Casino di Terra – Pasta Factory, Railway and Landscape

Casino di Terra offers several points of interest for a stay: the S.S. 68, the history of the Mocajo pasta factory and a former brown coal railway, the landscape along the Torrente Ritasso, and traces of local life. There is also an Etruscan tomb find. If you are looking for a hotel in Casino di Terra, these themes can help you decide what to focus on during your trip—for example, industrial history, landscape or local culture.

Development along the S.S. 68

The town developed along the S.S. 68, a road that connects Cecina and Volterra through the valley of the Cecina River. The two endpoints provide a clear orientation along the route, while the valley defines its landscape setting. Casino di Terra can therefore be understood through its development and the connection between these places.

Pasta factory and brown coal railway

The Mocajo pasta factory was established in Casino di Terra in 1950 and closed in 1964 due to a lack of funds. There is also the history of a standard-gauge railway: it connected Casino di Terra station with a brown coal mine near Monterufoli, in the locality of Villetta. The line was about 17 kilometres long and operated from 1872 to 1928. The pasta factory and railway represent different aspects of industrial history—the former in pasta production, the latter in a rail connection to a mine.

Railway ruins and the landscape along the Torrente Ritasso

Three large railway bridges stood along the first five kilometres of the line; their ruins remain to this day. The former line ran alongside the Torrente Ritasso through rugged terrain with rock cuttings, embankments and masonry bridges. The surviving remains of the private brown coal railway lie in the Monterufoli-Caselli Nature Reserve along the Torrente Ritasso, amid a wild landscape rich in animal and plant life. Here, traces of engineering structures meet a diverse natural setting. If you plan to visit on foot, check local conditions.

Local life and food culture

The Casino di Terra Festival Committee was founded in 1999 to help develop the town. Among its main historical activities were summer festivals in the square behind the former ENDAS club.

The 2025 edition of the Val di Cecina Eco Festival grew out of an agricultural market featuring local organic farms and included music, games, conferences, workshops, crafts and holistic service providers. Also in 2025, a “Bottega dei Sapori” opened at the Terre dell’Etruria sales outlet. If you plan to visit the Bottega specifically, check in advance whether the outlet is currently open.

Ristorante Mocajo is located in Loc. Casino di Terra. Its family history began in 1963, when Lia and Adelmo took over the former canteen of the historic Mocajo pasta factory.

An older historical trace

An ancient Etruscan tomb dating from the 6th century BC was discovered in the Casino di Terra area. This takes the historical perspective far further back than the stories of the railway and pasta factory. The traces span different periods: an Etruscan find from antiquity, a railway from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and a pasta factory from the mid-20th century.

Discover more destinations: San Giuliano Terme, Riparbella, Monteverdi Marittimo, Ponte a Egola, Guardistallo, Volterra, Lari, Santa Maria A Monte

For the broader travel overview: Pisa.