Italy
This is a peninsula far from for the mainland just 2 kilometers trough a handmade pathway in the middle of estuary. The almost-island is an inhabited mountain named Monte Argentario. Porto Santo Stefano is one of the two small tipical fishing village in the area. You can enjoy looking at the sea from the central square place at Porto Santo Stefano, placed in the middle of the bay and also is the center of town. The streets here are steep. All the houses'windows on the hill look at the sea.
You can enjoy a great pizza and specially all the most-freshly seafood just some minutes after the fishing people carriage it from the boats.
You can have a bath in the sea, sunbathing, having a mineral water bath in the nearest(near to Orbetello), hiking on the mountain, walk round the town, go on a leisure boat trip...or just plan a trip to Siena or Firenze, only and hour and a half far from here.
It is like the paradise, you'll enjoy the historic places like the Spanish fortaleza (castles), the seaside walk, the mountain views, the excellent wines and food, the calm and tranquility, and the sea bathing and of course, the nearest to Firenze and Rome.
You should take some of the numerous, almost every 2 hours, trains from Rome, in direction to Milan or Lucca. You should stop down at Orbetello Station and there rent a car or a taxi. In some minutes, just about 10 kilometers far you will be in an almost unknown italian paradise.
This is a peninsula far from for the mainland just 2 kilometers trough a handmade pathway in the middle of estuary. The almost-island is an inhabited mountain named Monte Argentario. Porto Santo Stefano is one of the two small tipical fishing village in the area. You can enjoy looking at the sea from the central square place at Porto Santo Stefano, placed in the middle of the bay and also is the center of town. The streets here are steep. All the houses'windows on the hill look at the sea.
You can enjoy a great pizza and specially all the most-freshly seafood just some minutes after the fishing people carriage it from the boats.
You can have a bath in the sea, sunbathing, having a mineral water bath in the nearest(near to Orbetello), hiking on the mountain, walk round the town, go on a leisure boat trip...or just plan a trip to Siena or Firenze, only and hour and a half far from here.
It is like the paradise, you'll enjoy the historic places like the Spanish fortaleza (castles), the seaside walk, the mountain views, the excellent wines and food, the calm and tranquility, and the sea bathing and of course, the nearest to Firenze and Rome.
You should take some of the numerous, almost every 2 hours, trains from Rome, in direction to Milan or Lucca. You should stop down at Orbetello Station and there rent a car or a taxi. In some minutes, just about 10 kilometers far you will be in an almost unknown italian paradise.
Choose a baking hot day to step through the thirteenth century gateway of Monteriggioni (there's no way I'm going to attempt spelling that a third time) and you'll find yourself in the world of Sergio Leone. Sit on a bench opposite the church and you can quickly recreate entire scenes to while away the time whilst your travelling partner finds joy in the few shops this walled town has to offer. Time passes quickly here and you may find it worthwhile to return at night for a new take on the town and some delicious restaurants.
Between Siena and Firenze.
The area itself is worth recommending. It has beautiful hilltop villages and very easy access to several diverse areas of Tuscany.
In 30 minutes / 1 hour, you can reach "postcard Tuscany" (ie, Val d'Orcia with Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano, San Quirico; the Chianti area with vineyards and beautiful castles; San Gimignano, Monteriggioni and Volterra; Siena; the Crete senesi; Florence) and the "off-the-beaten-path Tuscany" (ie, Monte Amiata; the Maremma plains; the coast; the hilltop villages of Maremma such as Roccatederighi, Roccastrada, Civitella Marittima, Pari, Massa Marittima; thermal baths such as Petriolo and Saturnia; the Tufi and the Etruscan Empire with Pitigliano, Sovana Sorano; Nature Parks such as the Maremma Nature Park; and art parks such as the Tarot Garden).
We rented a house in a beautiful village with a great restaurant, Civitella Marittima, and we are going back next year.
Amazing, amazing place.
The house we rented: Casina di Rosa www.casinadirosa.it/ in Civitella Marittima is a Slow Travel Favourite and it has a huge photogallery on the area and much information.
The village, Civitella Marittima, can be reached via the highway SS223 connecting Siena and Grosseto.
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