Discover the Maremma Park: Nature and pristine beaches in southern Tuscany

The Maremma Park hides watchtowers, deer, foxes, birds of prey and one of the last unspoiled beaches in Italy south of Tuscany.

Not everything in Tuscany is green fields, cypresses and bathing crowds in such famous capitals as Siena or Florence.

There are still places in Tuscany where you can find moments of peace and connection with nature.

There are still virgin beaches of white sand.

There, where the few adventurers who arrive set up their own shade with a sarong tied to 4 trunks, which the sea has been deposited on the shore over the years .

A place, in the province of Grosseto, where the natural park of Maremma protects centuries-old towers, deer, beavers, red foxes, wild boars, land tortoises, fish, birds of prey and much more next to one of the last unspoiled beaches of the Tuscan Mediterranean.

On route in Tuscany? Don't miss it...

Directions

The main office and gate of the Maremma Park is located in the small town of Alberese, in Grosseto.

The most convenient way to get there is by car.

There is a large free parking lot in front of the door of the offices. It tends to fill up in high season, so I recommend arriving early to get a space.

There is another paid parking next to the beach in Marina di Alberese. However, the number of spaces is very low and the price is too high. It is not worth it; it is better to leave the car in Alberese and take the bus there, if that is what you want.

The Maremma Park

Basic information

• The natural park of Maremma has several well marked trekking trails, as well as a route designed for cycling enthusiasts. I have added the official itinerary map at the bottom of this page.
• The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in June. Hours change according to the season.
• It is possible to visit all of them without a guide, except if you go with a group of more than 20 people or you want to make a special excursion: night, canoeing, etc...
• Depending on the path you choose, you will pay a different price (usually 10€ per person).
• In high season, the ticket includes bus service to the park entrance.
• If you are going to visit the park two consecutive days, as we did, the second day your tickets will be half the price (keep the previous day's ticket as proof).

How to move

Depending on your objectives, you have three options:

1. If you want to spend the day at the beach and not pay the entrance fee to the Maremma Park, you can take the bus in Alberese (there is a kiosk near the bus stop where you can buy tickets), and get off at the last stop: Marina di Alberese. Of course, you will find a larger number of people in this area of the coast than if you were entering the park.
2. It is also possible that, what you most want to do, is to ride on two wheels. In this case, I advise you to rent a bike near the park office, after buying your ticket. You can choose from several options and the usual price is 10 € per day. You will find parking to leave it near the beach once you are inside the park (I have marked the area on the map at the bottom of this page). You can also choose to reach Marina di Alberese by bike, without going through the natural park or paying the corresponding ticket.
3. If you want to maximize your chances of spotting some of the wildlife in the Maremma Park, it is best to do some of the trails on foot. Do you want to know what we discovered and how? Read on.

A5/A6 Trails

The joint ticket for both itineraries costs 6€ per person, and it will take you 2-3 hours to cover the 5.4 km total.

It was the first stop we made inside the park, and we encountered only a couple of families along the way.

To spot animals, you need to walk stealthily and keep quiet, so we tried to give them the slip and... it worked!

We managed to see a couple of adult hinds with their little bambis on the A6. Ohhh!

Upon noticing our presence, the fawns became a little frightened and, instead of fleeing to their mothers, they ran in our direction.

What an experience!

Trail A2

The next day, as we had already visited the park during the previous day, we got tickets for the A2 trail at half price: 5€ instead of 10€ per person.

Although its 14.2 km can be completed in 5 or 6 hours, we spent the day inside the nature reserve, enjoying the beach, before returning the way we came.

The entrance fee, as we were told at the office, included the bus ride to Pinottolai. There, a park ranger confirmed that we had the correct pass and told us where the tour started.

At the beginning, we walked in the shade under a pine forest, until we found the course of the river, which we followed almost to its mouth. We saw fish, beavers and even a land turtle resting on the shore.

When we get close to the sea, we turn to continue the track up to the Torre Castel Marino. The views from up there are incredible:

An immense green pine forest, furrowed with veins that seem to be plowed with a giant rake, with the beach and the Mediterranean as a backdrop.

Watch out for the mosquitoes up there... They are voraciously hungry.

We then descended to Torre Collelungo, which also offered a beautiful panoramic view of the coast. Along the way we saw deer again, although from a greater distance than the previous day.

And from there, we continued to the sea. With a short walk, we feel isolated on a virgin beach.

With some wooden logs that the passage of time and the tides had piled up on the sand, and following the example of the rest of the swimmers (who seemed more habitual than us), we built ourselves an improvised shade.

And there we ate our salad and cheese sandwiches, splashed in the water and took a well-deserved nap.

A few hours later, we made our way back to the bus stop and returned to the agritourism, tired and happy in equal measure.

Other itineraries

Among the other trails available in the Maremma park, I was left wanting to hike:

• The A4, which goes all the way to the beautiful Cala di Forno. However, this route is so long (18 km) that, considering our schedules, it would have left us little time to enjoy the cove itself.
• The bike path. But it was too hot and this ride was almost entirely in the sun. Best left for cooler or cloudy days.

What to bring

• A comfortable shoes for walking or pedaling, depending on the type of activity you have decided to do.
• Enough food and water for the whole day (approximately 1.5 liters per person would be enough).
• Swimsuit, bikini... or nothing at all. As we found out, nudism is also allowed on this beach. And why not?
• Mosquito repellent and sunscreen, both for walking and lying in the sun.
• Some type of fabric or sarong to create your own shade with logs, as you see in this photo. If I had known, I would have brought a larger one with me. I'll keep that in mind for the next one.

When to go

I advise against visiting the Maremma Park in the middle of summer.

First, because it will be crowded with visitors. And not only on its beautiful beach, but also walking the trails. In general, this means an increase in ambient noise and, therefore, less chance of spotting wildlife (mammals, especially).

On the other hand, in July or August it will be too hot for you to enjoy the itineraries inside the park as they deserve.

In winter it will be difficult for you to take advantage of its virgin beach for swimming. However, the forest and the kilometer-long sand tongue will be almost deserted, just for you.

My recommendation is to visit the Maremma park during the spring. May could be one of the best months. Although at that time it is not too hot yet, if you have just done one of its routes, you will surely feel like taking a dip to cool off.

We were there the first weekend of June 2017. It was already very hot and there were quite a few visitors in the area. However, except for the bus ride, we did not feel any crowds of tourists (mostly Italians).

Where to stay

Near Alberese you will find many agritourisms.

We stayed at La Pulledraia del Podere Montegrappa, a farmhouse near the city center.

We chose it because of its proximity to the Maremma park office, with the intention of leaving our car in the parking lot of the agritourism and walk to it. But the road was not adapted for pedestrians, and did not even have a sidewalk. Therefore, in the end we took the car every time we wanted to go to the center of the village.

The rooms are cool and comfortable, and the property is very pleasant.

Most of the products they offer are organic and homemade. Both dinner and breakfast are served in a lounge, where you share a large banquet table with the other guests of the lodge.

Breakfast is somewhat poor, with no savory ingredients. In addition, the bread is scarce and unappetizing.

Dinner, on the other hand, is very tasty. It is based on a set menu, which they don't tell you in advance, surprise! It costs 25€ per person, and includes three courses, drinks and desserts. We liked it very much, everything was delicious. However, if you are picky about food or have allergies, you might want to ask first.

Oh, and don't forget to let us know in advance if you want to eat there, or you won't have a place. That happened to us the second night. At the latest you must reserve during breakfast. According to the lady of the house, she asked us, but we didn't answer. We don't remember that happening at all. What can we do!

Considering that, every time we wanted to move, we ended up taking the car; and that we didn't like each other too much (I dare say it was reciprocal), next time I will choose another agritourism, even if it is a bit further away from Alberese.

Although my experience was not 100% perfect (it was not bad either, let's not exaggerate), it is possible that, for you, this accommodation is wonderful. Take a look and decide for yourself.

Budget

• Accommodation + breakfast: 145,8€ (36,45€ per person per night).
• Tickets to the Maremma Park: 22€ (11€ per person).
• Meals: 76,45€ (19,2€ per person per day).

In total, not counting gas and tolls, we spent 245€ in a weekend (61,5€ per person per day).

Conclusions

Looking for an unspoiled beach and wild animals in the wild in a nature reserve in Tuscany?

You will find all this and much more in the Maremma Park.

The truth is, if I don't see it, I don't believe it....

It is spectacular that there are places like these in Tuscany, don't you think?

Have you seen the roofless medieval cathedral hidden nearby?

I never tire of visiting this region. Tell me, for you, which is your favorite place in Tuscany? I wouldn't know how to choose just one... Mmmm....

Useful Links

• Itineraries of the Maremma Park .
• Opening hours of the park office in Alberese.
• La Pulledraia del Podere Montegrappa.
• Booking offers in Alberese.
• Flights to Italy:Trabber,eDreams,Momondo, andVueling.
• Get 5% off your IATI travel insurance.

Y si estás de ruta por la Toscana, es posible que también te interesen estos artículos:

• Paseando por Florencia.
• Ruta por Siena y Val d’Orcia.
• The mysterious cathedral without a roof in Tuscany.
• 1 semana de ruta por Umbria. 

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