What do you think about Civitella Marittima area of Tuscany for a first time traveler to Italy? Advice on Where to go and what to see would be apprciated.
Well my advice would depend on the number of days in the area.Within a short driving distance there are so many things to do! This is the northern part of the Maremma.Wine,food, Hiking,historical sites,enough for any length of time.How much time in the area? I am spending 10 days in the area in October myself. With a couple of days in rome.RR
Massa Marittima,Scansano,Pitiligiano are all worth seeing.Winery visits can be arranged as well,Are you winos? Do you have the book "The most beautiful villages of Tuscany"?.The photos and descriptions may give you a clue as to which places to visit.Do you have any "must see's'? RR
RR Thank you for the book suggestion, I will look for it. We do enjoy wine so I am sure a tour is on our list. As for the must sees, It will just be nice to do as much as we can with the time we have.
I take advantage of your message to leave a post which could be useful also to other people who do not know the area (Upper Maremma). You already know my website, but for those who are interested in this area which is inbetween the plains of the Maremma and the Sienese area, you can find some suggestion on the site of Casina di Rosa (also on the village)
I have a real "pedigree"... both my parents were born and live in the village, all my 4 grandparents as well, and 7 of my great-grandparents! (I know... it sounds absurd to most Americans!).
Civitella is an excellent base to see many different areas in Tuscany. And it is istelf a mix of different types of landscapes.
It is true that we are considered to be in Maremma, but the village itself is on a hill, and the architecture and style is more similar to the region of Siena than to that of Grosseto, despite the fact that we are in the province Grosseto.
The village is half way inbetween the two cities, though: 30 km from Grosseto and 35km from Siena.
It is only half an hour from Montalcino. And yes, Robert is right, I highly recommend Pitigliano and the area of Morellino. Massa Marittima is also only half an hour away. (Pitigliano is a bit farther, approx. an hour drive, but everybody, GO THERE!)
And Monte Amiata is only 40 km away! Thesa are already many possibilities for day-trips. You can go to the mountain, to the beach, to may different famous cities, or just walk in the countryside and enjoy the quiet.
Here is a list of recommendations that I always leave to my guests:
- visit the major centres (Florence, Siena and Grosseto) - visit the vinyards around the village (there are three great DOCs around here: Montecucco (the local one), Brunello and Monteregio - Visit Montalcino, Pienza, Buonconvento and the abbey of Monte Oliveto in Val d'Orcia - visit abbeys: Sant'Antimo, San Galgano, San Lorenzo - Visit Castles: Monte Antico, Casenovole, Poggio alle Mura and the Brunello Cellars - Visit the Chianti Region, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni and Colle Val d'Elsa - Visit Tuscany South, Chiusi, Montepulciano ecc - Visit Maremma and the Coast (Volterra, Massa Marittima, Castiglione della Pescaia, Principina, Argentario) - Visit the ancient Etruscan Empire: Pitigliano, Sovana, Sorano, Roselle - Visit the Maremma Natural Park and hike there - Visit Mount Amiata - Enjoy natural hot springs in Petriolo and Saturnia
You can also reach Pisa and Lucca in two hours. (I work in Pisa, and I go back and forth from Civitella every week-end).
Of course, in a week, you will have to select the type of activities which you prefer or the things you want to see.
I usually also recommend some good restaurants, among which one of the best in the whole region, La Locanda del Cassero, is right in the village itself. Most of my guests say that it is the best restaurants where they have had a meal.
Well, we will have time to discuss these things, Laura, , but since Civitella is my home village, and a place in a beautiful and unusually "wild" area in Tuscany, I thought that this might be a nice occasion to present it and make it better known!
(By the way, the local festival is on the last week-end of August).
Originally posted by Gloria - Casina di Rosa: - Visit the ancient Etruscan Empire: Pitigliano, Sovana, Sorano, Roselle
We spent 5 days in Manciano just outside of Pitigliano. We lved exploring Sovanna and Sorano as well as Pitigliano. You will only be able to scratch the surface of things to do in a day trip. Pitigliano itself is striking and beautiful. Our favorite restaurant of the trip was Il Tufo Allegro which is housed in caves/cellars carved into the tufo itself. We loved taking in some of the Etruscan sites. You can get a combination card which gives you admission to 9 or so archeological sites. CLick on my Maremma 2002 trip report link below for details. My Tuscan restaurant list has numerous restaurants reviewed in the Pitigliano and Montalcino area.
Dean, Thanks for all your information. I think we will follow in your foot steps! I look forward to reading your Maremma trip. Thanks so much for sharing.
Gloria, you are so nice! I am working hard on not bugging you with questions, and here you are filling in my thoughts! I have never dealt with a business person more kind and generous as you. I am planning our week before we get there and it seems with help I must say , I am not doing too bad!
No one location in Tuscany is good enough for visiting all of Tuscany. Tuscany is a very large region. I usually recommend that a first time visitor stay in the Chianti region or in the Montepulciano - Pienza - Montalcino belt, but this was not where we stayed on our first visit to Tuscany and I read reviews and trip reports from people who stay outside those central areas on first trips and have fabulous trips.
On our first trip we stayed west of Siena, not as far as Civitella Marittima, but not in the main "tourist" area. And we loved it. We made sure to visit all the towns close to where we were staying and only did one day trip into the Chianti region. I don't think we even went to Montalcino, etc. on that trip. Since that trip, in 1996, we stayed in a different part of Tuscany each time we visited. (These days we are doing this with England.)
What I would like to emphasize is that if you do stay in Civitella Marittima, do not spend the whole week doing long day trips. Two hours each way to Pisa or Lucca is a waste of time IMO - when within 30 - 45 minutes each way there are so many things to see. Next trip, stay in Pisa or Lucca.
I disagree with Gloria on the recommendation of going to Florence from C. Marittima. Better would be to spend a few nights in Florence. It would be a rushed day trip. But definately visit Siena.
If I were spending a week in Civitella Marittima (and I hope to do this soon), these are the day trips I would do:
1. a day in Siena 2. a day driving around Monte Amiata (see my NOTES) 3. a day in Montalcino and Sant'Antimo (see my NOTES) - make a circle drive and also visit Pienza, then Monte Oliveto (see my NOTES) 4. a day in Saturnia, Pitigliano and Sovana (see my NOTES) - these places are a long drive from many places in Tuscany, at least in C. Marittima, you are not that far from them 5. a day going north to Massa Marittima and then to the coast to see the area around Punta Ala (I have ALWAYS wanted to see that area) 6. a day going south on the coast to explore the park along the coast (but make sure you know what days the park is open - the one time we went there it was closed!! - was only open a few days a week - you can hike and swim there). I might even push it and go to Orbetello and Porto Santo Stefano (on Monte Argentario) because I love that seaside town.
There - I have used up the whole week and did not even have a day to relax in C. Marittima, do some walks, check out the local hotsprings, and explore every nearby village.
Cetona, a town we love, is a long drive to some of the main things (45 minutes to Pienza), but it close to many interesting towns. One year we spent two weeks in Celle sul Rigo, also 45 minutes from Pienza and a bit too far away from everything, but again we loved our stay there. We toured the southern part of Tuscany and the Monte Amiata area, which many people never get to from the more central areas. So, by staying in the not-so-central places, you do get to explore very interesting areas.
I know I am rambling here - but my point is that there are many fabulous places to stay in Tuscany, but no location is perfect for seeing everything. What is perfect is to pick a good location that is close to some of the things you want and see the things close to you. Do not spend the time driving long distances to see only the major sites - if you do, you will miss out on a lot. Concentric Circles
Pauline is right tuscany is large as a matter of fact about the size of Louisiana.If you read the opinions of the old and wise travelers they try to do much less, while the new travelers(almost always)want to see "everything", paradoxically the more you try to see by rushing around the less you really see.I would stick to southern Tuscany,not going as far north as Siena.My 10 days in Tuscany are between Montalcino on the North,Abbadia San Salvatore on the east and Ancedonia in the south and I still will be too rushed.RR
Thank you both, the information is so wonderful and very helpfull. In my planning I think I may just slow my travel down a bit so that we do not get lost in road dust! Pauline "Wow" on your notes! I just looked quick at one. I am now off to saver the rest!
Topic Closed
, but since Civitella is my home village, and a place in a beautiful and unusually "wild" area in Tuscany, I thought that this might be a nice occasion to present it and make it better known!
