Maremma is still relatively unexplored by mass tourism, so it has an authentic feel and is dotted with old Tuscan villages that will appeal to those interested in architecture. The house is set within the Morellino wine country, which is named after the red wine that’s produced by many of the vineyards and you can spend entire days just wine tasting. There are also a number of farm shops where you can buy cheese, honey and other products produced at the property or dine at their restaurants.
We’d recommend visiting Niki de Saint Phalle’s Giardino dei Tarocchi, which is dotted with large sculptures covered in mosaics and popular with both adults and children. If you’re visiting in the summer months, then definitely explore some of the beaches, which range from long strips of sand with beach loungers and umbrellas to hidden, rocky coves that are ideally accessed by rental boats. In the cooler months, the Terme di Saturnia hot springs are very appealing for a soak.
There are many options for good dining in the area. Magliano in Toscana offers a number of good restaurants known for their Cucina di Terra (land produce). Our favorites are Da Sandra, Da Guido, Aurora and La Poventa. Nearby Pereta offers two delicious home run restaurants, Da Maria Moretti and Da Gaetano. Scansano, the home of the prestigious "Morellino di Scansano" has a wonderful enoteca that offers wine-tasting and is open on Sunday.
For seafood or Cucina di Mare, we recommend exploring many of the wonderful restaurants in Orbetello, Talamone, Capalbio, or on the beautiful Argentario peninsula.
Magliano has an friendly butcher, Macelleria Angori.
We highly recommend booking a restaurant early, especially during weekends. During high season, we advise you to book week nights as well.
The vineyards in the region and surrounding the house grow the prize-winning Morellino di Scansano.
There are many small and several prestigious wineries in the area where you can taste the local wine; Frescobaldi's L’ Ammiraglia winery is notable for its contemporary architecture.
Magliano in Toscana and Pereta are the closest hill towns to the house (5-10 min).
By car you can also easily reach Scansano (20 min) and Pitigliano and Sorano (1 hr), two of the many fascinating towns built of tufa stone, the same stone used on the lower level of the house.
A visit to the ancient Etruscan cities of Cosa (today Ansedonia), with is wonderful panorama and incredible cyclic walls, or Roselle (above Grosseto), one of the most important Etruscan (then Roman) cities, with is amphitheatre, douses, and thermal bath, are very engaging and culturally relevant visits.There are also many Etruscan ruins in the area of Sovana and Vetulonia are within an hour's drive, Populonia an hour and a half. Grosseto boasts an important museum of Etruscan artifacts.
Exploring further south, in Tarquinia, the wonderfully preserved Necropolis is truly incredible. As well as the wonderful collection in the museum in the city.
The wonderful Medieval ruins of San Bruzio are only a few minutes away, close to the town of Magliano in Toscana. Further afield are the monastery San Galgano and the ruins of Monterano.
Wonderful and wild beaches are present in the Parco Regionale della Maremma, also called Parco dell'Uccellina. On the way there you will also encounter many animals as the local variety of cows (Maremmane).
You can reach the beach directly by car (limited entrance availably in summer, must go relatively early in the mornings, during summer weekends), or can explore by bike (see below), or even ride a carriage !
There are many wonderful beaches easily reachable from the House. This area of Tuscany offers beaches of all sorts: from the wonderful small, rocky and hidden ones on the Monte Argentario, to the easily accessible long sandy beaches on the Feniglia and Giannella stretches of land and up the coast to Castiglione della Pescaia.
Also, by a short ferry ride from Porto S.Stefano the wonderful Isola del Giglio offers many other wonderful beaches.
Here are two very good guides (in english) to help you discover and decide what beaches to visit during our stay:
In Capalbio, just 30 minutes away from the house, you can visit the exciting Tarot Garden, built in 1998 by French artist Niki de Saint Phalle, wife of Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely.
Riding a bike across the Parco Regionale della Maremma (also called Parco dell'Uccellina) could be a wonderful activity!
During summer these 3 bike paths are open/accessible:
- A7 Foce Ombrone - easy - 4.9km
- Collelungo-Pinastrellaia - medium - 19km
- A8 Medieval Way - difficult - 10.1km
If you don't have your own bikes you can easily arrange to rent them at MBM Bike Rental Alberese. they have many options available!