The area
The Tartuchino farm is surrounded by a beautiful hilly countryside, dotted with olive groves, woods and cultivated fields. It is located on top of a hill, where the view spans from the Argentario to the mountains. On the old maps, the area was already named Tartuchino. The root of the word come from tartaruga (turtle), which still roam the area, slow but dignified.
In ancient times these lands were inhabited and cultivated by the Etruscans: the remains of a farm from that period were found just few meters away from Tartuchino, while the nearby woods hold an Etruscan necropolis dating back to the VI century BC. Roman remains are also found near the hot springs of Saturnia, already in those times they were a popular destination. The farm sits on the very same hills chosen, lived in and harvested by the ancient Etruscan and Roman people. Medieval towns are found all around the countryside. Six towns of Maremma – Pitigliano, Sovana, Santa Fiora, Montemerano, Giglio Castello, Porto Ercole – are listed among The Most Beautiful Italian Villages (http://borghipiubelliditalia.it/): you can stroll around medieval boroughs and buy local food products and traditional handcrafts. Here, haste is frowned upon and it is possible to walk around in peace, slowly taking in the ancient atmosphere and architecture. For those with a more modern taste, there are five different artistic parks to visit. If it is a relaxing holiday you are after, the Saturnia thermal hot baths and natural waterfalls are the perfect destination, great even in winter time.
Over the years farmers employed by landowning families cultivated these lands, which are difficult to tame: nature here is proud, different from the softer countryside that lines the coast. After the land reform eliminated large estates, the Ente Maremma redistributed lands among the farmers and houses were assigned to each family. The architectural layout of these newer houses is different from Casetta Tartuchino, and is repeated over and over, forming part of the landscape.The houses however are few and far between. The local agricultural traditions have preserved the area from excessive development and have maintained a natural landscape. At night, you can enjoy a magnificent starry sky because there is no light pollution.
You can explore the surroundings, walk the forest trails and maybe even get a glimpse of the maremma wildlife. It is often possible to encounter hares, foxes, badgers, roe deer, wild boar and many bird species. Wolves are also present in the area, although spotting them is extremely rare. For those who enjoy hiking, there are excellent guides that can show you through some of the area’s best itineraries. If instead you love cycling check out this link: https://www.fiabgrosseto.it/images/pdf/15-Roccalbegna-Semproniano.pdf .
The area abounds with natural parks and nature reserves spanning different ecosystems, from swamps to mountains.
We suggest you try the Tuscan countryside food: we are confident that you will appreciate it both in its traditional form and in its more refined form when prepared by creative chefs. It is exceptional, especially when accompanied by the famous wines of the Maremma.