©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Southern Tuscany Why Go? The Alta Maremma....236 Diversity reigns supreme in southern Tuscany. Here, it’s pos- Massa Marittima .......236 sible to travel from sandy beaches to snow-capped moun- tains in the space of a few hours, passing marshy coastal Vetulonia ....................241 plains teeming with wildlife, vine-covered slopes and dra- Città del Tufa ............242 matically sited hill towns along the way. Matched to these Pitigliano ...................242 landscapes are activities of every description – visitors can Sorano ....................... 245 swim, walk, horse ride, mountain-bike ride and bird-watch The Bassa to their hearts’ content, spending days in the fresh air and Maremma ..................246 nights relaxing in atmospheric agriturismi (accommoda- tion on working farms or wine estates). Grosseto ....................246 But there’s more to the region than the great outdoors. Lo- Parco Regionale cals are fiercely proud of the ancient customs of the Marem- della Maremma .........248 ma, as the region is commonly called, and history resonates Monte Argentario ......249 in every town. There’s a wealth of Etruscan archaeological sites and medieval and Renaissance settlements with historic streets, churches and museums that are sure to keep you busy. Best Places to Eat ¨¨Grantosco (p247) Road Distances ¨¨Il Pellicano (p250) Massa Marittima 38 ¨¨Il Tufo Allegro (p244) ¨¨La Tana del Brillo Parlante Grosseto 52 48 (p240) Pitigliano 129 120 75 Parco Regionale della Maremma 28 67 20 56 Best Places to Stay ¨¨La Fattoria di Tatti (p237) ¨¨Le Camere del Ceccottino (p243) ¨ ¨Montebelli Agriturismo & Vetulonia Massa Marittima Grosseto Pitigliano Country Hotel (p241) ¨¨Pieve di Caminino (p241) 233 Getting Around DON’T¨MISS You’ll need a car to explore this pocket of Tuscany thorough- Don’t miss this region’s ly – veer off the S1 autostrada and explore secondary roads famed Etruscan sights, whenever possible. Train travel won’t get you far – the Frec- the most impressive of ciabianca stops in Grosseto on its Rome–Genoa trip and which are the Museo regionale (slow regional) trains servicing that route also Civico Archeologico ‘Isi- stop in Orbatello-Monte Argentario, but the only other rail doro Falchi’ and Scavi di link is between Siena and Grosseto. Bus travel is worse, with Città, both in Vetulonia, limited routes and infrequent services. the Parco Archeologico ‘Città del Tufa’ near Sovana and the Archae- THREE¨PERFECT¨DAYS ological Site at Roselle, near Grosseto. Day¨1:¨Città¨del¨Tufa Though the Etruscans have left their mark on towns, cities and landscapes throughout this region, the southeast corner is a particularly rich repository of Best Walks their heritage. Make your way to picturesque Pitigliano, ¨¨Pitigliano¨to¨Sovana where you should have lunch, and then explore the (p242) Incorporating neighbouring settlements of Sorano and Sovana to see sections of vie cave. Etruscan necropolises, visit archaeological museums and explore a network of mysterious vie cave (sunken ¨¨Le¨Biancane,¨ roads). If there’s any time left in your day, consider a Monterotondo¨Marittimo brief stop at the Società Agricola Terenzi to sample its (p240) Through a strange award-winning Morellino di Scansano. geothermal landscape. ¨¨Parco¨Regionale¨della¨ Day¨2:¨Parco¨Regionale¨della¨Maremma Southern Maremma (p248) Explore Head to this regional park to walk, bicycle, canoe or beaches, wetlands, forests horse-ride through the wild natural scenery. While here, and a ruined 12th-century enjoy a farm experience at Agienza Regionale Agricola tower. di Alberese, where the famous butteri (Maremmese cowboys) ride the range. At the end of the day, consider t visiting the quirky Giardino dei Tarocchi, a sculpture u S garden near Capalbio. Best Festivals cany ¨¨Torciata di San Giuseppe Day¨3:¨Massa¨Marittima (p242), Pitigliano Not many tourists make it to this medieval hill town The Al crowning the Colline Metallifere (metal-producing hills) ¨¨Balestro del Girifalco at the top end of the region, but that’s their loss. Spend (p236), Massa Marittima the morning wandering the narrow streets and hand- ta some piazzas of the historic centre (be sure to visit the M duomo) before moving on to explore the geologically Resources ar fascinating sites around Monterotondo Marittimo, or e ¨¨Maremma¨Tourism mma the Etruscan-era settlement at Vetulonia. (www.turismoinmaremma.it) ¨¨Parco¨degli¨Etruschi (www.parcodeglietruschi.it) Advance Planning ¨¨For summer travel, reserve accommodation near the coast well in advance. ¨¨Book ahead for boat or bike tours of the Riserva Naturale Provinciale Diaccia Botrona, farm experiences at the Agienza Regionale Agricola di Alberese or tours in the Parco Regionale della Maremma..