The name Maremma refers to the entire stretch of coast from Cecina to Civitavecchia in the south (it's already Lazio), and east to Monte Amiata, highest point in Tuscany. It was once an important northern region inhabited by Etruscans, but depopulated in the Middle Ages, because the wars interrupted the construction of drainage systems and malarial swamps formed behind the dunes. They became synonymous with illness in Italy and nineteenth-century guides devoted much space to the revival of visiting this part of the country..
Capital of the region, Grosseto remains a regrettable city to this day., but there are areas in the Maremma with a beautiful landscape — the protected nature reserve Of Monti di Uccellina — and some attractive (though expensive) bathing areas around the peninsula, on which Monte Argentario rises. And here, however, hotels are expensive and overcrowded in the summer, so without a reservation you can only count on free places at the campsites.
Grosseto and surroundings
Until the mid-nineteenth century. Grosseto was a sunken, a malarial city. However, draining the swamps, which was achieved only under Mussolini, transformed it into the capital of the agriculturally developing province of Maremma. During the last thirty years, there has been a rapid population growth and the city – badly damaged during the war – has been practically rebuilt..
With its characterless annexes and commercial buildings, the city is quite rarely visited., although it is an important transport hub. There is a good chance, that you will find yourself in it by passing. Most trains of the Genoa-Rome coastal line stop here and you can change to a train to Siena or a local line to Orbotello and south to Follonica (continue to Massa Marittima) and Cecina (continue to Volterra). The timetable seems to be arranged in this way, that you always have about an hour off — that's all, how much it takes to visit the remains of the old town and get information about the region at the tourist office at viale Ximenes 21 (just behind the walls of the old town towards the south-east).
The medieval centro storico is a compact and quite beautiful district, on the plan of a complex hexagon, with strong, mostly preserved defensive walls. You can walk along the top of the embankments along a path covering half of the ring, or sit in gardens established in corner bastions. The design of the defense system is impressive. Grosseto was the last Sienese city, which fell into the hands of the Florentines, succumbing only in 1559 r.
The restored cathedral inside the walls has a nice façade of pink and white marble, but there is nothing interesting inside. In the Museo Diocesiano di Arte Sacra (closed. wt.) above the sacristy there are some Sienese works from local churches. The most prominent of them are the Madonna with Cherries of Sassetta and Madonna and Child attributed to Simone Martini.
In the nearby Museo Archaeologico/Pinacoteca (Thu-Tue. 9.30-12.30 i 16.30-20.30) on via Mazzini are exhibited finds — coins, Urns, Browns, tuff sculptures — from ancient Rusellae and other local Etruscan-Roman ruins.
Rusellae and Vetulonia
Enthusiasts with their own transport can visit the Etruscan-Roman ruins near Grosseto. RUSELLAE, today's ROSELLE, lies about 10 km northeast. However, the ruins are not particularly interesting – the forum and here and there a fragment of the street is recognizable..
Greater experiences are provided by the location 20 km northwest of Grosseto (exit from the road to Foilonica) VETULONIA. This ancient city was one of the twelve members of the Etruscan federation and in today's town, reminiscent of a medieval settlement on a hill, you can find characteristic stone blocks.
By the access road, approximately 5 km to the northwest, excavations are currently being carried out in a huge necropolis. Museo-Antiquario exhibits various souvenirs and the latest finds. Near the main square in the village itself there is a nice restaurant – it looks like a regular bar and you enter the dining room through a curtain of beads, but the food and views are excellent.
Marina di Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia
MARINA DI GROSSETO and CASTIGLIONE DELLA PESCAIA, local bathing areas near Grosseto, enjoy the blessing of the broad, terraced beaches. Both towns are commercially exploited to the limit and have lost their former character of fishing villages., although some walls and towers have been preserved, as well as a bit of atmosphere. Marina is less commercialized, with a good sandy beach and adjacent pine forest, as well as a small tourist office on via Piave 10 (*0564/34449). It can help you find rooms.
If there are no seats, you can always count on an overnight stay at one of the six nearby campsites. The best of them is a small three-star Rosmarina (•0564/36319; active IV-IX), on the outskirts of the city at viale delle Colonie 37, and much larger, two-star Principina (• 0564/35647), 4 km south in PRINCIPINA A MARE. The others are huge tourist combine harvesters.
A short walk around Pineta della Tombolo, pine forest between two bathing areas, can be held in complete peace — if you do not take into account wild boars, that you will undoubtedly come across. During the high season there are ferries from Castiglione to the island of Giglio.
Monti dell Eccellina Nature Reserve
The Monti dell Eccellina nature reserve covers a range of coastal mountains, starting several kilometers south of Grosseto. It is reportedly the only virgin stretch of coastline in all of Italy, and its fauna includes migratory birds, wild and semi-wild horses.
Admission is strictly controlled. On Wednesdays and weekends you can enter the reserve in ALBERESE, where is the visitor center, and go into the forest on one of the four marked trails. In addition, entry is prohibited, unless you obtain a special permit from TALAMONE, where three more trails are marked out.
On other days you can take a look at the reserve from the outside, driving along the road around its southern promontory. The road leads from FÓNTEBLANDA to TALAMONE, Attractive (but over-frequented) fishing village on the cape; the Sienese-chits once planned to transform the local fishing harbour the size of a pond into a port that could rival Pisa and Genoa..