To take one or more routes on foot, by bike or on horseback, while doing excursions that will plunge you in the heart of Maremma in Tuscany is one of the best ways to get direct contact with the spirit of this land where still today one can breathe a lifestyle based on respect for environment, culture and maintenance of traditions.
Thanks to the variety of landscapes and the huge offer of natural beauties on this territory, in Maremma you will have the chance to choose among a large number of excursions ranging from the sea to the inland, from the mountain to the isles.
Our aim is to list below just a few of the numerous possible itineraries to follow on the whole territory, together with some useful tips to follow in order to get to know the land and culture of Maremma.
VISIT THE BEACHES OF MAREMMA
As already said, Maremma is one of the areas that boast some of the most beautiful waters in Italy, so that many of its beaches are marked with Blue Flag for cleanliness of the environment and of the sea and for the quality of services offered.
Therefore, one of the routes you should not miss includes a visit to the beaches facing this incredible maritime belt.
Let's start from the Gulf of Follonica (situated in the northern part of the whole area), that includes beaches overlooking crystal clear waters such as those of Calaviolina and Cala Martina, approachable on foot through simple walking trails for a total of about 20 minutes walking. Let's do then a brief stop to Punta Ala - paradise of private boats, luxury and quietness - to go then ahead to the equipped beaches of Castiglione della Pescaia and Marina di Grosseto.
Going down a few kilometers to the South, you will reach the beaches around the Monte Argentario, an area full of coves and bays, some of which are within walking distance while others reachable only by sea. Among the most interesting places of this zone we mention the Orbetello Lagoon (with its special beaches of Feniglia eand Giannella), the coast of Capalbio, Talamone, Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole. Paradises of undisputed beauty.
In addition, from the port of Porto Santo Stefano we suggest to take one of the ferries that in just one hour will get you to one of the two charming isles of the Tuscan Archipelago that are closer to this part of the coast: the Giannutri Isle and the Giglio Isle.
Almost all the beaches mentioned offer several activities and entertainment for all the ages and all the tastes, with the chance to rent sailboats and motorboats, wind-surf and yachts, equipment for water skiing and scuba diving, or attend a sailing, a motor boating or a diving course.
In this regard we note that these waters are especially amazing and rich of shells, corals and different fishes. Thanks to the numerous diving professional centers, you can dive to discover the colourful underwater life of Maremma.
VISIT TO THE REGIONAL PARK OF MAREMMA
The Maremma Park is a natural area covering a surface of 25 km that presents a varied environment that from the green hills runs down to the sandy beaches and the cliffs of the coast while finding along the way a long series of swamps, pinewoods, fields and pastures. It is an rather wild environment due to the origins of the territory and to the people engagement to keep it uncontaminated, but it is anyway able to leave visitors astonished thanks to the sweetness of its colours and shapes. To stop to listen the singing of nature while tracking one of the routes offered by this terrestrial paradise, is a unique and unrepeatable experience, a chance to get in tune and empathy with the surrounding world while feeling fully part of it.
The park is all year long open to visitors, all days of the week.
During summertime just a few itineraries are independently accessible since the most part of the area can be visited only if accompanied by a guide and by reservation. Guides are available in English, French and German language.
During springtime, autumn and winter instead, all the areas are accessible also without a guide, always after paying the entrance fee starting from 9,00 o'clock up to one hour before sunset and considering that the entrance to the beginning of the established paths is only by shuttle bus.
You can also visit the park horseback, by canoe, by bike and even by coach. A cycle lane of about 8 km is also available that goes from Alberese to Marina di Alberese.
You can visit the park both alone or in groups. Specific didactis itineraries are organized for schools, once again on reservation.
For all visitors the rule is to respect the park directives and it is useful the tip to bring with you some things including hiking boots, drinking water, raincoats and hats.
VISIT TO THE GIARDINO DEI TAROCCHI (TAROTS GARDEN)
The Tarots Garden is a park that collects huge sculptures about 12/15 meters tall structured in iron and cement, covered by mirror mosaics, precious glass and ceramics and ispired by the figures of the 22 major arcana of the tarots, realized by the Franco-American sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle.
It is a magic isle of about half a hectare of land, divided by the outside world by a big tufa wall wanted by the artist to preserve the aura of enchantment and the separation between the garden and the world outside of it.
The garden, whose works started in 1979, has been constructed inside the property of Garavicchio - whose owners contributed to the realization of the ambitious dream of the artist - in the district of Capalbio, and has turned today into a private foundation for which you therefore need to pay a ticket if you want to visit it, in order to plunge yourself and be dragged for a whole day in a magic and esoteric world...as to take part in a fairy tale!
The Tarots Garden is open from the beginning of April to late October, from 2,30 p.m. until 7,30 p.m. and the ticket price goes from 6 € to 10,50 €. There are reduced prices for groups, guys, students and seniors. Free entrance for children under 7 and disabled.
VISIT TO THE VULCI PARK
Situated in the southern part of Maremma, in the district of Montalto di Castro - in the province of Viterbo - Vulci offers to its visitors the amazing view of its Natural Archaeological Park where one can start a series of different itineraries able to satisfy the tastes of anyone, from the most prepared and expert excursionist to the novice in trekking and walking.
In the Park of Vulci one can admire the archaeological excavations and the remains of the Etruscans that lived here and constructed a Roman-Etruscan metropolis. All surrounded by an unspoiled natural landscape where the Flora river flows sculpting a canyon of dark volcanic rock. Along the path you will find herds of cows and wild horses since green plains and a rich vegetation complete such a paradisiac scene.
You can find three marked trails which are: the brief trail of about 2,300 km, the full trail (3,500 km) and the nature trail which extends for 1,500 km. The small Lake of Pellicone is a must for every one of them.
More places of interest inside the park are the Badia Bridge and the National Archaeological Museum of the Badia and Castle of the Badia, besides the Eastern necropolis - with its graves, that one can visit just on reservation and if accompained by a guide. In addition, guided visits and workshops for schools are organized while during summertime, night guided tours, horseback ridings, sport activities, archery, canoe and more.
Generally the Natural Park of Vulci is open all spring and summer months - from April to September - all days from 10,00 a.m. to 6,00 p.m., while from October to March, all days from 9,00 a.m. to 5,00 p.m. It is closed during 25 December and 1st of January festivity. Early closure in the days of 24 and 31 December.
Ticket price goes from 2,50 € for groups of students and residents in Montalto di Castro, to a maximum of 8 € - normal ticket.
VISIT TO THE GIGLIO ISLE
Just one hour of ferry boat from the nearby port of Porto Santo Stefano, the picturesque isle of the Tuscan Archipelago is waiting for you to show its landscapes and its unique and unexpected beauties.
The first vision in front of you before getting off the ferry is that of the multicolour buildings of Giglio Porto, the only port of the isle, that anyway keeps a sea of almost unbelievable clarity for a port. In Giglio Porto, besides a series of bars and small commercial activities overlooking the sea, you will find the Torre del Saraceno - Tower of the Saracen - and just beyond the Caletta del Saraceno - Saracen's Cove - a very small but spectacular beach, accessible through the alley of the Saracen and from which, in clear days, you can enjoy the view on the Argentario.
Going from Porto to Giglio Castello - it is easy to move from a town to another of the isle thanks to the efficient public transportation system that in a few minutes brings visitors from Giglio Porto to Giglio Castello and/or Giglio Campese and viceversa - which is located at an altitude of about 405slm, landscape tends to change gradually without ever losing sight of the blue waters of the sea around the island, until you reach the small town enclosed by massive walls with towers - two circular, seven rectangular. Giglio Castello is the municipal seat, and destination with an extreme charm cause it looks as a medieval village with narrow streets, arches and wineries used to preserve the Ansonaco, white, fruity and full-bodied wine produced on the isle.
After a walk inside the inner streets of Castello, we suggest you to descend towards the last village of the isle - the last also for its birth - today turned into the major tourist center of the isle: Giglio Campese. In Campese a picturesque cove of fine sand will welcome you, delimited by a stack on one side and a huge Medicean Tower on the other one. Moreover, Campese is the ideal place for surf and sailing lovers, besides to be seat of a diving school that organizes boat trips to explore the fantastic underwater present here.
If after to have visited all the major places of interest on the isle, you should have a little bit of time more, our suggestion is to rent a boat or take a water taxi to visit one of the amazing calette present along its coasts, but the most part of which is reacheable just by the sea or through paths that just real trekking lovers can cross. We just put some of them under you attention: L'Allume, L'Arenella, Cala del Corvo, Le Caldane, Le Cannelle, Cala Sparavieri and the cove of Capo Marino.