Discover Maremma

a land that ignites passions and Italy's best kept secret

Discover Maremma: the Tuscany and Lazio you didn't know existed. A land that will ignite a passion in your heart like no other and Italy's best kept secret. A special place for the independent traveller who not only loves to discover new places away from the crowds, but who also likes to just sit sometimes and watch the world.

And a dream location for families with children who love to explore.

Farmhouses

Villas

Bed and Breakfast

Apartments

Hotels

Self-Catering

Natural Thermal Spas

Medieval Hill Towns

The Beaches

Medieval Castles

Etruscan Cities & Tombs

Photo Gallery

Wine Tasting & Tours

The Surfing

The Wildlife

Special Places to Visit

Independent Travel Tips

The Weather

Maremma in May

It's spring! and the wildflowers here in this part of Tuscany just take your breath away with their colour and natural beauty (no need of Photoshop!).

Spring flowers in Tuscany: this beautiful morning in Maremma.

Spring wildflowers in Tuscany this afternoon in an olive grove below Massa Marittima...
doesn't nature blow your mind ;)

But be aware, it is not difficult to fall in love with this breathtakingly beautiful land and its special places. For Maremma has a way of capturing your heart before you know it and leave you dreaming of returning again and again... until one day you just stay forever. I did!

For some, the attraction is the natural beauty of the undiscovered wildernesses and national parks that touch and find a deep resonance in their souls. This is the wildest part of Tuscany. For others it is the spectacular 250km Mediterranean coastline with prestine blue flag beaches stretching for as long as the eye can see.

Secluded white sand coves that look as though they are the set of a James Bond film. And expansive warm shallow waters perfect for toddlers and children to splash and play on all day long. And the crystal clear blue, turquoise, and green waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea with it's fishing villages, ports, marinas and islands.

Or the medieval hill top villages and towns, unspoilt and steeped in history. Where the tranquility is profound and it is so very easy to imagine life centuries ago.

The wonderful home-cooked traditional food, with wild boar or hare from the densely wooded hills, fresh fish from the sea .... And the renowned DOC and Super Tuscan wines.

But it is more than that...

But it is more than that. It is the life that it offers that leaves you wanting nothing else. Those who were born and live here hold a deep resonating passion for this land, no more eloquently expressed than the fact that they have never desired to travel far away. Neighbouring cities of Pisa, Firenze, Siena and Roma, even though only a short drive away, remain unvisited. And when you talk to locals who have visited them, you quickly learn that it was by necessity for a hospital appointment and no more!

This Guide is packed with tips and suggestions from my own experiences to help you plan an unforgetful vacation. Read about:

• Maremma's cities, villages and towns, with their rich Etruscan, Roman and medieval histories;
  
  
• The Etruscan Coast - Costa degli Etruschi - with the stunning Golfo di Baratti and Populonia, the only Etruscan city built by the sea;
  
  
• The Metalliferous Hills and the Golfo di Follonica, with the spectacular medieval Massa Marittima at its heart and the most beautiful beach in Italy;
  
  
• The Inland Hills and Tufa Hill Towns including "Little Jerusalem";
  
  
• Grossetto, Castiglione della Pescaia, Punta Ala and the Tuscan archipelago;
  
  
• The Silver Coast - Costa d'Argento - with the Argentario peninsula and the very special natural environment of the Alberese marina;
  
  
• Maremma in Lazio with black sand beaches and the Etruscan necropolises at Tarquinia - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - with over 6,000 tombs.
  

The vast array of medieval fairs and festivals and le sagre throughout the year, the summer concerts and shows.

Places to stay, whether your accommodation preference is bed and breakfast, camping, hotels, apartments, villas, farmhouses or an agriturismo.

Favourite places to eat and drink - restaurants, osterias, trattorias, pizzerias .... and great lunch and supper stops along the road. Where to taste and buy the local produce for your picnics or self-catering. Where to find the best coffee, "dolce" (cakes) and home made ice cream.

The myriad of things to do and see, from sailing & surfing, to fishing and scuba diving, trekking and cycling, horseback riding and the Maremman Cowboys, wine-tasting and cooking classes, medieval castles and towers, museums and mines...

La dolce vita in Maremma is simple and unpretentious; but life is rich. People smile a lot in Maremma. May you too start a love affair with this special tranquil part of Tuscany and, who knows, one day decide to stay.