Castello Maremma

From the distance, this estate might look like a castle, but as you reach the top of the hill and drive through the gate the feeling is more that of an informal hamlet. To the left is the main house, a charming building dating from the 18th century, originally a hunting lodge.

Architecturally conceived as a 'twin-building' with two identical main doors, staircases, living rooms and kitchens, the house was easily divided. One part has now been adapted to be rented out; the other part is lived in by the owners.

In front of the house a large table under a wysteria covered pergola is where you will be having your meals at the sound of the fountain. The large garden is terraced and planted with palm, orange and olive trees. A pathway through the garden leads to the small private swimming pool.

Down the hill 1 km from the castle you will find a bar for your daily Cappuccino, a small supermarket, a bank and post office. The nearest beach is at 14 km. In the immediate vicinity there are a couple of excellent restaurants specialized in local country fare. Many more are to be found at not more than a 15 to 20 minute drive. 

Please note: On the rear and on the foot of the hill there is a stone pit. If stones are milled some noise could reach the castle.

A lesser known and therefore all the more captivating part of Tuscany, the Maremma extends along the southern Tuscan coast. As it moves away from the sea, the land slowly rises, shaping hills covered in olive groves, fields and woods. This hamlet stands on the edge of the plain, on top of the first small hill, only 14 km from the sea. It is the centre of a large private property which consists mainly of woodland and Mediterranean 'macchia'. The views from the Castello are marvelous, looking out onto the blue Tirrenean sea to one direction, onto olive groves, far-stretching fields and rolling hills on the other.

Since several hundred years the estate belongs to the same family. The estate was originally 8000 hectares, reduced to 3000 by state expropriation. Over 95% remains woodland, and of the remaining 150, just 18 hectares of the finest land has been transformed into vineyards by the owner, since 1995. In 1759 the owner brought agriculture to the previously malaria infested swamp that was the Maremma. Today it is the new frontier for Tuscan agriculture. Here the owner continues to forge new ground and is at the forefront of those bringing new wine making techniques to the region.

The Maremma is the last stretch of unspoiled coastline in Italy. The hills of the Monti dell’ Uccellina form the core of the Parco Naturale della Maremma, an incredibly beautiful nature reserve with a breathtaking landscape of cliffs, forested hills, coastal marshes and beaches, a haven for deer, boar, wild horses and the ghostly Maremma cattle. Visit Scansano, Grosseto, Castiglione and the trendy harbor of Puntala. Birdwatchers will not want to miss the lagoons at Argentario, Orbetello, and Burano, stopovers for migrating waterfowl. Think of the Maremma for nature, bird-watching, views, hilltop villages, and wines.