Albarese | Parco Naturale delle Maremma

Capalbio


Colline Metallifere


la costa Toscana

Walking along the Tuscan coast

Crete Senesi

         
Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore

Grosseto


Manciano


Montagnola Senese

         Walking in the Montagnola senese


Montalcino

Monte Amiata

         Walking on Monte Amiata


Montepulciano

Prato

Scansano

Siena

          Fonti di Siena

Sorano

Sovana

Val d'Elsa

Val d'orcia

          Montalcino

          Pienza

          Sant'Antimo

          San Quirico d'Orcia

          Radicofani

          Walking in the Val d'Orcia


Val di Chiana

         Montepulciano

         Montefollonico


Valle d'Ombrone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 
La Costa Toscana

Parco Naturale della Maremma


Toscana, Galleria di immagini  
     
   


Parco Naturale della Maremma

 
   
   

The ancient Romans were the first to cultivate the marshes of the Maremma, but after the collapse of their empire the area went virtually uninhabited until the 18th entury. The land has since been reclaimed, the irrigation canals unblocked and farming developed on the fertile soil. The Parco Naturale dell’Uccellina was set up in 1975 to protect the abundant local flora and fauna and prevent more development taking place.

The Maremma Nature Park can be reached both from Alberese and from Talamone and includes a number of different itineraries. The Park's fascination lies in the diversity of its environments. In the marshy zone, the last example of the swamps that were typical of the Maremma countryside, flora and fauna live in perfect balance. Rare birds such as the Black-winged Stilt and the Mallard live here as well as migratory birds of all types and unique plants like the wild orchid. The pine forest in Alberese and the Monti dell'Uccellina constitute an uncontaminated hillside environment covered by thick Mediterranean scrub, including the strawberry tree and the mastic tree. Fragrant bushes like heather and rosemary grow in the occasional clearings and rare dwarf palms cling to the rocks. You regularly see horses and Maremma cattle grazing and its not unusual to spot wild boar, deer and roe deer in the area. And finallym there are the splendid beaches with all their wild fascination unmarred. From Principina a Mare to Alberese and on to Cala di Forno the coast is a long line of beaches, with many untouched stretches of dunes covered with white lilies and other native plants. Another important factor in the Park is anthropological. The prehistoric finds from various caves demonstrate that area was settled in the very distant past. Remains from an Etruscan settlement have been ascertained at the port in Talamone. The Roman presence is more widely represented by the ruins of the Ponte del Diavolo on the left bank of the Ombrone and the remains of a villa on the southern slopes of the Monti dell'Uccellina. However, the most significant remains are certainly the watchtowers constructed during the Sienese dominion for defence against the Saracen invasions. There are seven left standing: Trappola, Castelmarino, Collelungo, Uccellina, Cala di Forno, Bella Marsilia and Cannelle. On the eastern side of the Monti dell'Uccellina chain is the San Rabano Abbey. Here, the meeting with man's past is even mora amazing. This imposing religious monument, founded in the 11th century by Benedectine monks, is a splendid example of Romanesque architecture with ornamental freezes and capitals marvellously inserted into a beautiful natural environment. A work of human intelligence, that stands as an oasis in the park's untamed panorama of scrub, mountains and swamps. The Azienda Agricola Regionale di Alberese (The Alberese Regional Agriculture Concern) has worked within the Park for more than twenty years. The enterprise covers over 4.200 hectares including areas left as wood as and marshes and others used as pastures or cultivated in olive trees, vineyards and grain. Organic planting, in addition to that for wine and oil, is directed toward the production of organically raised meat from Maremma free-range calves fed entirely with fodder produced by the concern itself. The Azienda also boasts of an artistic and architectural heritage that has been improved and restored: the Villa Granducale, used as its official seat; the San Rabano Abbey; the Collelungo tower; the Lorraine Storehouses in Sergolaia where various types of agricultural machinery from the 19th century are on exhibit. Not only history is preserved, but also tradition. The “buttero” or cowboy's skill has been included by the Tuscan Regional government among the ancient jobs at risk of disappearing. Traditionally the buttero has always cared for the cattle raised on the range in this area comprising wide, open spaces, rocky slopes and marshes. And today, as before, the few remaining butteri follow the herd throughout the year, check the pastures, train horses, maintain the stalls and fencing and personally take care of their equipment, saddles and harnesses, as they're also skilled at working leather.[1]

 
In the North of Ombrone    

There is a plain covered by Paludi della Trappola: that is a system of stretches of water, partly seasonal and partly permanent (the so-called "chiari" or "bozzi") alternating with not very evident dunes. A typical feature of this Park area is the presence of Maremma cattle bred in a wild state all year round. The inland waters house several migratory aquatic birds during the winter, but other avifauna species live here all year round. The farthest lands from the see have been subject to reclamation activities, and are now covered by agricultural fields and modern zootechnical breedings. The territory described forms part of the delta of Ombrone, a stretch of which cuts with meanders the Park territory.

On the Left of the Mouth of Ombrone

On the left of the mouth of the river Ombrone there is a territory characterized by a compact system of dunes alternating with marshy grounds of limited size and mainly covered with a pinewood. The Stone Pine wood is separated from the sea by a strip of Maritime Pines having the function to protect the territory from the harmful action of the salty winds. This area is crossed by some artificial canals dating back to the 18th-century first land reclamations.

The Park Central and Southern Area

 

Swamps near Ombrone River (Tuscany)

Swamps near Ombrone River (Tuscany)

The central and southern Park areas are dominated by Monti dell'Uccellina, is a system of mountains, partly of calcareous nature and partly siliceous, reaching the 417 meters of Poggio Lecci. These mountains are today almost completely covered with a thick forest vegetation (Mediterranean maquis). Only the lower part of the slopes has been deforested and transformed into olive grove or pasture. On Uccellina Mountains there are ancient religious towers and buildings witnessing the past human presence and activity in the area: the Abbey of San Rabano - which is very damaged - and the towers of Castelmarino, Collelungo, Cala di Forno, and Bella Marsilia.
Talamone stands on a little promontory, dominated by an ancient Sienese fortress, to the extreme south of the Monti dell'Uccellina. There are the remains of a Roman villa, while in the caves forming at the foot of the calcareous cliffs some prehistorical evidences dating back to the Paleolithic period have been found.


The Park is open all year round, all week.
To enter, purchase tickets at the entrance at the Visitor Center. It is possible to take a tour on your own or in a group, with a guide or not, depending on the time of the year.
To enter the Park, purchase tickets at the entrance at the Visitor Centers.

The Visitor Centres of the Park (Centro Visite del Parco) are situated in Alberese and in Talamone.

Alberese Visitor Center
Via del Bersagliere, 7/9 - Alberese (Gr)
Tel. +39 0564 407098 - Fax. +39 0564 407278
Open every day including holidays with the following timetable: from October 1 to March 22, 8.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.; from March 23 to September 30, 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Visitor Center and Talamone Aquarium
Via Nizza, 12 - Talamone (Gr)
Tel. +39 0564 887173 - Fax. +39 0564 887173
Open every day including holidays with the following timetable: from September 1 to June 30, 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.; from July 1 to August 31, 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon and from 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

More info

 

Alberese, Monti dell’Uccellina

Alberese, Monti dell’Uccellina

Trekking in the Parco Naturale della Maremma

A1 - San Rabano | Departure: from Pratini | 7,2 km, 3.30 hours

   
It is a spectacular itinerary for the wonderful views it offers and for the presence of an abbey at half of the itinerary. It presents some difficulties linked to the morphological features of the itinerary itself. The ascent you will find at the beginning covers a difference in height of about 300 meters and is accessible to everyone by taking the necessary precautions.


A2 - The Towers | Departure: from Pratini | 6 km, 3 hours

It is a short itinerary accessible to everyone, but it has a steep and slippery descent when you reach the first tower. It is considered the most representative itinerary of the Park because it touches all the environments of the protected area offers beautiful views.

A3 - The Caves | Departure: from Pratini | 9,6 km, 3 hours

The itinerary of the caves is different from the other ones, first of all because it is rather easy to go through, and secondly because its main point of interest is the area where the grand-ducal pinewood lies. As a matter of fact, the main points of interest of this itinerary are the pinewood, the Scoglietto - Collelungo canal, and the caves.

A4 - Cala di Forno | Departure: from Pratini | 12 km, 4 hours

It is a demanding itinerary not only for the harshness of the territory, but for its length: as a matter of fact, it does not present uphills or descents and it has not dangerous locations. If you are well-trained, you can finish the itinerary in a shorter time with respect to the scheduled one.


A5/A6 - Dedicated to fauna and forest | Departure: from the Church in Alberese, on the left of the façade | 6 km, 2 hours

The itinerary dedicated to forest and fauna is a didactic itinerary developing on an area of about forty hectares. It mainly develops on a level ground, at intermediate altitude on the hill facing Alberese. It does not present any difficulty and it has been partly equipped for disabled people.


A7 - Mouth of the river Ombrone | Departure: from the parking area in Marina di Alberese, go back for about 500 meters up to a little bridge. From here take a secondary asphalt road (close to the traffic) going northwards | 5 km, about 2 hours

The itinerary leading to the mouth of the river Ombrone is without a doubt one of the most interesting itineraries in the Park. An easy and entirely flat route, 50% of which developing along an asphalt road and suitable for everyone, also for disabled people.


A8 - Macchiozze (Observation Point) | 500 meters, about 1 hour

T1 - Punta del Corvo | about 3 kms, about 2 hours

The itinerary starts from the Visitor Center of the Caprarecce. A slightly uphill road surrounded by dry vegetation leads us to an area characterized by a higher vegetation until you reach the almost flat ridge itinerary. The route continues up to a panoramic area called Punta del Corvo, where there is a covered-roof terrace giving the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful view over the coast and some islands of the Archipelago Toscano.

T2 - Cannelle | about 7,5 kms, about 3 hours

The departure of this itinerary takes place from the Visitor Center of the Caprarecce. After a slightly uphill road surrounded by dry vegetation, you will enter an area characterized by a higher vegetation (an ilex grove artificially maintained in a shrub state with periodical cuttings) until you reach the ridge itinerary near the location Punta del Corvo.

T3 - Poggio Raso | about 10 km, about 5 hours

Also this itinerary leaves from the same departure point of T1 and T2, that is from Caprarecce, but T3 develops in its initial part along the stretch used in the other itineraries for the return. It is characterized by uphill stretches, in particular as far as the final one is concerned, until you reach the ridge.

P1 - Birdwatching Chiari della Trappola | about 2,5 km, about 2 hours

It is a very easy itinerary, mainly developing on level ground. It can be gone through only during the winter and with guided visits.

 

Detailed map with all the itineraries in the Parco Naturale della Maremma.

 

 

 


A8 - Macchiozze
Marina di Grosseto

 

Spiaggia Collelungo (percorso A3 - Le Grotte)

Spiaggia Collelungo (percorso A3 - Le Grotte)

Cycling in Tuscany | Mbt


Alberese and the Parco Naturale della Maremma
| 24,46 km | 2h 26m

The route starts at the Alberese Visitor Center. Once you have purchased the admission ticket you can start to discover the Maremma Park along the first 500 meters of the bike path that leads to Marina di Alberese, then turn left on Via degli Olivi and get to the first gate that borders the fenced area of the Park and marks the beginning of the "Pinastrellaia" cycle route. After the gate we will find ourselves in the heart of the protected area.

 

 


Country road, Natural Park of Maremma, Via Bersagliere, Alberese Grosseto, Tuscany, Italia - panoramio

   

Country road, Natural Park of Maremma, Via del Bersagliere

 

     
   
   

Abbazia di San Rabano

 

 
   
 I migliori siti vacanze in Toscana
Vacanze in Maremma
Vacanze in Maremma | I migliori siti vacanze in Toscana | Podere Santa Pia

 
   

Torre del Cala di Forno
Podere Santa Pia
Podere Santa Pia

Torre del Cala di Forno

         


Talamone

Marina di Albarese

The most famous part of the Maremma is the Parco Naturale della Maremma, otherwise known as the Parco dell'Uccellina

Principina a Mare

The Ombrone River located along the coast of Maremma Grossetana, where it flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea in Principina a Mare.




Once upon a time, Tuscany's Mount Argentario was an island. Now this rock is joined to the coast by way of three thin strips of land. Two of these, the Tombolo della Feniglia and the Tombolo della Giannella have formed naturally over the centuries, the other, the Orbetello lagoon dam (an artificial embankment serving as bridge) was constructed by man in 1840. Orbetello is a pleasant town of Tuscan Maremma, home to a number of noteworthy historic buildings. One of these is the Polveriera Guzman, edifice which now houses the town's Archaeological Museum. Then there is the renaissance style Palazzo del Podestà, the Gothic cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built on the ruins of an ancient Etruscan-Roman temple, and the Ciclopiche walls, erected in the 5th century B.C by the Etruscans.

The main attraction of Orbetello is the unique ecosystem created by those three tongues of sand which link the town with Mount Argentario. In the two coastal lagoons that have formed on either side of Orbetello, dozens of fish and bird species have found their natural habitat, including great colonies of pink flamingoes.
Close by, between the slopes of Mount Argentario and the Tyrrhenian coast, lie the famous bathing resorts of Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole. The islands of Giglio and Giannutri are just a short boat ride away. Ideal place where to practice a whole variety of watersports, with its fabulous panoramic coastal pathways the Argentario is also perfect walking and mountain biking terrain, extremely popular with fitness fans and lovers of the great outdoors.

The Maremma is outstanding for its many protected natural areas that offer the chance to appreciate its wide variety of animals, insects and birds, trees, shrubs and flowers and to enjoy its special light and scenic beauty.The Nature Reserves aren't separate from the rest of the territory, but are symbolic of an integral whole. The Maremma affirms a way of life in harmony with nature and the rhythm of the seasons.
The Parco Naturale della Maremma encompasses the Monti dell'Uccellina, running parallel to the coastline from Principina a Mare to Talamone and was one of the first protected areas instituted in Italy.
Today the Province of Grosseto can boast of 13 Nature Reserves, an additional 8 which include Reserves for Repopulation, Biogenetics, Protection and Comprehensive Protection, plus the various oasis of the WWF. In all, there are almost 40,000 hectares of nature reserves stretching from north to south. They provide a complex and detailed vision of the wealth of the Maremma's natural heritage in all of its diversity from coast to inland, wet zones and mountain crests.
The numerous routes indicated within the parks enable the visitor to perceive the vastness of the preservation project and the botanical, zoological and geological wealth, differentiation, and beauty offered.

Maremma's natural heritage | www.parco-maremma.it

The Maremma coast has many facets: the mystical atmosphere of the Orbetello Lagoon and the golden, groomed beaches of the Feniglia and the Giannella not far from the Capalbio coast with lunar sand and wild, untouched dunes making it unique. The Islands of Giglio and Giannutri are rare jewels with rocky cliffs plummeting to the crystal-clear, emerald green sea and the scent of the Mediterranean scrub and aromatic herbs filling the air.

Fully equipped tourist ports such as Punta Ala, the fishing villages of Talamone, Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole on the slopes of the Argentario, reveal panoramic views over the coast and the islands and offer unforgetable sunsets spread across the sky.
Fortresses, citadels and towers clinging to the rocks create a vision of the time when these ancient ports, like those of Orbetello and Castiglione della Pescaia, were fortified. Today they offer a unique backdrop for those who "take to the sea" along a Mediterranean course.
The most beautiful regions in Tuscany | Parco Naturale della Maremma

The Tuscan Archipelago is a chain of islands between the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, west of Tuscany, Italy. The archipelago contains the islands of Elba (224 km2 - the largest island of the group), then Giglio (24 km2), Capraia (19 km2), Montecristo (13 km2), Pianosa (10 km2), Giannutri (3 km2) and Gorgona (2 km2). All the Islands are protected as part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, the larger sea park in Europe (total 295 km2).
Tuscany | The Tuscan Archipelago

Talamone, a picturesque and solitary fishing village,stands on a little promontory, dominated by an ancient Sienese fortress, to the extreme south of the Monti dell'Uccellina. In antiquity Talamone was an Etruscan port.
At the top of the rocky hill you can see a wonderful view, following the coast line of Osa, you see right up until the promontory of Argentario (about 30 minutes by car) with its jagged coast, its coves with crystal clear sea.
A zone that will leave a lasting charm and certainly unforgettable, also appart from it being interesting, this a very popular destination for skin diving as in the depths of the sea there are beauliful sealife views (for more information: The Argentario Coast Diving Centre).
Near to Talamone is the spa of Osa. Here, a spring of suphureous water with a temperature of 32°C is exploited for the therapeutic purposes. The virtues of the waters of Osa have been renowned since time beyond recall. They were in use in Roman times and remains of buildings equipped for thermal cures have been excaved in the zone known as Bagno dell'Osa as well as in the Le Tombe district.

According to a legend handed down from classical literature the eponym of this town was Telamone, the son of Eaco, who landed here with the Argonauts by coming back from Colchide. The Grecian hero died here and was buried under the promontory.
An important archaeological discovery made on the Talamonaccio hill concerns some fragments of Etruscan sculpture, which dates back roughly to 150 b. C. and in which is represented the final act of the Edipo’s curse during the war of Seven years against Thebes. This subject represented for the Etruscans the end of their history.

The local beach of Talamone has become a very popular area to practice the sport of Kitesurfing. Among the monuments of interest is the fortress which stands out from the promontory, overlooking the entire village, the Chiesa della Madonna delle Grazie and the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta?

The name of Alberese first appears in the XIth century, when the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria Alborense was founded, subsequently called San Rabano and destined to dominate the history of the entire area for the fifty years which followed. With the crisis of the monastic order, the Abbey fell into decline, and its long history closes with the passage of the Knights of Malta. In 1470, Beuccio Capacci, prior of the order, had a fortified building constructed which today is the Villa Fattoria Granducale which overlooks the town.
At the end of the 1500's, rule passed to the Medici family, up until the coming of the Corsini, in 1740, who, in 100 years, reduced the town to quite desperate conditions. It was then that, in 1839, Leopoldo II of Lorraine decided to purchase the Alberese estate and to undertake the work of reclaiming and developing the lands which had now become marshland, of improving the equipment and introducing new methods of cultivation. This, until the First World War broke out and following which, the holdings of the Lorraine, administered by the duke Pietro Lante della Rovere, were confiscated and passed to the State. Finally, in 1926, Alberese was ceded to the Opera Nazionale Combattenti (the Military Veterans association) which, during the fascist period, finished the reclamation work, dividing the land into lots and building farms which were then assigned to families of share-croppers, the most of whom came from the Veneto region. In 1977, this association was abolished and the lands were purchased by the Region of Tuscany, which, still today, administers them.

 

Galleria Monti dell'Uccellina

 

   
Cala di forno   Alberese, Monti dell'Uccellina   Port di Talamone, Talamone, Grosseto

Cala di Forno

 

  Alberese, Monti dell'Uccellina   Porto di Talamone

www.parks.it provides interesting information and itineraries.

Parco Naturale della Maremma | www.parks.it | Map | Itineraries | (Eng) (Deutsch) (It)

 



Maps available in Podere Santa Pia

Kompass 651 (2005), Maremma, Argentario, Grosseto, Isola del Gigilo 1 : 50 000.
Edizioni Multigraphic, Parco di Montioni - Alta Maremma 1 : 25 000.

 


[1] Source: Sito ufficiale del Turismo in Maremma | www.turismoinmaremma.it
MaremmaToscana | Agenzia per il turismo di Grosseto
Viale Monterosa, 206
58100 Grosseto
Tel 0564462611



Vulci, Castello della Badia
The oasis Vulci extends along the river Fiora, where a water fall has originated a small lake, lago Pellicone, where it is possible to bathe.

Sant'Antimo