Mount Argentario probably originated from an island that later on merged with the coast through the tombolo (dunes) of Feniglia and Giannella due to an accumulation of debris from the rivers and marine currents. The archaeological finds discovered in the caves of the straits and the sacred creeks prove that the area was inhabited from the remotest times. Leopoldo of Lorena promoted excavations of the cavern, once inhabited it was called Grotta of Granduca (the caves of Canduca) which is more than a kilometre long and has a little lake.

Because of its geographical position at the centre of the Mediterranean, sailors considered it a safe docking and also a place of strategic value. This is why, since the bronze era, defensive works were promoted and sighting towers were constructed.

However, it was the Spanish that transformed Argentario into a war machine with defensive complexes that formed the state of the garrisons that comprised Orbetello, Porto Ercole, Porto S. Stefano and Talamone. The mountainous headland is characterised by high rocky coasts and is covered with maquis where cultivation of olives alternates with heavy works of grapevine terracing on the mountainsides. It is a land of pirates who raided the Mediterranean and also a land that narrates the legends of kidnapping of the sleeping beauties who were then sold in the market to satisfy the lusts of the Sultans.



In the past, the headland of Argentario was an island composed of a unique block of land that also consisted of Archipelago Island of Tuscany. When the two strips of land joined the island to the mainland, they also demarcated a central piece of the sea, forming a lagoon known as Laguna di Orbetello stretching over 26 km2 with a depth of less than two metres. The continuous flow of water allows the Nassa and Ansedonia canals to have water infiltration through sand thus enabling the lagoon to become a point of passage during migration of the birds.

Talamone, located in the extreme north of the lagoon is a pleasant bathing centre. The Feniglia dune sheltered by pine forest and Giannella tombolo have a beach that is a few kilometres long. The beaches inside the headland are not very broad because of the indentation of the coastline. Another characteristic of this area is the presence of a vast number of caves that came about due to erosion by the sea and whose interiors have a karstic feature. The two most well-known centres for tourism are Porto Ercole and Porto S. Stefano which are also tourist ports. The headland overhangs Mount Telegrafo (635 metres) giving a spectacular view of the whole area below.

Besides being a charming medieval centre, Pitigliano, located in the hinterland to the south of Grosseto, was constructed on a spur of tuff giving a very wonderful contrast between the constructions and renaissance monuments. Another characteristic of this small village is the fact that it was occupied by Jews who were banned from Rome in the 12th century and found refuge in the north. Pitigliano was called small Jerusalem even though in the long run the Jews were secluded in a ghetto that was later abandoned as they transferred further in the north towards Venice.



Moving further, we find Sorano a small, ancient village of tower houses where pit routes and roads that connect the hollows in the tuff branch off. These routes are so narrow that sometimes the sky is reduced to a narrow strip. They have maintained their magic on a vertical cliff sometimes lush with vegetation.

Sovana is a real medieval jewel constructed on a tufaceous plain. The Praetor square is a point where the Praetorian palace whose appearance is presented by a series of crests, the Archivio palace (the Archive palace) and a small lodge belonging to the captain with medic crests and the 6th century Bourbon del Monte palace are found. What really make this small village unique are the Etruscan cemeteries that extend into the gorges of the tuff surrounding the village. From the Hellenistic age, the Poggio Felceto cemetery has preserved the Hildebrand tomb excavated from the tuff that presents architectural elements, which resemble a six pillar temple with domes decorated with divine heads. The sepulchral equipments consisted of arms and perfumes that distinguished between a female sepulchral and a male sepulchral.

Closing the program, we have the Terme di Saturnia (the spa of Saturnia) famous for gushing water of 37°containing sulphur recommended as a cure for many illnesses. The natural swimming pools formed as a result of the cascading of Molino are frequented for the cure of the skin. Alternatively the hotels in this area take advantage of running the bath with the same water for therapeutic purposes.

See Also:
Grosseto in the extreme south of Tuscany >>

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