A weekend in the Maremma

The Departure

And so at dawn on April 24th, I, Ste and the trusty pacerotta (my brand-new Pluriel!) set off for a part of Tuscany we had never seen before: the Maremma. In about 2 and a ½ hours we pass Bettole, take the Siena-Grosseto road (very convenient except for the traffic jams that form where the dual carriageway hasn't been completed yet) and finally arrive in Scansano, a cheerful little town in the hilly part of the Maremma, and the birthplace of the famous Morellino di Scansano wine (which we'll talk about later on). The agriturismo, booked over the Internet, is very much off the beaten track, but thanks to the detailed directions the owner gave us we have no trouble finding it.

We arrive and immediately see that it's a beautiful place: an 1800s farmhouse completely renovated, isolated and totally surrounded by greenery, with a swimming pool (which unfortunately we won't be able to use because the temperatures are still too cool!) The owner turns out to be extremely kind right away and takes us to see our apartment, which is gorgeous: spacious (2 bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen), very tastefully done (sunflowers everywhere, period furniture, a wrought-iron bed, etc. etc.), equipped with every comfort (satellite TV, washing machine, dishwasher, toaster, fireplace and outdoor barbecue...) and with a splendid veranda and garden.

What's more, he opens the fridge and shows us that he's already prepared everything for breakfast: croissants, milk, jams and coffee...we're speechless...and we're even more surprised to learn that for these 3 days we'll have the entire farmhouse completely to ourselves, all alone, since there are no other guests and the owner doesn't live there...We say goodbye to him and immediately take advantage of the situation by stretching out in the sun like lizards to rest a bit, given the silence surrounding us, broken only by the sheep grazing in front of us and the many pheasants there.

A quick lunch, just enough time to grab a bite and realise that that timid sun had burnt our skin, and we set off to explore the surroundings...I don't know how far we walked, I think about 3 hours...we must have done 10/15 km without realising it, but we were just too excited to be there...we come home exhausted, just enough time for a quick shower, and we make one of my dreams come true.

We uncork a bottle of Morellino (also a gift from the owner!) and, in our bathrobes, we sit by the pool to enjoy the sunset over the Maremma hills, sipping a wine we discover is absolutely delicious...a scene straight out of a film...so romantic...an unforgettable moment! Once the sunset is over, we come back to reality, starving hungry, and we do the classic barbecue over the fire...with oil-brushed bruschetta that feels very country! We collapse into bed, the country air has wiped us out, and besides, we have a pretty intense itinerary planned for tomorrow.

We wake up early to make the most of the day. We have a typically peasant breakfast: cheese tart with ham, milk, bread and jam...basically a lunch...but you know how country air makes you hungry! We get in the car looking for a riding school to go horse riding, but there's no trace of one in the area, so we head for the sea.

We enjoy the back roads surrounded by nature, the greenest hills, fields of daisies, almond trees in bloom...flocks of sheep...the pacerotta proves to be a great travelling companion: the possibility of travelling with the blue sky above you, feeling the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, being able to savour even the scents of what surrounds you...a spectacle! Around 12 we arrive at Argentario...it's literally been stormed!We do the crazy thing of heading towards Porto S.Stefano (a VIP destination on the Tyrrhenian coast) where we find an insane queue of cars...we only do it to enjoy the sea views from the top of the promontory...it's truly beautiful...it makes me think back to the shades and transparency of the sea in Sardinia and the nearby Island of Elba...and since it's fairly close we decide to go back there this summer, maybe just for a weekend, but it's worth it! We stop for

a bit on the beach, just enough time to take 2 photos on the pier, and we set off again: next stop Terme di Saturnia. Here too the number of people is impressive...from above we see the famous waterfalls (that is, the natural pools with free access) but this time we're going to the paid pools, the ones inside the Terme di Saturnia Spa wellness centre. The afternoon entry, from 15.00 to 19.30, costs 12.00 Euro...that's not much really when you consider the convenience, the beauty of the pools and the fact that you can take a shower and dry your hair before setting off again instead of smelling of sulphur the whole trip.

We had an absolute blast: besides the enormous pools, the hyper-crowded but decidedly blissful whirlpool tub and the waterfalls...a wonderful feeling letting yourself be massaged by the powerful jet of water (my neck, always tense from hours spent at a desk, says thank you!) Even more blissful was walking around in a bathrobe from one pool to another...no need to say that after an afternoon like that I feel at peace with the world...I can even feel the muscles in my face relaxed...a very strange and veryyyy pleasant sensation. We get back in the car, Stefano has fun teasing me to make me angry...but no luck, he can't manage to wind me up, I'm too at peace with myself! We go back to our "nest"...a hearty little dinner, a bit of tv and off to bed, unfortunately this day is over too.

The end of the dream

Today we take it easier...wake up late...a leisurely breakfast...we go looking for the riding school the owner told us about...it's a fantastic place...once again strictly isolated from the rest of the world...it's a farmhouse surrounded by an immense fenced field where the horses run free...three big dogs with a stern look but actually sweet as can be do the honours of the house and come over to get some cuddles...the owners are a French couple (one of the many couples who radically change their lives by coming to live in the countryside in Italy) they're very kind and give off an unequalled serenity...so much so that as soon as we get back in the car, Ste and I have the same feeling of wanting to stay there and live just like that...unfortunately we couldn't ride because the horses were eating and in the afternoon we had to leave, but it was still a lovely encounter! We spend the aftern

oon at the agriturismo, enjoying the last hours of silence, and I take the opportunity to have a good long nap on the lawn (when does that ever happen to me again?!?)...around 17.00 we pack our bags and say a reluctant goodbye to that oasis of peace...the traffic of the big return from the long weekend awaits us, and it will catapult us back into the daily grind we live in. Still, we say see you soon to the Maremma, certainly not goodbye, to a land that hosted us with its beauty, with its being genuine, pure, less touristy than the Sienese countryside or the Val d'Orcia, and for that incredibly fascinating. Of course, on this weekend dedicated to relaxation we neglected a bit the hiking and folk aspects of this area, but that will just be an excuse to come back there again...maybe at the end of summer...Simona and Stefano.