Maremma, Tuscany
Province of Grosseto — sea, hills and Etruscan hill towns between Tuscany and Lazio
Maremma: where the sea meets the tuff
Maremma is a vast geographical region of about 5,000 km² spanning Tuscany and Lazio, facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its core corresponds to the province of Grosseto (the so-called Maremma Grossetana), but the name historically also extends to the coastal strip between Piombino and Cecina, in the province of Livorno, reaching into Lazio as far as Civitavecchia. The territory is mostly flat and alluvial, but also includes broad hilly areas.
Source: BiblioToscana — Region of Tuscany
The best-known and most “authentic” part of Maremma, the Grosseto area, stretches from the Gulf of Follonica in the north down to the mouth of the Chiarone stream in the south, on the border with Lazio, and is bordered to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, from which the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago — Elba, Montecristo, Giglio and Giannutri — can be seen on clear days.
Sources: Wikipedia — Maremma, Wikipedia — Maremma Regional Park
Why Maremma is unique
🐎 The land of the butteri
Maremma is the land of the “butteri”, the horse-mounted herdsmen who have managed herds of Maremmana cattle for centuries. Local lore, handed down through period press accounts, holds that in 1890 the Maremma butteri challenged and defeated the cowboys of Buffalo Bill’s show performing in Rome.
Source: Sagr.it — Maremma
🏞️ Protected, wild nature
The Maremma Regional Park (Uccellina Park) covers a 9,000-hectare coastal area between Principina a Mare and Talamone, in the province of Grosseto, featuring the last free-flowing stretch of the Ombrone river, the Uccellina Mountains reaching 417 metres, and a coastline that alternates sandy beaches with cliffs.
🕍 Coexistence and Jewish heritage
In Pitigliano, the historic and tolerant coexistence between the Christian and Jewish communities earned the town the nickname “Little Jerusalem”: today visitors can follow the tuff-carved path telling this story, alongside the old ghetto.
Source: Una Goccia di Colore — The most beautiful villages of Maremma (Italian)
The wonders of Maremma
Pitigliano
An Etruscan hill town perched on a spur of tuff rock, with the Medici aqueduct designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Palazzo Orsini and the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.
Source: Una Goccia di Colore (Italian)
Sovana and Sorano
Sovana, listed among “Italy’s most beautiful villages”, preserves Piazza del Pretorio and the Duomo on a spur of tuff; Sorano, carved into the rock, is nicknamed “the Matera of Tuscany”.
Source: Maremmano B&B (Italian)
Capalbio
Nicknamed “the little Athens”, Capalbio is enclosed by 15th-century walls and is a significant tourist destination in southern Maremma.
Source: Borghi Toscana (Italian)
Castiglione della Pescaia and Argentario
Along the coast, Porto Ercole, Porto Santo Stefano, Castiglione della Pescaia and Talamone alternate rocky cliffs with sandy beaches, with Castiglione della Pescaia among the best-known fishing-village resorts.
Source: Bella Toscana
Maremma Regional Park
9,000 hectares between Principina a Mare and Talamone, featuring the Uccellina Mountains, the Trappola marsh, and a coastline that mixes beaches with cliffs plunging into the sea.
Source: Wikipedia
Diaccia Botrona
A wetland near Castiglione della Pescaia, rich in birdlife including flamingos, among Maremma’s protected nature reserves.
Source: Sagr.it — Maremma
Tarot Garden (Giardino dei Tarocchi)
A park of monumental sculptures inspired by the Major Arcana of the tarot, created in the late 1970s by artist Niki de Saint Phalle, known for her colourful sculptures displayed in numerous European squares.
Source: Turisti per Caso (Italian)
Sovana Archaeological Park
An Etruscan necropolis from the 4th–3rd century BC with chamber tombs carved into the tuff, discovered in 1843 by an English archaeologist.
Source: Turisti per Caso (Italian)
The flavours of Maremma cuisine
Maremma cuisine grew out of farming and pastoral tradition: vegetable soups, game (wild boar above all), cheeses and fresh egg pasta are its defining traits. One symbolic product is “pane sciapo” (saltless bread), which thanks to long leavening keeps for up to a week and, once stale, becomes the base for other dishes.
Source: Il Giornale del Cibo (Italian)
🍝 Dishes not to miss
Acquacotta
A humble soup of vegetables and wild herbs, of very ancient origin, tied to the tradition of the Maremma butteri.
Source: Il Giornale del Cibo (Italian)
Tortelli maremmani
Large fresh-pasta parcels filled with ricotta and chard (or spinach), dressed with meat or wild boar ragù, or simply butter and sage.
Source: Il Giunco (Italian)
Scottiglia
A mixed-meat stew (chicken, beef, pork, rabbit) cooked together in a terracotta pot with tomato and wine, served over toasted Tuscan bread.
Source: Il Giunco (Italian)
Ciaffagnone
A thin crêpe made from eggs, water and flour, said by tradition to have originated in the 15th century in the Manciano area.
Source: Principe Corsini (Italian)
Wild boar stew (cinghiale in umido)
Wild boar meat is prepared in many ways: ragù for tortelli and pappardelle, hunter-style (alla cacciatora), or stewed.
Source: Maremma.it (Italian)
Caldaro
A mixed fish soup (shrimp, octopus, mantis shrimp) typical of the Maremma coast, found on most local restaurant menus.
Source: Maremma.it (Italian)
Maremma’s calendar of events
🔥 Torciata di San Giuseppe — Pitigliano, March 19
A large bonfire that bids farewell to winter in Pitigliano, rooted in Etruscan tradition.
Source: Sagr.it — Maremma festivals
🍷 Sagra del Morellino e della Brace — Scansano, July 9–12, 2026
Four days dedicated to Morellino di Scansano DOCG paired with grilled meats, held at Scansano’s Campo Sportivo.
Source: Cosa Fare in Toscana (Italian)
🍇 Morellino Classica — Scansano, July–August
A summer event dedicated to Morellino di Scansano DOCG, featuring tastings in the wine cellars of the historic centre and related events.
Source: Sagr.it — Maremma festivals
🐗 Sagra del Cinghiale — Capalbio, September
One of Maremma’s best-known events, dedicated to the region’s traditional game dishes.
Source: Sagr.it — Maremma festivals
Maremma’s protected-designation products
Maremma is home to three protected-designation products: Morellino di Scansano DOCG (the region’s signature red wine), Bottarga di Orbetello (a Slow Food Presidium), and Pecorino Toscano DOP, a sheep’s-milk cheese with a soft or semi-hard texture typical of the Maremma countryside.
Source: Sagr.it — Maremma products
3 days in Maremma, step by step
Pitigliano and Etruscan tuff
Visit the hill town of Pitigliano, the Medici aqueduct, Palazzo Orsini and the Jewish heritage path carved into the tuff.
Sovana and Sorano
Walk through the Etruscan necropolis of the Sovana Archaeological Park and visit Sorano, a hill town carved into the rock.
Maremma Regional Park
An excursion through the Uccellina Mountains and the coast of the Maremma Regional Park, between Principina a Mare and Talamone.
Places and coordinates based on: Una Goccia di Colore (Italian), Wikipedia — Maremma Regional Park
FAQ — Maremma, Tuscany
Among the best-known: the Torciata di San Giuseppe in Pitigliano (March 19), Morellino Classica in Scansano (July–August), and the Sagra del Cinghiale in Capalbio (September).
Source: Sagr.it
The Maremma Regional Park (Uccellina Park) and the Diaccia Botrona Nature Reserve, a wetland known for its birdlife near Castiglione della Pescaia.
Source: Sagr.it
Morellino di Scansano DOCG, Bottarga di Orbetello (a Slow Food Presidium), and Pecorino Toscano DOP.
Source: Sagr.it
Because of the historic, tolerant coexistence between the Christian and Jewish communities, who settled there from the 15th century onward, leaving behind a synagogue, a ghetto, and cellars carved into the tuff.
Source: Sagr.it
They are the horse-mounted herdsmen who, since the Middle Ages, have managed herds of Maremmana cattle; according to local lore, in 1890 they challenged and defeated the cowboys of Buffalo Bill’s show performing in Rome.
Source: Sagr.it
A destination worth exploring slowly
Compared with other parts of Tuscany, Maremma remains a destination still off the mass-tourism beaten path, even though its popularity among both Italian and international visitors has grown in recent years.
Source: Bella Toscana
Who wrote this article? On what basis?
📋 Transparency & verifiability
Who wrote it: Giuseppe Baldassarri — ItalyTrade.org.
What evidence it’s based on: every paragraph carries its verified source directly underneath it; unverifiable statistical sections (arrivals, visitor origin, aggregate ratings) have been omitted.
Are there other viewpoints? for more detail on individual villages or events, please refer to the official websites of the relevant municipalities.
Possible hidden interest: none. Independent editorial content.
Giuseppe Baldassarri
Sales & Account Manager · Destination & Export Digital Marketing Manager · Travel Designer · TTO
Website: ItalyTrade.org — Travel & Business | Italy: Made in Italy
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