Capalbio
A medieval tower on a hill coming out from the Mediterranean wood and watching to the sea: “Capalbio is a castle located high on a hill, which overlooks a wide piece of country and spreads out the look to far villages” (G.Santi, 1795).
The wild boar is his symbol; in the graveyard, partly inside and partly outside the consecrated land, was buried Tiburzi, the brigand symbol of a malarial land, how was once the Maremma.
One enters the medieval centre, which still has a pyramidal structure, by a gate dominated by the coat of arms of Siena: a gold lion which shows with its right paw a bald human head, the symbol of Capalbio.  The ancient castle with its crenelated tower is still equipped with glacises, crenels and rounds, from which one enjoys the amazing landscape throughout the country, the sea and the outlines of the islands of Tuscan archipelago.
Worth visiting is the Romanesque church of San Nicola (in town): its inside walls are decorated with Renaissance frescoes and Romanesque capitals with zoomorphic images, racemes of grapes, palmettes, little roses and stylized leaves. The Oratory of Providence (outside the walls) where is kept a fresco representing Virgin Mary enthroned with the Child, angels and saints, attributed to Pinturicchio (circa 1510).

A proposal of possible itineraries
From Capalbio one can make several excursions and pleasant and interesting itineraries.
We suggest some destinations, of course we advise to take also further and more complete information at the Tourist office (APT).

From Capalbio, inwards until you reach the SS74 leading to Marsiliana, once important Etruscan village (Caletra: the wrought things made of gold and filigree found in the graves are exhibited in the Museum of Florence) and then farmhouse of princes Corsini; to Manciano (village in the hinterland dominated by a Sienese fortress, beside which there is the Museum of prehistory and protohistory of Fiora Valley) from which one can proceed towards Pitigliano (the wonderful village dug in the tufa, where lately has been recuperated a wide part of the Jewish ghetto – the “little Jerusalem” – and where the works of religious art and numerous Etruscan finds are collected – diocesan museum). From there one proceeds towards Sovana (Etruscan village, then Roman and medieval town, birthplace of Pope Gregory VII, and known for its monumental graves, for the streets dug in the tufa and for the wonderful cathedral) or towards Sorano.

From Manciano one can also choose the way to the famous spa thermal baths of Saturnia, after visiting the small medieval town Montemerano, surrounded with olive groves, and its church dedicated to S. George with its frescoes and wonderful works of art attributed to Sienese Vecchietta and Sano di Pietro.

Coming down to the Aurelia road one can also choose among naturalistic routes (the lake of Burano, WWF Reserve, sighting point and shelter for aquatic birds; or the State tombolo of Feniglia) or an historical-archaeological route which goes through the area of the ancient Roman colonization, from Ansedonia (where one can still admire the ancient Roman town Cosa) to the Villa di Settefinestre, through the old metallurgic area of Pescia Fiorentina, towards Tarquinia (with its set of frescoed graves) and Vulci with its castle, now used as museum and testimony of Etruscan civilization.

Tarquinia, on a hill in a panoramic position with view on the Tyrrhenian Sea, is a picturesque town rich in medieval monuments. Worth visiting are the Archaeological Museum, where there is the largest collection of Etruscan art and civilization; the Palace Vitelleschi, in the centre of the town, wonderful Gothic-Renaissance building, and the churches: Santa Maria Val Verde (XIII century); the cathedral, dated back to ancient time, destroyed by fire in 1643 and rebuilt in 1656; Santa Maria di Castello (Romanic church begun in 1121); San Giovanni Battista (once benefice in commendam for the Knights of Malta) with nave and two aisles divided by columns with Gothic apses; the tower of San Pancrazio; the Palace of Priors, the set of buildings of Santo Spirito; the tower and the small church of San Martino.

Tuscania, on a wide tableland of tufa, is an historical and artistic town, it was once an Etruscan centre of primary importance, then Roman town, and it largely keeps its medieval setting up. The district of Tuscania and its neighbourhood are part of the Natural Reserve of Tuscania, which extends for 1900 hectares on a rich territory for what concerns the attractions whether environmental or historical and artistic. In the historical centre worth visiting are the Renaissance church of Santa Maria del Riposo, which was built in 1495 on the ruins of a former Roman-Gothic building, with a simple front and supported by three strong buttresses  and portal of volcanic stone.  Attached to the church there is the Franciscan monastery which now-a-days lodges the National Museum of Tuscania.
Among the several churches worth visiting there are: Santa Maria delle Rose, San Silvestro, Sant’Agostino, San Francesco, Santa Maria Maggiore (wonderful Romanesque church, with Gothic influences, dated back to VIII century, almost all rebuilt in XII c. and consecrated in 1206); San Pietro (wonderful Romanesque-Lombard church, one of the most interesting of the Italian Middle Ages).

Not to miss near the lake of Bolsena is the visit to the destroyed town of Castro: it was found in 1537 as capital city of a small state (the duchy of Castro) by the will of Pope Paul III Farnese, for his son Pier Luigi. The architect Sangallo projected the most important public buildings, the ruins of which are still visible: the ducal palace, the cathedral, the mint. The town was nearly all destroyed by the citizens themselves in 1649 by Pope’s will. Near an Etruscan necropolis dug in the tufa a Crucifix is still kept, it is considered as miraculous and object of devotion also by the people of Monte Amiata.

If one prefers a more worldly trip or shopping, can easily reach Orbetello and Monte Argentario. Orbetello is an important tourist resort and a lively commercial town raising from the lagoon, moreover a destination for many species of birds of passage, including pink flamingos. It has Etruscan origins (parts of the city walls remain and many Etruscan and Roman finds now exhibited in the fortress-museum Guzmann, and the Etruscan pediment of the temple of Talamone); Orbetello shows itself with its characteristic gates and parts of Spanish walls (the fortifications were begun in 1557 under Philip II). The principal monument is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, which –according to the tradition – was founded on a pagan temple, enlarged in XIII century and rebuilt by Orsini in 1376, it was rearranged in the XVII century and two aisles were added. Of the Gothic building it remains the façade of travertine with its bell-shaped structure, pointed arch portal and several stylistic late Gothic elements. Inside the cathedral, among other things, it is kept an altar-frontal of marble dated back to the IX c. decorated with panels with branches, zoomorphic figures, bunches of grapes, and knots.
Two tombolo of sand (Giannella, where is located a WWF building-laboratory, and the State property Feniglia: both characterized  by a tourist settlements, but also by point of sighting of aquatic birds) connect Orbetello with Monte Argentario, a promontory which was once a real island, where raise Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole (the latter is dominated by the Spanish fortress recalling the period of Spanish domination, during which that land was an enclave called “Stato dei Presidi”), in summer they are destination of many VIP.
From Porto Santo Stefano (where one can buy very good fresh fish) one can sail to Giglio Island.

Continuing northwards along the Aurelia road one finds Talamone, located in the southern part of natural Park of Maremma. It was an Etruscan town and in Talamonaccio was found the pediment (exhibited in Orbetello) of a big temple: it recalls the Roman victory over the Gallic in 225 b. C. and it represents war scenes of the Seven against Thebes – the last chapter of Oedipus’s myth. Belonging to the Abbey of San Salvatore, as port was disputed between Siena (which at last get the possession) and Florence. Enclosed in medieval walls, it is overlooked by a fortress of grey stone.
Talamone was part of the “Stato dei Presidi” and in 1860 it was used as landing place by Garibaldi during his journey to Sicily by the exploit of Thousand.

In front of Monte Argentario there are the islands of Giglio and Giannutri. The Island of Giglio is the second isle of Tuscan archipelago and it is 14 Km far from Argentario, with which is bounded by daily connections to Porto Santo Stefano. Made up of terraced cultivation of vines for the production of Ansonica, it was a Roman port (area of Giglio Porto); Giglio Castello is probably dated back to X c. and was used as defence against barbarian incursions. It has high and irregular medieval walls, connected by cylindrical towers; the Fortress “pisana” was restructured in XVI c. by the Medici, the houses are made of stone. The parish church of San Pietro Apostolo, renewed and enlarged in XVIII c. – with traces of buildings dated back to the XIII c. – keeps an ivory Crucifix attributed to Giambologna and belonged to Pope Innocence XIII.

Giannutri is the most southern isle of Tuscan archipelago, it is half-moon shaped and the remains of a Roman port are still visible. The villa of Domizi Enobardi was probably built in the first century b. C. and then incorporated into the imperial property by the will of Nero.
Natural Park of Maremma: it is the jewel of the Maremma; a wide extent of Mediterranean wood, which spreads out from the plan of Alberese to the sea, from Talamone and the mouth of Ombrone river, enclosing also the hills of Uccellina. The establishment of the park was to preserve undamaged the various natural environments (the Mediterranean wood, the dunes, the area of the mouth of the river), where dozen of birds and numerous local species of animals find shelter and protection, such as wild boar, porcupine, yew, and particularly raptorial and aquatic birds. From the entrance of Alberese one can choose among several routes (towers, caves, San Rabano, the mouth of Ombrone) with different degree of difficulty, for a visit in total contact with nature, but also to testify how was Maremma, with its marshes, the maremma cows, the thick woods.
Inside the park stands the monumental set of San Rabano, a Romanesque monastery founded by Benedictine at the beginning of XI c.

At the eastern boundary of the park is Magliano, interesting town with longitudinal development, located on a hill cultivated with olive-groves overlooking the amazing panorama till the mountains of Uccellina and Monte Argentario. The visit leads to the Romanesque church of S.Martino, which was built before the IX c. and rearranged in XIV c., with mullioned windows with two lights in Romanesque style and decorated with votive frescoes of Sienese school (XV and XVI c.), through the Palace of Priors (1425), to the church of San Giovanni Battista dated back to Romanesque times, as the church of Annunziata. In the town there is a centre for the archaeological documentation. Outside the centre of the town there are the evocative and imposing ruins of San Bruzio, monastery built in Romanesque-Lombard style, began in IX c. by the Camaldolites and finished – perhaps – in XII century.

Grosseto, administrative centre and chief town of Maremma, is now a real town (“Kansas City” was ironically called by the writer Luciano Bianciardi): it is elegant, clean, well organized, with its medieval centre enclosed by Medicean walls, and equipped with a thick net of business services and shops. On Thursday is set an important and characteristic market. One can also visit the Archaeological Museum, which collects and exhibits a large documentation of local finds (from prehistory to Etruscan  and Roman era, from barbarian times to the Renaissance), or the Natural History Museum, which presents documentation about the natural environment (geology, fauna and so on) and about the evolution of the territory and of the landscape.

Near Grosseto is Roselle, ancient Etruscan and Roman village, then bishop see and seat of count’s power of Aldobrandeschi. On e can still admire the city ruins, the old Roman street, the basement of houses, the circle-shaped amphitheatre. Roselle was located on a hill looking directly to the Lake Prile, a wide inlet now turn into a plan cultivated with olive-groves. With time and with the detritus get by rivers, the lake Prile turn into a “padule” (marsh). To reclaim this marsh the  Tuscan Grand Dukes (particularly Peter Leopold I and Peter Leopold II) invested a lot of money and made several works, how testify  the lonely Casa Rossa Ximenes, located in the middle of the Diaccia Botrona (which keeps the characteristics of a marsh), which was used as operative centre to direct the reclaim works.   
The “padule” now is a protected area and shelter for the aquatic birds of passage as little egret, heron, stilt bird.

Castiglione della Pescaia is an important residential and tourist centre and port, is dominated by an Aragonese castle dated back to XIII c. and it is enclosed by Medicean walls. In the graveyard of Castiglione della Pescaia there are the remains of the famous Italian writer Italo Calvino.

Vetulonia, which is placed in front of Castiglione della Pescaia, is the other Etruscan town, now turn to a little village, opened on to the lake Prile; it still has ruins of Etruscan walls, but above all an important necropolis with well-graves, tumulus or circle-graves. Proceeding northwards one reaches Massa Marittima, real urban and artistic jewel of Maremma, with its spectacular Romanesque cathedral of San Cerbone.