The Maremma - Green heart of Tuscany
A great location between Siena and the Sea
Casina di Rosa is located in Civitella Marittima, a medieval hilltop village in the upper Tuscan Maremma. Because of its position, Civitella is at times associated with Siena, and its landscapes, castles and traditions, and at times with the Maremma, with its wild natural settings, the coast and the sea.
The area surrounding the village is known as the Upper Maremma. This name is quite appropriate for this region, which, being halfway between the rolling hills of Siena and the plains of the Maremma, has characteristics of both these areas. The village, made up of stone houses perched at the top of a hill that looks towards Monte Amiata and the hills of the Val d’Orcia, shares traits with villages that traditionally developed under the aegis of Siena. At the same time, the inhabitants of the village feel that they belong to the Maremma, and the Grossetano area, with whom they share a dialect and cultural and culinary traditions. This position of being on the “border” of two worlds, Siena and the Maremma, represents the essence of the village and its surroundings.
Travel guides on Tuscany have often overlooked the area covered by the Comune of Civitella Paganico, and most continue to do so, thereby guaranteeing the preservation of its genuine nature, but also slowing awareness in the general public of one of the best-situated and best-preserved corners of southern Tuscany. Looking at the maps provided in many tourist guides to Tuscany, we notice that Civitella Marittima is often found at the meeting point between different areas of interest and with few exceptions, not much is said about the area itself.
This area, however, is home to a church dating back to the year 1000 and was for centuries the crossroads for the caravans that travelled between Siena and the coast carrying salt and other essential goods. The walls of the town of Paganico, constructed in typical Sienese style, are, along with those of Monteriggioni, the only ones in the area to have survived practically intact throughout the centuries. The church of St. Michael in Paganico houses frescoes by Biagio di Goro Ghezzi. Also in the area are castles of Monte Antico and Case Novole, both of great architectural and historic value, and beautiful villages such as Pari, just 1 km from the Petriolo hot springs.
A guide dedicated to the area of Civitella Paganico, to its beauty, its itineraries and its superb location in the heart of southern Tuscany is most definitely needed, a guide that doesn’t force the traveller to choose between the Maremma, Val d’Orcia, the Crete Senese, Monte Amiata or the coast, as each of these areas can easily be reached by car in little more than a half hour.
Click on the following link to see the Google Map of the Maremma!
La Maremma
Given that the Maremma is the region most commonly associated with Civitella, we have provided a brief introduction to this area of Tuscany with our own personal selection of sights that should not be missed.
The Maremma can be divided into 5 main areas, each with its own characteristics and attractions.
- The Heart of the Maremma: Grosseto and the Tyrrhenian Coast
- The Coast, the Beaches and the Sea of the Tuscan Maremma
- The Hills of the Upper Maremma: Pitigliano & co.
- The Colline Metallifere: the North of the Maremma
- The Interior: The area of Civitella Marittima and Casina di Rosa
Click on the following link to see the Google Map of the Maremma!
