Tuscany, many dream of Florence, Siena, Lucca or San Gimignano with rolling hills and cypress alleys.
But there is another Tuscany that is full of surprises and is ready to be discovered.
The deep and original south of Tuscany with romantic and rustic villages nestled against the hills like in a picture book, wetlands with flamingos, beaches with water quality that is in no way inferior to that of Sardinia, vast areas and untouched nature... the Maremma stands for freedom, for people and for animals.
Slow living is very important here, in symbiosis with the rich biodiversity of this region. Nature is in charge here. Ancient traditions, culinary delights and the profound hospitality of the Maremmans, who are proud of their region.
The climate is mild and blessed with sunshine. Citrus fruits and prickly pears can be found in many local gardens. The beaches are among the most beautiful in Italy, in particular the beach of Castiglione della Pescaia.
The center of southern Maremma is the city of Grosseto, which is surrounded by two nature reserves; the Parco Nazionale della Maremma and the Diaccia Botrona wetland. The province of Grosseto is one of the most sparsely populated provinces in Italy.
Here I would like to present the most interesting places for a vacation in this fascinating area and my second home.
The nature reserves
Since untouched nature has the upper hand, we can find several nature reserves here.
A landmark in the area is the Maremma Regional Park or also often called Parco dell'Uccellina by the locals. A natural park of almost 10,000 hectares with 40 km of coastline. The access road is a feast for the eyes; a kilometer-long pine alley on which wild Maremma horses and the ancient cattle breed of Razza Maremmana once brought to Maremma by pirates live in the wild. At the end of the pine alley, white sand and crystal-clear sea with a view of the Tuscan archipelago; the beach of Marina di Alberese.
Guided trips to the park are offered from April to the end of October and the number of visitors to the park is limited. I highly recommend taking part in one of the trips during a vacation in Maremma. The program and reservation options are available via the Nature Park website https://parco-maremma.it/
Diaccia Botrona, the second nature reserve with a view of the pretty town of Castiglione della Pescaia. They are remnants of the ancient lake Prile. It is a wetland of international importance with a rare and important ecosystem. It is a true paradise for birdwatchers. I recommend spring, autumn and winter as visiting times. There you can see flamingos, sea eagles and other rare bird species. Access is free and is via a small bridge in the suburb of Ponte di Badia of Castiglione di Pescaia.
Culinary delights and holidays in an agriturismo
Tuscany is home to game dishes, good wine and olive oil. But Maremma is also home to some culinary pearls that can only be found here. Mention should be made of acquacotta, a delicious soup made from vegetables, stale bread, olive oil and egg. Other pearls include marucca honey, a rare and precious honey that bees obtain from the nectar of the marucca plant; ciaffagnoni are a type of salty crepes traditionally served with pecorino. Due to the location by the sea and the fertile soil, delicious fish dishes are also served; fruit and vegetables can be purchased from local farmers.
But Maremma is also the land of rice cultivation and porcini mushrooms of the Amiata mountain, with its lush and dense forests.
If you're looking for a typical Maremma trattoria that only uses local produce, I recommend the Locanda Dei Briganti restaurant in Marina di Grosseto.
The gentle tourism and the strong connection to intact nature - vacations take place in one of the area's farms, the agriturismi.
The butteri
With a trip to the Parco Regionale della Maremma, you might be lucky enough to see a buttero on his Maremma horse. The Buttero has traditional work clothes, an Uncino (= pole of 1.5 m long) and a special saddle (without a saddle tree) that is only available in Maremma. He is a traditional cattle herder whose techniques and working methods are passed on from generation to generation. In the nature park, around 10 butteri still carry out this activity full-time. They herd the approximately 500 Maremma cattle that live in the wild. Please don't call the Butteri cowboys, that would be an insult. They are one of the last mounted shepherds in Europe and are proud of this ancient profession, which has hardly changed in the last one hundred years.
