Secrets of Maremma

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On this self-guided tour, you will be introduced to Tuscany's Wild West, discover a handful of little-known medieval hill towns, visit an Etruscan archeological site, relax in world-famous spa waters, and wander through a truly delightful sculpture garden, all set amongst some of Italy's most spectacular nature.

Day One

Check into your room at a 4-star neoclassical palazzo within the picturesque Medici walls of Grosseto. The afternoon is yours to discover this fascinating town, whose tranquil streets are lined with a host of impressive palaces dating from every architectural epoch since the High Middle Ages. You might want to stop into a food shop and pick up the fixings for a yummy Tuscan picnic tomorrow -- you'll be encountering dozens of perfect spots to enjoy nature as well as the food! But first, tonight's dinner is at a classic Tuscan restaurant just a few blocks away. Overnight at the hotel.

Day Two

Breakfast at the hotel. Set off this morning on a fascinating drive through history. Head first to Pitigliano, an ancient village which seems to have been glued to the top of a limestone plateau. Tracing its past all the way to the Romans who gave it the name, Pitigliano also bears signs of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Tucked off to one side is a truly unique neighborhood for Tuscany: the former Jewish ghetto. Visit the renovated synagogue, the fascinating cemetery, the bakery, the wine cellar and even the ritual baths, all open to the public. Afterwards, continue on to Sovana or Sorano. The former is little more than one terracotta-paved street leading to a breathtaking panorama of the Tuscan hills. The latter is another plateau-town, all centered around its impressive Orsini fortress. If you wonder why you haven't read about these three towns in every guidebook ever published, it's because they are off the beaten path. Hurrah! At this point it's time to reward yourselves with a treat that even the Etruscans enjoyed: duck behind a bush, put on your bathing suit and wade into the thermal river, where you can either just let the warm waters rush over your supine frame, or stand beneath steaming waterfalls! Nature charges no entrance fee for this amazing delight. Now is the time to break out those picnic supplies you purchased yesterday. Relax beneath a tree, and buon appetito! Dinner tonight is on your own in Grosseto. Overnight at the castle.

Day Three

Breakfast at the hotel. More little-known treasures await you today. Start at the delightful village of Capalbio, a seaside hill town that belonged to Charlemagne and then passed into the hands, successively, of Rome's three greatest Renaissance families. Nestled on a deep-green hilltop around a fairy-tale castle, it's the perfect way to start the day! Next, venture on to one of the most entertaining gardens in the world, the Tarot Garden. The whimsical creation of French artist Niki De Saint-Phalle, it is a stretch of gorgeous seaside vegetation inhabited by larger-than-life and ultra-colorful renditions of the characters from the tarot cards. You can enter some of them. Indeed, the artist actually lived inside The Empress for a while! This is Tuscany, so anyplace you choose for lunch is bound to please you. Afterwards, continue to Roselle and Vetulonia, both Etruscan archeological sites. Here you will see monumental graves, dwellings, even the remains of a massive amphitheatre, all against the background of lush Tuscan greenery and -- best of all -- with no other tourists to break the spell cast by a mysterious ancient civilization whose secrets are still well kept even today. Back in Grosseto, you'll have dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.

Day Four

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Check-out and departure.

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Minimum number of participants: 2

Tours operated by Geofirias Srl.