It is a perfect place to admire views of gentle hills embellished by silvery olive groves and endless vineyards, wild pinewoods and knolls from which you can enjoy memories of old villages, as well as small towns with stone houses and tiny squares. The Tuscan Maremma is a land that shows evidence of its long history, millennial culture and art, in every corner, by means of towns like Tirli, Vulci, Roselle, Vetulonia, not to mention Grosseto and the not-far City of Tufa.
Important and glorious civilizations, such as the Etruscans and the Romans, have left evidence of their passage throughout the territory of the Maremma. Where now there are farms, farm holidays, guesthouses, hotels and other accommodation facilities, once there were the ancient populations that gave rise to the countries of Castiglione Della Pescaia, Grosseto, Follonica, Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole.
In this wonderful place in Tuscany you can also admire the Spanish towers of the Maremma Nature Park; later, the medieval noble Aldobrandeschi, Corsini and Medici families appreciated the wealth of the place, leaving evidences of history and archaeology in Maremma that attract tourists from all over the world.
The Maremma has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as attested by the numerous Palaeolithic and Neolithic finds that you can admire in the Grosseto and Manciano museums. In the Bronze Age (12th-10th century BC) were born several settlements in the Fiora Valley (Sorgenti della Nova, Molino Rossi) of which there are traces and finds. The true story of the Tuscan Maremma, however, started with the Etruscans; a great civilization, a people who, thanks to the frequent business contacts with Greece and the East, grew and founded cities along the valleys of the rivers: the Fiora (Poggio Buco, Vulci, Sovana, Pitigliano), the Albegna, (Saturnia, Ghiaccio Forte, Marsiliana, Magliano) and the Ombrone (Vetulonia, Roselle). Here today many farm holidays equipped with every comfort and typical restaurants host tourists who love archaeology and natural beauty..
Castiglione della Pescaia and its Castle
Castiglione della Pescaia is dominated by the old town located on the hill overlooking the sea and culminating with the medieval castle on the highest point. In the historical center they are preserved several buildings clear medieval origins with features stone walls.The castle is documented for the first time in 1163 and has its origins in a small fortress built much earlier, owned by the Church of Rome to the mid-eighth century. It must, however, the Pisan domination the construction of the first large tower with a sloping base on the highest point of the hill. It was later built the walls around the country , strengthened by towers and turrets. In 1447 Alfonso of Aragon , King of Naples , raised the two towers that, following the construction of two floors of housing, assumed the role of a real castle. After the of Aragon ruled the Piccolomini of Siena who remained there for about a century, so the Doctors for 178 years, the Lorraine for 120 years, until the advent of the Kingdom of Italy , the castle became state property, was abandoned to itself. Towards the end of ‘800 the architect, Lorenzo Porciatti, took it over by the state, restored it and we came to live during the summer and for a hunting trip. Currently it is privately owned and is not allowed to visit.
Vetulonia and its Museum
Vetulonia is located in the district of Castiglione della Pescaia, about 37 minutes drive away. Vetulonia is a medieval town of Etruscan origins nobles. In the village and its surroundings there are archaeological finds of great importance to be discovered in the excavations and the museum of the city. Walking around you can breathe the air of its history and its ancient splendor that characterized the old Etruscan city. Staying in the many farms or in the lovely landlords present in the area, you will enjoy the quiet rhythms that accompany the villagers and taste the delicacies of Maremma. For lovers of archeology and history will not miss the visits to the necropolis and the Street of Tombs, as well as the churches of Our Lady of Grace and that of SS Simon and Jude, or the evocative ruins of the Abbey of Sestinga. Must, in addition to the Church of Our Lady of Grace, The Church of Saints Simon and Jude, the ruins of the Castle and the Abbey of Sestinga, the Archaeological Museum Isidoro Falchi where they are a testimony of the Etruscan civilization objects found in the tombs and in excavations of the ancient city, an ever increasing wealth. History and Archaeology Museum recently renovated with archaeological finds from the Etruscan and Hellenic-Roman, found during excavations of the city.
PITIGLIANO
The country is located on a plateau carved by three rivers. The site was inhabited since the most archaic and will remain as a testimony to the many graves that have brought to light numerous kits and objects of everyday life of the past. The dominant position of the site favored throughout history the role of Pitigliano like real fortified city, will find themselves signs of civilization starting from Bronze Age . The charm of the medieval old town, with its dense network of narrow streets and the charm of its surroundings, have made it a popular international tourist destination, certified by its inclusion among the ” most beautiful villages in Italy “. It also known as the Little Jerusalem because starting from the mid-800 settled there a large Jewish community from Livorno, today you can admire the Synagogue still functioning and the museum dedicated to the community where you can visit the places of work and the public life of the Jewish tradition.
GROSSETO
The city of Grosseto is located just over 6 km from Fattoria Maremmana. Green landscapes, crystal clear seas, parks and valuable archaeological sites, emerges Grosseto, a city with services that still features on a human scale. The city boasts a charming old town , was completely surrounded by a city wall , which took over virtually unchanged their appearance over the centuries. The city wall was present in Grosseto since the twelfth century. Repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, in 1574 was Francesco I de Medici in to begin the work of the ” hexagonal Mura “, a project by Baldassarre Lenci . The walls still follow a hexagonal perimeter , with the corners defended by pentagonal bastions shaped arrow, guard posts at the tip. They are still preserved service tunnels, warehouses and fuel. Environments and paths are paved with bricks in a herringbone pattern.