above the coastal plain, compact and largely unchanged from its medieval form. The main street runs through a small gate past the parish church of Sant'Ilario and the remnants of the old castle walls, with views opening westward over the pine forests and the sea. In July and August the village fills with tourists staying at the beach below; outside those months you may have it to yourself.
The castle, dating from the 11th century, was rebuilt repeatedly by the Della Gherardesca family who dominated this stretch of the Tuscan coast for centuries. Little survives beyond parts of the perimeter and the tower. The Church of Sant'Ilario contains a painted terracotta Annunciation from the workshop of Andrea della Robbia, which alone justifies a stop. The village makes a cool escape from the coast in the afternoon heat.