Near the very base of the Maremma (Maremma Grossetana) in the Province of Grosseto, you will find the small city of Orbetello which rests on one of three flat, narrow pieces of land connecting the mainland to the small peninsula of Monte Argentario at its west. The city was built on the middle stretch of land, and rests between the two naturally preserved Lagoons of Orbetello as well as the Riserva Naturale Statale di Orbetello. The southern strip of land, called Tombolo della Giannella, acts as a barrier between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the lagoons and has no city construction or residences. The north piece acts as a boarder between the ocean the northern lagoon as well as another access point to Monte Argentario with its ‘Strada Principale di Giannella.’ Retaining the integrity of the land and its water is of utmost importance here; since the lagoons boast over 140 species of birds alone, they want to keep the lands as protected as possible.
Being right in the midst of the land once afflicted with malaria, and surrounded by lagoons at either side, it has remained quite a small city- friendly and with relatively little foreign tourism (many Italian families flock to these shores for summer vacations). Adding to its interesting history, it was held as property of Spain during the1500s and still retains, just off the shore in its calm northern lagoon, one of the nine original Spanish mills built in 1557. It is the kind of town where everyone knows everyone. People walk down the colourful, small streets and call up to the second story for a quick hello to friends. The place to gather on beautiful sunny mornings is the small piazza in the center which is connected to their small duomo (built in 1337 and dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta). It is a calm, relaxing place and provides easy access to Monte Argentario and its ‘Porto Vecchio,’ or Porto Stefano, which subsequently leads to the Island of Giglio, right off its west coast.