If you want beaches, you can while away the days on the crystal clear sands of the Argentario Coast,

Although Italy isn t an overly large country, there are still places that are still relatively undiscovered by the tourist hordes even in arguably the most popular region of Tuscany. The Maremma is just such a place, and in this guest post by Elisa Scarton you ll find out why it s an area favored by many vacationing Italians (and why you should think about adding it to your Italian itinerary, too).
Think quiet country towns where traditions are still celebrated in vibrantly colored festivals. Think sunflower-flooded fields and open spaces. Think locals who still sit in front of the sandstone homes they have owned for generations. And think dishes prepared following family recipes with not even a whisper of a tourist menu in sight.
aaa vacation packages Intrepid Italians have been heading to the Tuscan Maremma, tucked aaa vacation packages inconspicuously between the borders of Southern Tuscany and Lazio, for decades. They come here for the territory s unparalleled natural beauty, which transitions from gorgeous beach and breathtaking nature reserve to snow-dusted mountain peak, all in a matter of kilometers.
Far from the bright lights and tourists of nearby cities Rome, Florence and Siena, the Tuscan Maremma has also ferociously maintained its heritage and culture, first shaped by the pre-Roman Etruscans, but influenced by medieval warlords, Spanish invaders and Renaissance dukes.
If you look up the Tuscan Maremma on a map, you won t find it. Officially the territory aaa vacation packages goes by the rather dry name Provincia di Grosseto or Grosseto Province, but the locals have been calling it the Maremma for centuries and no one can seem to find a good enough reason to stop doing so now.
In the past, the Tuscan Maremma was a cluster of very independent states, which has left its modern residents with almost no inclination aaa vacation packages to band together to form one unified provincial transport system. This can make traveling on public transport fairly difficult. Some areas are serviced by a very efficient train network, but most aren t. That said, if you have patience aaa vacation packages and aren t easily fazed then you can reach almost every corner of the territory by bus.
Still, you re better off renting a car. The Tuscan highways in the territory aren t heavily trafficked so you don t have to worry about aggressive drivers. If you re flying into the Tuscan Maremma then pick up a car at the airport. The two closest airports are Rome s Fiumicino and Pisa s Galileo Galilei, depending on where you re staying, and this is where it gets tricky. Geographically, the Maremma covers almost one third of Tuscany. That means it will take you at least three hours to get from one end to the other, if you re lucky.
Whether you re traveling by car or public transport, you can t hope to see all of the Tuscan Maremma in one hit unless you want to spend the majority of your vacation in transit. The best thing to do is make a list of everything you want to see before you leave and plan your journey around that. If you want beaches, base yourself on the Argentario Coast. If you want to see the glory of the Etruscan empire, head for Vulci and the Fiora Valley. While if you want to immerse yourself in naturalistic pursuits, set yourself aaa vacation packages up in Monte Amiata.
If you couldn t possibly imagine staying in anything but utmost luxury than the Tuscan Maremma has a handful of high-end hotels. You ll find them in the main tourist spots Grosseto, Massa Marittima, Saturnia and the Argentario Coast.
But as magnificent as these hotels are, they re not going to offer you a real sense of the Tuscan Maremma. So much of this territory s charm lies in the fact that it is a provincial destination, unfussy and untouched by excessive tourism, so if you stay in a five star hotel, you re kind of missing the point.
You d be better off booking a B B or agriturismo . Not only are both considerably cheaper than any hotel, they re also family owned, so you ll wake up to a homemade breakfast of local sweets aaa vacation packages and coffee, usually included in the price, and plenty of friendly banter from the owners.
As an added plus, agriturismi are usually working farms. They ve been a staple in the Maremma since a few plucky farmers realized tourists wanted to stay on their considerable and considerably beautiful farmlands to experience the Tuscan lifestyle.
Most agriturismi offer you the choice of room or apartment, depending on the size of your group, aaa vacation packages and are usually converted historical buildings aaa vacation packages decorated in the typical country aaa vacation packages Maremman style think vintage furniture and exposed beams.
When it comes to entertainment, most agriturismi will have a pool at the very least, but you could also be treated to wine tasting sessions, cooking and horse riding lessons, olive oil and cheese making demonstrations, fishing trips and bike tours, the list goes on. Not to mention, there are always the hectares of open countryside for you to walk through or the kids to run wild through.
If you want beaches, you can while away the days on the crystal clear sands of the Argentario Coast, aaa vacation packages between Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano. Not impressed? Then book a tour to Giannutri Island. A breathtaking marine park, the island is only an hour from the mainland, giving you plenty of time to explore its beauty aaa vacation packages above and below the waterline.
If you re looking for a bit of history, pull on your sightseeing boots and pick an era. Every century from pre-historic to Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance is represented somewhere in the Tuscan Maremma. But for a quick fix, don t miss Vulci, one of the abandoned capitals of the Etruscan empire, Etruria, and now a massive open-air museum.
If you re a naturalist by nature then you re literally spoilt for choice in this corner of Southern Tuscany. Every year, hundreds of cycling enthusiasts pack their bags and their bikes and head for the trails that weave their way through the Tuscany Maremma s many nature parks. Those of us without bikes need not worry, there are plenty of other ways to appreciate the territory s incredible beauty including hiking, horse riding, skiing and sailing.
aaa vacation packages And finally, if you re itching for a spa holiday, forget about all the other activities mentioned above and head straight for Saturnia. The Tuscan Maremma is trumped as Italy s hottest hot spring destination and Saturnia is its capital. It s there that you ll find the paradisiacal Cascate del Mulino hot springs, where you can relax in 37°C water for free with the gorgeous Tuscan countryside as your backdrop. You ll never want to leave.
Elisa is an Australian journalist aaa vacation packages who came to Tuscany aaa vacation packages for a year, fell in love, how cliché? And decided to stick around. Not one to keep paradisaical holiday destinations to herself, she now writes a Tuscan travel blog and online travel guide about the infinitely beautiful Tuscan Maremma , so that others can get a taste of la dolce vita.
Thank you for this great post. It made be a bit nostalgic, with my last visit in the region I think some 10 years back. I think you have hit all the rights ideas on the mark. I would also recommend renting a car: other than the personal comfort, it is always nice just to be able to stop wherever you want to: some of the medieval villages may not even be in the guidebook, but are always worth a short walk (something you cannot do when travelling by train).
aaa vacation packages I have to admit that I wasn t that impressed with Vulci. Having seen Cerveteri, I was expecting it to be at least just as interesting and I think it lacked some of the bits at Cerveteri. In the same context, I would always recommend a visit to the Villa Giulia Museum in Rome for great Etruscan art.
I have been to Italy many years ago found it so beautiful. This is one country where you can sit and have Ice Cream and an elderly gentleman gives hands you your ice cream then in the next breath says Do you like motorcycles? Then a Vespa, Harley, BMW, Indian, Moto guzzi, aaa vacation packages and another scooter pulls up. All of the men are so good looking, you go for a ride on each bike.
I was just there! Loved my time at the Tarot Garden, an amazing mosaic sculpture aaa vacation packages park near Capalbio created by Niki de Saint Phalle www.nikidesaintphalle.com. I have never heard so much laughter around art there were school kids climbing around the sculptures, German and Italian tourists, all marveling over what Niki called her Garden of Joy. The nearby hilltop village of Capalbio is charming, and Tullio was a perfect place for lunch. I hit it driving out of Tuscany on my way to drop off the car at the Rome airport a perfect final day in Italy.
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