Around us…

You won’t want to leave, but if you do Siena, one of Italy’s most beautiful cities is only an hours drive away and the famous Palio which takes place in July and August, is a once in a life-time experience. Florence is further but still worth the journey for a day - we can recommend excellent tour guides.

If you fancy the quintessential Italian beach experience, the coast is only 40 minutes drive away, including the lively and beautiful seaside towns of Talemone, Castiglione della Pescaia and Porto Santo Stefano where you can rent sun beds in true Italian style or eat delicious seafood in the numerous beachside restaurants. If you’re feeling more energetic you can rent boats to explore the beautiful rocky coast, horse ride along the beach or even kite surf.

Closer to home are the medieval hill top towns of Campagnatico, Montorgiali or Scansano. Perfect for an aperativo or a delicious lunch in the many excellent value trattorias.

In June and September it is cool enough to do some fabulous hiking in Maremma National Park and the unexplored hills of Monte Amiata just north of us, where you walk through ancient olive groves, oak forests, a holy Etruscan mountain and Brunello vineyards. The National Park runs parallel to the coast from Principal a Mare to Talemone and has trails with incredible sea views, ending in stunning deserted beaches.

Our two closest villages, Arcille and Baccinello are 5 Kms away in either direction. Both have well stocked local shops, cafes and pizzerias. The nearest supermarkets are 20 mins away in our nearest city of Grosseto, also worth exploring for its ancient city walls, rebuilt by the Medicis in the sixteenth century, housing a lovely old centre, packed with cafes, restaurants and bars, perfect for the evening passagiato.

There are countless vineyards to visit, specialising in the famous Morellino di Scansano grape and for those interested in the best of local produce, the daily covered market in Grosseto is superb. Every Thursday there is a huge bustling weekly market, the most popular in the region with lots of stalls selling clothes, household goods, tools, crafts and food.

And if you want a night off from cooking, we can recommend excellent local cooks who will come to the house and introduce you to the delicious cuisine of the Maremma.