In the south-east of the Maremma, the hills of the Fiora are at the edge of Tuscany and very close to Lazio. They are crossed by the Valle del Tufo or the Area del Tufo (Tuff Area in English), a singular region marked by its tuff headlands inhabited since the Etruscan era. These ochre and red reliefs emerge between green and wild canyons, where the Etruscans used to settle. Some of these promontories evolved into medieval villages such as Pitigliano and Sorano, whose surroundings remain very rich in Etruscan remains such as the Cave Lives, impressive passages carved out of the rock, or the necropolises. Sovana is a medieval village, less steep with its long street, and close to a beautiful archaeological park with the most beautiful tombs in the area.
Tuff Area Villages
Pitigliano is the most famous of the towns in the Tuff Area, whose beauty can be appreciated first from afar when you reach it by road, with its old houses that crown a tuff rock. Its historic center has beautiful things like the square in front of the palace or its ghetto once called «Little Jerusalem». Around you can walk through beautiful Etruscan Via Cava.
Sorano is also a massive tuff rock, with a powerful medieval fortress and a fortified spur. Its medieval centre has a lot of charm, also keeping an old ghetto, and around beautiful paths allow to discover the Via Cava de San Rocco, charming nature and rock sites. A few kilometres away, Vitozza is an abandoned village and important rock site.
Sovana was developed in the middle ages near Etruscan necropolises, with a fortress and then a beautiful Cathedral of St. Peter, between which extends in length the historic center almost and passing through the remarkable Piazza del Pretorio. Outside is an interesting Etruscan archaeological park.
Ideas for excursions and activities
Map of Tuff Valley
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Where is the Tuff Area, map
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Links and sources
- Tourist portals and blogs : www.tuscanydiscovery.it, www.visittuscany.com, leviecave.it
Posts about Tuff zone
- Pitigliano
Pitigliano is one of the most impressive sites in the Maremma, in the Tuff Valley in southern Tuscany. This village crowns a striking rock of tuff overlooking the green and ... - Sorano and Vitozza
Beautiful village built on a tuff hill, Sorano is located at the edge of Tuscany, almost in Lazio, in the Area del Tufo, like Pitigliano and Sovana.Its occupation grew with ... - Sovana
Sovana is a small, charming and pleasant village with only 500 inhabitants, but it has a long history. The houses are distributed along a long street from the remains of ... - Hotels in Pitigliano
Book accommodation immediately in Pitigliano or its surroundings in Tuscany, including hotels, bed and breakfasts, agritourism or apartments - Hotels in SovanaBook accommodation now in Sovana and the Area del Tufo in Tuscany, including hotels, bed & breakfasts, agritourism or apartments
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