Maremma: land of swamps and tourist destination

The Grosseto Maremma is a vast area of southern Tuscany that includes practically the whole province of Grosseto. The territory of the Maremma inland ranges from the Metalliferous Hills to Mount Amiata, while along the coast it stretches between the Gulf of Follonica and the border with Lazio. Maremma is famous for the Butteri – mounted herder – who represent the romantic Maremma, an ancient borderland of herds and bandits.

ONE OF THE MOST UNCONTAMINATED TOURIST DESTINATIONS OF TUSCANY

Formerly rich in unhealthy swamps and malarial land, this area of the region is today one of the most beautiful and unspoiled tourist destinations in Tuscany. Still little known – if not in some coastal resorts such as Castiglione della Pescaia, Punta Ala, Follonica and Monte Argentario – this part of Tuscany contains landscapes of great beauty, historic centers of great value, small villages remained intact where life recalls the times passed. In Maremma there are also important archaeological evidences – mainly from the Etruscan era – and a great variety of small villages of medieval origin.

The Maremma can be divided into two distinct areas: the hilly and mountainous internal area – land of mines, livestock, cowboys, woods and forests – and the coastal area full of beautiful beaches, lagoons and swamps and centers that have not changed the their appearance, with large coastal areas remained practically intact. There are numerous protected natural areas along the coast such as the Maremma Natural Park, the Tombolo di Feniglia at Argentario, the Orbetello Lagoon, the Palude della Trappola and Lake Burano.

In Maremma there are numerous Etruscan and Roman historical evidences such as those found in the archaeological sites of Vetulonia, Roselle, Ansedonia, Pitigliano, Saturnia and Sovana. The following centuries have left as evidence the remains of numerous castles and fortresses as well as the beautiful medieval villages still intact today such as Massa Marittima, Castiglione della Pescaia, Montemassi, Porto Ercole, Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovana, just to name a few.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• AA. VV. “Toscana” Guide Rosse Touring Club Italiano, 2007
• Batini M. Novella “Maremma guida turistica. 9 itinerari dal mare al monte Amiata” 2013, Moroni
• Baggiossi, Italo “Le torri costiere della Toscana” 310 pp. Newton Compton, 1988
• Celuzza, Mariagrazia “Guida alla Maremma Antica” Siena, 1993, NIE
• Semplici Andrea “La Maremma dei musei. Viaggio emozionale nell’arte, la storia, la natura e le tradizioni del territorio grossetano” 2012, C&P Adver Effigi
• Manetti, Rino “Torri costiere del litorale toscano. Loro territorio e antico ruolo di vigilanza costiera” xvi, 183 pp. Alinea, 1991