Maremma: Tuscany’s wonderfully untamed and unscripted nature

Over the years, Tuscany’s most iconic destinations — from Firenze to Chianti and Val d'Orcia — have become enduring symbols of Italian beauty worldwide. With fame comes vibrancy, yet Tuscany still preserves places where nature sets the pace and time stretches gently. In the southern part of the region, the Maremma reveals a wilder, more spacious dimension — coastal horizons, protected parks, and a rural culture deeply tied to the land. A place where the Tuscan dream feels expansive, immersive, and wonderfully unfiltered. Come closer to the places that shape its untamed spirit.

On horseback, we follow quiet trails that weave between sea and countryside. The sound of hooves becomes a heartbeat. With a bit of luck, a deer slips through the trees, a wild boar crosses the path, a hawk circles high above. Nothing is staged. Everything is alive. And then, the sea. An aperitif on the beach as the sun melts into the horizon, sky brushed in amber and rose. It’s Tuscany at its most essential — raw, generous, beautifully real. For those who prefer a slower pace, the same landscape can be explored by horse-drawn carriage. A gentle, timeless way to move through a land that has never rushed.

Off the rugged coast of Monte Argentario lies one of the Mediterranean’s most precious marine ecosystems: the Santuario dei Cetacei Pelagos. A protected sanctuary where whales, dolphins, and countless sea species find refuge. With a marine biologist on board, the boat becomes a floating observatory. We learn to read the water — a ripple, a shadow, a sudden splash. Every sighting is a gift. Every explanation deepens the wonder. An encounter with fragility and beauty. A reminder that travel can also mean understanding, protecting, giving back.

At dawn, the lagoon is almost silent. Then a flash of pink breaks the horizon — flamingos standing elegantly in the shallow waters. The Laguna di Orbetello, protected with the support of WWF, is one of Tuscany’s richest wetlands, a sanctuary of biodiversity. Walking with an expert guide, we slow down. Herons glide overhead. Ospreys scan the surface. Ducks and waders move undisturbed in this safeguarded oasis. It is a lesson in balance — between land and sea, humans and wildlife. And it is quietly unforgettable.

Maremma’s cuisine tells the story of a land once considered the “wild west” of Tuscany. Simple, bold, rooted in pastoral life. Think handmade pici with rustic sauces, slow-cooked meats, pecorino aged in mountain air, and soups born from farmers’ ingenuity. Nothing excessive. Everything meaningful. The wine scene reflects the same evolution. Once marginal, today forward-thinking. Many estates embrace organic and biodynamic practices, respecting soil vitality, reducing chemical impact, and working in harmony with the coastal climate. The result? Wines that speak clearly of sun, sea breeze, and mineral-rich earth.

In the countryside near Porto Ercole, a centuries-old tradition is still practiced as part of daily life. The Butteri — Maremma’s legendary horsemen — embody a heritage shaped by an unspoken bond with the land. Through live training sessions and stories shared firsthand, we glimpse a culture built on respect: for horses, for cattle, for the natural rhythm that governs both. As the day softens, a horse-drawn carriage glides across wide fields, cattle grazing in the distance, the landscape unfolding at its own unhurried pace. Intimate. Authentic. Emotionally resonant.

In Maremma, villages feel sculpted rather than built. In Pitigliano, houses carved from warm tuff rock rise dramatically, forming a skyline suspended in stone. Sorano winds through quiet alleys and ancient fortresses, preserving a raw, medieval soul that feels untouched by time. Capalbio, with its golden walls and open horizons, offers a more understated elegance — refined, luminous, and closely tied to its surroundings.