Why Southern Tuscany Is the Secret the Rest of Italy Keeps

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Most visitors to Tuscany spend their days between Florence, Siena, and the Chianti vineyards. A few venture to Pienza or San Gimignano. Almost nobody continues south.

That is exactly how the Maremma prefers it.

A Landscape Unlike Anything in the Guidebooks

The Maremma is the wild, largely unvisited southern edge of Tuscany. It stretches from the hills above Grosseto down to the coast, covering a landscape that feels nothing like the polished Tuscany of postcards.

Dense macchia scrubland rolls across volcanic hills. Pine forests run straight down to empty beaches. Wild boar root through the undergrowth at dusk, and kestrels circle above ancient Etruscan ruins.

The Parco Regionale della Maremma is one of the least-visited natural parks in Italy. Its trails wind through medieval watchtowers, wetlands thick with flamingos and herons, and a coastline that has barely changed in centuries.

The Three Hilltop Villages That History Forgot

The Maremma’s most extraordinary feature is a trio of hilltop villages carved directly into volcanic tuff rock. Geologically ancient, visually unlike anywhere else in Italy, and almost entirely free of tourists outside the summer months.

Pitigliano is the most dramatic. Its buildings grow out of the cliff face with no visible separation between the stone of the town and the rock beneath. For centuries it sheltered a significant Jewish community, and its old Jewish quarter — with a functioning synagogue, an ancient bakery, and a ritual bath carved into the rock — earned it the nickname “Little Jerusalem of Tuscany.”

A few kilometres away, Sovana is barely a village — a single cobbled street, a Romanesque cathedral, and a handful of stone houses. It sits beside a network of ancient Etruscan road tunnels cut deep into the tuff, some of them over nine metres high. The birthplace of Pope Gregory VII has never really recovered from the Middle Ages. That is its charm.

Sorano is the quietest of the three. Its medieval streets cling to a rock spur above a deep gorge, and outside the summer season you can walk for an hour without meeting another visitor.

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Italy’s Last Cowboys

Few people know that Tuscany has its own cowboy tradition. The Maremma butteri have worked this land for centuries, herding long-horned Maremmana cattle across the coastal marshes on Maremmano horses.

They use a long wooden staff rather than a lasso, and their methods have barely changed since the medieval period. In the 19th century, a group of American cowboys passing through challenged the butteri to a contest. The butteri won.

In the village of Alberese, the regional agricultural estate runs horseback excursions into the park. In May, the butteri stage a seasonal cattle drive that has been happening for over five centuries.

The Hot Springs That Cost Nothing to Enter

At the edge of the village of Saturnia, a natural waterfall of thermal water has been cascading into a series of travertine pools for thousands of years. The Romans mapped it. The Etruscans before them did the same.

The Cascate del Mulino is completely free. The water holds at 37°C all year. There is no booking system, no entrance fee, and no closing time. In the early morning, steam rises off the pale blue pools and the valley is entirely silent.

There is a private spa complex nearby if you want towels and a restaurant. But most people who know the Maremma skip it entirely. You can read more about Italy’s ancient thermal spring culture in this piece on why Italians have been soaking in the same springs for 2,000 years.

What to Eat and Drink Here

The Maremma has its own food identity, quite separate from the rest of Tuscany. Wild boar — cinghiale — is the defining ingredient. It appears as a slow-cooked ragù on pappardelle, as thick-cut salami eaten on rough bread, and as a stew with dark olives and rosemary.

The local wine is Morellino di Scansano, a Sangiovese-based red with a warmth that reflects the sun-baked hillsides it comes from. It is one of Tuscany’s most underrated DOCG wines, and far cheaper here than in Florence. Pair it with local pecorino from the hills around Pitigliano, made by shepherds who have barely changed their methods in generations.

If you are exploring the coast near Orbetello, try bottarga — the cured roe from the lagoon’s mullet. It is as close to the sea as you can taste without getting your feet wet.

The Maremma Alongside the Rest of Tuscany

The Maremma pairs beautifully with the more visited parts of Tuscany. The Val d’Orcia sits to the north-east, with its famous cypress avenues and hilltop towns. Volterra — on its high, wind-swept ridge — is less than two hours away.

But the Maremma rewards the visitors who come specifically for it. A few days here, staying in a farmhouse with nothing but wild hills and the smell of broom on the breeze, is as close to the Italy that existed before tourism as you are likely to find.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Maremma

What is the best time of year to visit the Maremma?

Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) offer the best conditions. The landscape is lush, the beaches are quiet, and the Saturnia hot springs are far less crowded than in summer. July and August bring Italian holidaymakers to the coast, but the inland villages remain calm throughout the year.

How do I get to the Maremma from Florence or Rome?

From Florence, Grosseto is around two hours by train or car. From Rome, the southern Maremma is roughly 90 minutes by car via the A1, or two hours by train to Orbetello. The inland villages — Pitigliano, Sovana, Sorano — require a hire car, as public bus connections are limited.

Are the Saturnia hot springs really free?

Yes, the Cascate del Mulino natural pools are completely free and open around the clock. A short walk from the roadside car park brings you to the travertine terraces and thermal waterfall. There is a private paid spa (Terme di Saturnia) nearby, but the free pools are what most visitors come for.

Is the Maremma good for first-time visitors to Tuscany?

It is better suited to visitors who have already seen Florence, Siena, and the Chianti area and want something less structured. The Maremma rewards slow travel — a hire car, no fixed schedule, and a willingness to follow side roads. For a first-time Tuscany visit, consider combining it with the Val d’Orcia for a fuller picture of the region.

You Might Also Enjoy

• The Val d’Orcia: Tuscany’s Most Photographed Landscape — rolling hills, cypress avenues, and medieval hill towns in the heart of Tuscany.
• Why Volterra Feels Like Tuscany Before the Tourists Arrived — alabaster workshops and Etruscan walls on an isolated Tuscan ridge.
• Why Italians Have Been Soaking in the Same Hot Springs for 2,000 Years — the ancient spa culture behind Italy’s thermal spring traditions.

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