Coastal tour: Grosseto-Monte Argentario
From Grosseto to Monte Argentario
Data from OpenStreetMap - Posted under ODbL
Grosseto itself has its own beach town, Marina de Grosseto (approx. 10 kilometers from Grosseto), with a highly recommended beach that stretches for many kilometers north to Castiglione della Pescaia and south via Principina a Mare. We have already described the city of Grosseto here.
If you follow the Via Aurelia further south, after a while you will pass Talamone, a coastal town located on a headland about 10 kilometers west of the SS1 (at the height of Fonte Blanda). Talamone is a cozy medieval place with a small marina. Due to its outstanding strategic location, from antiquity to the Second World War it was always an important focal point of various campaigns. For this reason, the many old watchtowers in particular catch the eye of the beholder. Talamone is located on a small mountain range on the edge of a nature reserve.
Next you will reach Orbetello - this place is located directly in front of the Monte Argentario peninsula and connects it with the Italian mainland. Much of the landscape around Orbetello (especially the northern lagoon) is a nature reserve. Orbetello is probably more than 2500 years old and founded by the Etruscans. The Oasi di Orbetello nature reserve is characterized by dunes, reeds, forests and shallow lakes. There are some rare species of birds to be seen there. Some of the buildings in the very old town are of Spanish origin, as the Spanish administered the area from 1557 to 1708. In particular, some fortifications and even a windmill have survived from this period. Orbetello is very focused on tourism. The area by the lagoon and the fish restaurants are particularly recommended. If you want to visit the historic city center, we recommend the parking lot at the Lagunendamm.
Left picture: Watchtower at Talamone. Middle picture: Hiking near Talamone. Right picture: Monte Argentario peninsula. All images with the kind permission offotoseca ENIT.
If you continue south, you will come to the Province of Lazio. Our coastal tour along Tuscany ends here. If you are already in Orbetello, however, you should not fail to pay a visit to the Monte Argentario peninsulas. A visit to the villages of Porto Ercole (southeast) and Porto Santo Stefano (northwest) is always worthwhile - they are romantic fishing villages with historical centers. You can also go around the island by vehicle, this is a nice little tour, but the roads are quite winding and sometimes steep uphill or downhill slopes. You can find more information about the Monte Argentario peninsula on our information page about the Tuscan beaches (at the bottom).
