Maremma

The Maremma is a vast historical area of Tuscany, a charming territory with a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. Much of the region runs along the Tuscan coast for almost 100 km, mainly on the province of Grosseto (where it is called Maremma Grossetane or Maremma Senese), it also extends further north towards Pisa up to the Val di Cecina and on the west of the Metalliferous Hills (Alta Maremma), and southward in Lazio to the Monti della Tolfa (Maremma Laziale).

Its coast is characterized mainly by sandy beaches, pine forests, some rocky areas and coves, some of which are real little natural paradises, with a few islands.
They are often equipped with tourist infrastructures and in particular dive sites.
Its lands hide medieval villages and castles that are dotted with beautiful agricultural land, between olive groves and vineyards that give rise to a rich production of olives and wine, as well as grasslands dedicated to extensive livestock farming, where cows and horses have long been an integral part of the local culture.
You can discover its land through hiking trails, on foot, by mountain bike or horseback.

Tourist map of the Maremma

The coast from north to south

Follonica

Follonica is a small, modern and popular resort with its beautiful sandy beach, located on the homonymous gulf, between the promontory of Piombino and Punta Ala, facing the Elba Island, close to beautiful sites in the area such as Populonia, Baratti, Cala Violina and Punta Ala.
South of Follonica, the bay has a large sandy beach at the foot of the beautiful pine forest. While to the north the Carbonifera beach is a sandy beach and dunes on the coastal park of Sterpaia, bordered by a pine forest.
Its name is related to fulloni, the ancient iron smelting furnaces, as the region has been a source of ore since antiquity. There is still a modern steel plant. This cultural and historical aspect is the object of MAGMA, Museum of Art of the Cast of the Maremma installed in a former foundry.

Punta Ala and Cala Violina

Between Follonica and Marina di Grosseto, located at the homonymous cape, Punta Ala is a modern village built on a promontory, one of the most beautiful places on the Tuscan coast. It has palaces, villas for rent and 5-star hotels, with a marina, close to wild coves and beautiful beaches.
In the municipality of Scarlino, there is the most spectacular beach of the Maremma, the Cala Violina, between Follonica and Punta Ala.

Castiglione della Pescaia (overview)

Castiglione della Pescaia is one of the most beautiful Tuscan villages, a medieval town built on a hill along the coast, between long sandy beaches and pine forests. From its castle the view leads to the islands of the archipelago, and the singular bell tower of its church crowns the old center protected by an old enclosure.
It is still a fishing village, with its canal port. Nearby the Diaccia Botrona Nature Reserve is one of the largest wetlands in Italy, important refuge for migrants.
→ Read also the page about Castiglione della Pescaia

Natural Park of Maremma (overview)

The Natural Park of Maremma, also called Parco dell’Uccellina, extends over 25 km of coastline and up to 3.5 km inland. It is a protected nature reserve whose nature is almost intact with a flat part and especially hills that descend towards the sea ending in cliffs, coves, and a pretty beach. Buildings and remains emerge from the reliefs, including watchtowers and an abandoned abbey. To enter the park, you must purchase a ticket (employees constantly check passes), allowing if desired to reach the beach directly by minibus.
→ Read also the page about Natural park of Maremma

Talamone (overview)

At the southern end of the Natural Park of Maremma, Talamone is a small village perched on a promontory overlooking the gulf, also a tourist resort with its equipped beaches and its small port.
It is protected by medieval ramparts and its fortress that dominates the sea from where the view is very beautiful and leads to Mount Argentario until the island of Giglio.
→ Read also the page on Talamone

Orbetello and lagoon (overview)

Orbetello is located in a particular location, on a protected lagoon closed on two sides by two tongues of land and to the west by Monte Argentario. These two isthmus have two large beaches of paradise sand: the Giannella and the Feniglia, including a beautiful nature reserve for the second.
The historic center of Orbetello is charming with Spanish walls, gates or cathedral.
→ Read also the page on Orbetello and the Lagoon

Monte Argentario (overview)

The Monte Argentario is a beautiful peninsula located south of the Tuscan coast facing the lagoon of Orbetello. This mountain attracts visitors for its beautiful steep coast, its marine environment, its mild climate, the small coves, the village of Porto Ercole, the nearby lagoon and the trails through its relief. From its main locality Porto San Stefano you can reach the pretty island of Giglio.
→ Read also the page about Mount Argentario

Ansedonia and Cosa (overview)

Ansedonia is a seaside resort located near the lagoon of Orbetello, with its two sandy beaches on either side of a mountain dominated by the remains of the Etruscan Roman city of Cosa. From the latter, there are still some beautiful remains such as polygonal walls and, near the ancient port, the Roman hydraulic works of the Tagliata Etrusca and the Spaco della Regina.
→ Read also the page about Ansedonia

Capalbio

On a hill in the Maremma, Capalbio is a beautiful typical village of the region, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages. In the nineteenth century, banditry proliferated in the Maremma, and Tiburzi, the most famous brigand of the region was often on the run in Capalbio.
The village has retained its medieval structure with an old enclosure, and you can follow the old path and enjoy the view of the countryside. Near the Palazzo Collacchioni and the Rocca Aldobrandesca, the ancient church of San Nicola is a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles, as well as beautiful Renaissance frescoes.

Tarot Garden

Not far from Orbetello, at the foot of the village of Capalbio, the Tarot Garden (Il Giardino dei Tarocchi in Italian) is an extravagant place full of imagination. It is a creation of the Franco-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle inspired by Gaudi’s Park Güell in Barcelona and the Park of the Monsters in Bomarzo, to create here a special artistic park. Thus, from the Mediterranean maquis, sculptures stand out that represent the Major Arcana of the Tarot, to be discovered following an esoteric and extravagant path. These colourful sculptures are covered with ceramics, Murano glass and mirrored mosaics.

Inland from North to South

Massa Marittima (overview)

Massa Marittima is a beautiful little town in the heart of Maremma, unknown despite its heritage, located in the province of Grosseto, 20 minutes from the coast of Follonica, in the Metalliferous Hills of which it is the main urban centre.
It preserves a beautiful medieval center, including a beautiful Romanesque cathedral on a superb harmonious square with its palaces, ancient walls and an interesting museum.
→ Read also the page about Massa Marittima

Vetulonia

Vetulonia was one of the most important Etruscan cities, whose activities were mainly related to the sea. Near the village, you can visit the archaeological site, with the necropolis and the archaeological museum.
In the vicinity, Buriano is an old medieval village from which you have beautiful views of the plain of the Maremma.
During the Etruscans time, the Prile lake extended from the foot of Vetulonia to the coast. The city had a port and even struck its own currency in the 3rd century BC, mainly trading with the Middle East and Greece. His region was also a source of metals. The north imported amber and gold were also worked there thanks to its talented goldsmiths, and also bronze for producing weapons, trainsets, utensils, funerary objects, etc.
The princes and warlords of Vetulonia were buried in curious circular tombs, where many artifacts were found. The remains of the ancient city include a Hellenistic district (Poggiarello Renzetti) close to the town, with the great street of the decumano, crossing streets, shops and domus.

Roselle

At 8 km north of Grosseto and close to the Etruscan Vetulonia, the ancient city of Roselle occupies a hill with two reliefs. It was an important Etruscan city, became Roman from the end of the 3rd century BC., which was abandoned in the 10th century AD after Saracen plunder that pushed the population to found Grosseto.
On the archaeological site are large sections of the ancient walls of the 6th century th 2nd BC., including portions of cyclopean walls up to 5 meters high. From the Roman city there are remains of the forum, the cardo maximus, a small amphitheatre, baths, an imperial basilica, or domus. Recent excavations have revealed homes and workshops from the 7th and 6th BC.

Grosseto

Main town of the Maremma, Grosseto is little touristic, although its historic center is not without charms, with its old walls, the main square, the cathedral and the porticoes. The current town’s appearance dates back to the 20th century, when its land was developed.
Its foundation dates back to the 10th century, following the destruction of the nearby city of Roselle in 935 by Saracens. It was controlled in the fourteenth century by Siena and then surrendered to the Medici in 1559 after the battle of Montalcino.
The historic center of Grosseto is surrounded by medieval walls and well preserved posterior.
The Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the main building of the city, is a remarkable white and pink marble façade dating back to the 12th century. It is home to an imposing marble baptismal font by Antonio Ghini.
You can visit the Cassero Senese, one of the four bastions of the enclosure built under the Republic of Siena in the 14th century, with a walk on the ramparts, and not far away the Church and the convent of San Francesco.
The Museum of Archaeology and Art of Maremma is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture, with several collections, of which the sculptural and pictorial art from the fourteenth to the nineteenth century. On the other hand, the Museum of Natural History of the Maremma is dedicated to the geology and environment of the region.

The coast is dotted with long, beautiful beaches and pine forests, including Principina a Mare one of the closest, and further south the Natural park of Maremma, Talamone and farther north Castiglione, etc.

Scansano

Scansano evokes one of the most famous Tuscan wines with the «Morellino di Scansano». It is a charming village built on a rocky ridge in the middle of the Maremma, with a small historic center and beautiful views of the surrounding land.
After a medieval castle built by the Aldobrandeschi, the counts of Santa Fiora developed the town in the 16th century. It also has a Vine and Wine Museum and an Archaeological Museum.
The surrounding hills are dotted with beautiful pastures, vineyards and olive groves, which can be crossed by paths like the one that leads to the Sanctuary of San Giorgio in Montorgiali.
Almost 12 km to the south is the ancient Etruscan habitat of Ghiaccioforte.

Pereta and Montiano

Pereta is a pearl in the middle of the hills of the Maremma, built by the Aldobrandeschi between the 10th and 11th centuries as a fortress and advanced control post. Its beautiful 14th century walls surround the town, which is topped by the 29-metre high Clock Tower.

Montiano is another ancient village of medieval origin.

Magliano in Toscana

Magliano in Toscana is a village in the Maremma region that stands out for its medieval walls, among the best preserved in Tuscany. Its historic centre is charming, dating back to the Aldobrandeschi and Sienese counts, and its restaurants are renowned throughout the region.
The walls are truly the highlight of the show in Magliano, both from a distance and when walking along the carefully laid out path.
Nearby are beautiful tombs of Etruscan necropolises, an Etruscan city, or the Heba settlement.
→ Read also the page on Magliano in Toscana

Montemerano

On a hill in the Maremma region, just a few kilometres far from Manciano, Montemerano is a charming medieval village listed as one of the «most beautiful villages in Italy».
Its origin goes back to the fortress of the Aldobrandeschi from the beginning of the 11th century, of which there is still a square tower, currently on the Piazza del Castello. Its 11th-century walls, rebuilt in the 15th century, protect the old stone centre with its narrow streets and small squares. The Pieve di San Lorenzo church is the oldest in the village, converted into a theatre, while the church of San Giorgio was built in the 14th century and then enlarged in the Renaissance and preserves remarkable works of art from the 15th century (polyptych, wooden statue of Saint Peter, Assumption of Mary by Vecchietta, frescoes) and in particular the 15th century Madonna della Gattaiola whose name is linked to the circular hole in the lower part of the painting, a “gattaiola” being in English a cathole.

Manciano

Manciano is a medieval village perched in the south of the Maremma, between the plain and the hills, from where the view leads to Amiata Mount, the Monte Argentario and the islands of the archipelago.
The historic center is dominated by the Cassero, imposing fortified palace of the twelfth century, which can be visited, with its tower a superb panorama, and at its feet a pretty square.
The territory and the thermal baths of the surrounding area have probably been frequented since the Etruscans, as evidenced by the Museum of Prehistory and Protohistory of the Valle del Fiore in the Palazzo Nardelli, as well as the sites of Etruscan and Roman remains, including the necropolis of Puntone and that of Poggio Buco.

Saturnia Thermal Baths (overview)

Among the thermal baths in Tuscany, the Saturnia hot springs are the most famous, both for the quality of its hot water gushing at 37.5 degrees and for the beauty of the places, including the free-access thermal baths of the Moulin Cascades with its white limestone basins. The place includes a thermal park and a large 5* hotel.
→ Read also the page on Thermal baths of Saturnia

Tuff Area (overview)

The Area del Tufo (Tuff Zone in English) is located in the south-east of the Maremma, on the edge of Tuscany. It is a unique area characterized by its tuff promontories whose occupation dates back to the Etruscans. In Pitigliano and Sorano, the latter are crowned by medieval towns, emerging from green and steep valleys.
Around you can discover many Etruscan testimonies, in particular the Vie Cave or Vie Tagliate, paths cut in the rocks, and several remarkable Etruscan necropolises.
Sovana is close to an archaeological park with a very nice village center.
→ Read also the page about the Tuff Valley

Pitigliano (overview)

Pitigliano is one of the most fascinating sites in southern Tuscany, a village with tall tuff houses that crown a rock surrounded by verdant gorges. We appreciate the beauty especially from a distance.
Called «the little Jerusalem» because of its ancient Jewish settlement, the historic center has a pretty square with panoramic balconies, the Orsini Palace, churches and all around are discovered beautiful Via Cave, Via Tagliate, impressive passages carved by the Etruscans in the rock walls, reaching up to 20 meters high.
→ Read the page on Pitigliano

Sovana (overview)

Sovana is a very charming village full of old tuff stones, where only 500 people live, but listed among the most beautiful villages of Italy. It is one of the sites in the Area del Tufo, like its neighbour Pitigliano, but with a very different appearance.
The town is formed by a long lane, leading from the Rocca to the Cocathedrale, passing through the charming Piazza Pretorio and its beautiful monuments dating back to the Middle Ages.
Nearby, the Archaeological Park of Sovana is a great discovery, above all for its monumental Etruscan tombs, and also for the paths carved in the rock, the Vie Tagliate.
→ Read also the page about Sovana

Sorano and Vitozza (overview)

Built like Pitigliano on a tuff rock, Sorano impresses with its position emerging from green valleys and for its powerful Orsini fortress. Beyond being a charming village of medieval origin and dating back to the Etruscans, the surroundings are charming for their paths such as those that travel the Via Cave, these paths carved in the rock by the Etruscans. About 5 km from Sorano and 2 km from San Quirico, Vitozza is an important cave site, an old abandoned village that can be reached by beautiful trails.
→ Read also the page on Sorano and Vitozza

Where is the Maremma, map

Sources and links

• General informations : en.wikipedia.org
• Tourist portals and blogs : www.invacanzaallargentario.it, www.tuttomaremma.com, www.visittuscany.com/fr/itineraires-bike/grand-tour-de-la-maremme, www.esperienzadimaremma.it

Articles about Maremma

• Thermal baths of Saturnia
  The Thermal hot spring of Saturnia (Terme di Saturnia in Italian) are one of the most famous sites in Tuscany, with its natural hot water baths, formed by beautiful limestone ...
• Natural Park of Maremma
  The Maremma Natural Park, also known as the Uccellina Park, stretches over almost 10,000 hectares along the coast, with nearly 25 km of coastline from Principina a Mare to Talamone ...
• Castiglione della Pescaia in Tuscany
  Castiglione della Pescaia is one of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany and enjoys a privileged position on the coast between large sandy beaches preceded by beautiful pine forests. The ...
• Monte Argentario
  The Monte Argentario is a very beautiful site to the south of the Tuscan coast, in the province of Grosseto. It attracts visitors for its various features: the marine environment, ...
• Area del Tufo – Tuff Valley
  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 ...
• Orbetello and its lagoon
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• Massa Marittima in Tuscany
  Massa Marittima is a historic village located in the heart of the Maremma in the province of Grosseto, inland contrary to what its name would suggest, 20 minutes far from ...
• 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 ...
• Talamone, coastal village in Maremma
  At the southern end of the Natural park of Maremma, Talamone is a small village perched on a promontory overlooking the western end of the small homonymous gulf, also tourist ...
• Tarot Garden
  At the foot of the village of Capalbiole, the Tarot Garden is an extravagant place created by the French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle inspired by Gaudí’s Parc Güell in ...
• Piombino, port of Tuscany
  Piombino is a small town of almost 34,000 inhabitants at the foot of the homonymous promontory and near the ancient etruscan Populonia , facing the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, ...
• Ansedonia and roman Cosa in Tuscany
  South of the Orbetello lagoon, Ansedonia is a seaside resort with two sandy beaches, at the foot of a relief where the Roman settlement of Cosa was built. Of the ...
• Magliano in Toscana, in Maremma
  Magliano in Toscana is a pretty village in the Maremma region, which preserves medieval walls, a charming historic center, and renowned restaurants throughout the area. What impresses most are its ...