Experiences

Taking a pleasant stroll is the best way to appreciate Grosseto, a city rich in art and culture, albeit not a typical destination for visitors to Tuscany. Take in its artistic beauty by starting from the Cathedral dedicated to St. Lawrence, before continuing to the medieval Piazza Dante. The square is home to Palazzo Aldobrandeschi and the famous monument of Grand Duke Leopold II of Lorena, who was particularly revered by inhabitants of the Maremma for his charitable work in the territory. Corso Carducci is the city’s main shopping street where you can try the traditional food and wine of the Maremma in one of its many restaurants. A tour is not complete without a visit to: the St Francis Church and Convent, built in gothic Franciscan style and still featuring 14^th century frescoes; the Museum of Archaeology and Art of the Maremma, greatly interesting for its Etruscan Roman archaeological finds; the Fortress and the perfectly preserved and truly fascinating old hexagonal City Walls.

The Bandite di Scarlino are some of the most beautiful and intriguing areas of the Maremma. Hilly for the most part, these nature reserves extend for nearly 6000 hectares between the municipalities of Castiglione della Pescaia, Follonica, Gavorrano and Scarlino and are characterised by their vast forests; the Maremma’s coast along this stretch is high and rocky, every so often interrupted by small coves. One of these, Cala Violina beach, is extremely well-known for its white sands and clear waters.
There are several trails in the Bandite di Scarlino forests, suitable for all mountain-biking abilities. The inclines of the easy, intermediate and difficult courses are not impossible, and roughness of terrain varies depending on the conditions of the trails. For more information about the trails, contact the Scarlino Tourist Office.

 

If you prefer being on horseback to two wheels, the Natural Park of the Maremma has many trails ideal for horse riding. These pass through a large area of the Park and allow you to explore many of its unique environments. The bridle paths stretch from the hills to the coast, giving you the chance at a rare glimpse of its beauty: dense forests, untouched beaches, olive groves, ancient towers (like the Torre delle Cannelle and Torre dell’Uccellina) and sun-drenched plains. Along these paths, it is not unusual to encounter the many wild animals that make up the Maremma’s fauna, including wild boars, roe deer and fallow deer. Besides these, you will also come across the horses and grazing cows that populate the region’s expansive pastures.

The Vie Cave are undoubtedly one of the lesser known treasures of the Tuscan Maremma, and yet figure among the most attractive. This ancient Etruscan road network is made up of a multiplicity of trails excavated into tuff rock walls, some of which are more than 20 metres tall. To this date, the Vie Cave are a magnificent and utterly mesmerising sight.
Located between the municipalities of Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana, many can still be walked along. One of the most incredible experiences you can do here is to take a walk through the narrow and humid passages of these spectacular, deep gorges. The various routes branch off independently from one another, but can be linked with a trekking trail that joins up with the Etruscan necropolises of Sovana and Sorano.

 

For necropolises and history, a visit to Grosseto should also include a visit to the Archaeological Parks of Roselle and Vetulonia. A little over 10 km from Grosseto, Roselle safeguards the remains of an ancient city built by the Etruscans and later expanded by the Romans. The most significant remains in the site are Roman: two thermal baths, an amphitheatre, basilica and several domus make for a truly fascinating landscape. On the other hand, if you are an Etruscan culture enthusiast, Vetulonia is an unmissable destination. The archaeological site is rich in important tombs, including the monumental Tomba della Pietrera and Tomba del Diavolino, as well as others from Villanovan culture.

The Tuscan Maremma is a land of great wine, like the Ansonica Costa dell’Argentario and the famous Morellino di Scansano. The Wine Trails of the Maremma are increasingly known and appreciated by wine lovers from all over the world. However, there is a little-known side to its wine tradition that merits discovery: the wine cellars designed by some of the best names in international architecture.

Starting in Gavorrano, more specifically in the village of Giuncarico, the Rocca di Frassinello winery (owned by Paolo Panerai) was designed by Renzo Piano. An ambitious project, it combines a passion for wine with a passion for art and music. Ambitious, because of the underground barrel cellar at the heart of the structure, amphitheatre-like and able to host concerts. Above ground, the glass and steel structure features both a tower recalling the tradition of the Maremma and the terrace home to “Rapture of the Grape”, a work by David La Chapelle.
We move on to Magliano, Tuscany, a small pretty village with perfectly preserved town walls. The Ammiraglia dei Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi winery was described by its designer, architect Piero Sartogo, as “an open eyelid towards the horizon, a winery capable of hiding itself among the folds of the surrounding landscape.” And it is indeed impossible not to notice how the building, given its particular shape, blends perfectly into the incredible surrounding landscape.
Near Castiglione della Pescaia we find Le Mortelle wine cellar, owned by Marchesi Antinori, another historical house of Tuscan wine. This futuristic building was designed by the studio Hydea and is almost entirely underground. Topped with a cupola, the wine cellar is well and truly excavated into the rock. Above ground, in the reception, a large glass wall provides a remarkable view of the Maremma countryside.
The last stop on this mini tour was voted best Italian wine cellar: the Petra winery of the Terra Moretti Group, a masterpiece by Swiss architect Mario Botta. Eco-friendly and blended perfectly into the surrounding landscape, this incredible construction takes the shape of a large cylinder intersected by a sloping floor and almost appears to be leaning on the hill behind it. A staircase cuts the façade in two and leads to the top of the building, providing a spectacular view of the sea and the surrounding nature.