Montemerano

Here’s a geography question for you.

What part of Italy boasts rolling green hills and sparkling seas; sprawling vineyards and ancient olive groves; national parks and natural hot springs; the remains of Etruscan tombs and a Roman city; medieval castles and a 16th century synagogue?

It’s a place where not so long ago cowboys and bandits roamed the countryside, and where today you can stay in some of Italy’s ‘most beautiful villages’ and enjoy wonderful food and wine.

Sounds extraordinary, doesn’t it? You’re right, it is. The Maremma is an area of south-western Tuscany bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea. It’s an easy drive north of Rome and not far south of Siena, making it a perfect weekend-getaway and a popular holiday destination for locals.

The little village of Montemerano is home for some lovely friends, and we spent several days exploring this amazing part of Italy.

The Maremma - History

Le Vie Cave ('cave roads') were sunken pathways carved out of the Maremma tufa rock by the Etruscans (200-800 BC)

Etruscan writing is still visible on the wall of this pathway (it's read right to left apparently); the symbol that resembles a swastika was the Etruscan sign for the sun

It's thought the pathways, often many kilometres long, connected important burial grounds or necropoles

This necropolis near Sovana was filled with elaborate monumental tombs

The oldest of the tombs here date from the 7th and 6th centuries BC

About an hours' drive south is Vulci, a thriving Etruscan city (9th - 3rd centuries BC) until it was overtaken by the Romans

Today, in the middle of the Maremma countryside, Vulci is a very significant archaeological site

This road was paved by the Romans in 240 BC; part of the Via Aurelia that ran all the way from Pisa to Rome (there are a lot of wheel ruts visible in the basalt pavers)

The road passes what was an extraordinarily luxurious Roman villa (what would the Romans make of today's contrails?)

The private residence came complete with a swimming pool and thermal baths

The city included a huge temple, forums and piazzas

Vulci seems to have been abandoned around the 8th century AD

Nearby the bridge, Ponte dell'Abbadia, was rebuilt by the Romans on top of the original Etruscan buttresses

The 13th century Castello della Badia today houses many of the Etruscan treasures from Vulci

The Maremma - Towns

Montemerano, Piazza del Castello

Typical little village street

This house was built in 1188

Montemerano is one of the 'most beautiful villages of Italy'

The Church of San Giorgio (1430)

Many of the original frescoes have survived

The important Madonna Della Gattaiola (mid 15th century) was at one time used as a door; the painting is named for the 'cat-hole' an early priest cut in the door so his pet could come and go

Montemerano's 'Old Pantry'

Typical Maremmani 'salumi'

Countryside close to Montemerano

There are a number of natural hot springs in the Maremma

These are the beautiful 'Cascate del Mullino' the Mill Cascades

Otherwise known as Saturnia Springs; the water temperature here is a constant 37 degrees (but the air temp of around 6 degrees ruled out a dip for us this day)

And not far away, the town of Saturnia

Sovana is another tiny Maremma town with a beautiful church

Here the original 8th century chapel still exists under the 'new' 12th century structure

Just outside the hill town of Sorano, caves originally inhabited by Etruscans are still visible

The town itself is another of the 'most beautiful villages of Italy'

Today about 500 people live in Sorano

Our lunch stop; the tiny kitchen here produced delicious food

And then, of course, a quick coffee (with our friend, Franco)

Pitigliano, also known as Little Jerusalem; you can see the Roman aquaduct on the right

The town was founded by the Etruscans

In the 16th century Jews fleeing persecution elsewhere in Italy sought refuge in Pitigliano

The local Christians sheltered and protected the newcomers

The synagogue was established in Pitigliano in 1598

The town today values its historical and cultural heritage

Pope Gregory VII was born in nearby Solvana in 1025; the other Gregory was born in Australia a few years later 🙂

Tiny alleyways like this one are officially designated 'streets'

The fishmonger comes to town

The symbol of the town of Sorano

Montemerano Oil and Lemons

Sorano Pasticceria

St George the Dragon Slayer in Montemerano

And the Pitigliano Knights

The little kitchen of the region

Porte della Toscana

And roughly translated -'Maremma, I love you from where you marry the sea to where you dress in sunsets' (it sounds better in Italian) 🙂