The history of Castiglione della Pescaia
The history of Castiglione della Pescaia winds down through the centuries. It has left precious traces in the Etruscan necropolises of Vetulonia and in findings from the Roman age, in the locality of Paduline - the medieval village, with the fortress that dominates the port and the expanse of sea; the naturalistic area of Diaccia Botrona, risen on what remains of a vast swamp (extending between Castiglione and Grosseto), a residue of ancient Lake Prile; the signs of the reclamation of the swampy area begun by the House of Lorraine in the 18th century and continued up until the 19th century; the pine woods and the beaches, that have made a take-off possible in both the economy and tourism during recent decades. All of these contribute to making Castiglione one of the most interesting places in the Grosseto coastal area. The present locality was once the small Roman town identified with the name of Salebrum, traces of which were lost in the Middle Ages. After the Neolithic (7,000-4,000 BC), with the passage from nomadism to sedentariness, and the introduction of stock breeding and agriculture, the 3rd millennium brought the opening of the Metal Age, marked by the birth of a primitive metallurgy~ In Etruria, the period of time between the 12th and l0th centuries BC (called the late Bronze Age) coincided with the phenomenon of protourbanisation, that is, the birth of small villages, that arose in naturally-protected places from which the historical Etruscan cities were to develop in time. The initial phase of the Etruscan civilisation, called the Villanovian period (9th-Sth centuries BC) saw in Etruria the development of habitative settlements both on the Tyrrhenian coast and in the immediate hinterland, in the vicinity of fluvial or lacustrine basins, above all in zones that could be exploited for mining. Vetulonia, one of the most important cities in Etruria (today, a hamlet in the Commune of Castiglione), responded to these characteristics. Located in the valley of the Bruna and gravitating around the area of Lake Prile, Vetulonia had immediately manifested a mining vocation, extending its influence towards the hills known as the Colline Metallifere [i.e. metalliferous hills] as far as Lake Accesa. With its name changed during the Middle Ages to Colonna di Buriano, that of Vetulonia was given to the place only in the 19th century, when - thanks to the finding of some coins - archaeological excavations confirmed the exact site of the Etruscan city. Vetulonia is mentioned in the historical work of Dionysius of Halicarnassus (l st century BC) and in the epic poem of Silio Italico (1 st century AD). In particular, the latter related that it was from Vetulonia that the Romans borrowed the symbology of power, including the coastal strip and the curule chair. The locating of the oldest tombs on the rises around Vetulonia gives us reason to believe that two settlements originally existed, that were then combined around the 7th century BC. The archaeological findings turned up inside the monumental tombs (jewels, metal objects, and imported manufactures) testify that the maximum splendour of the city dates back to the historic phase known as the 'orientalising period': it witnessed the solidifying of a commercial network between Etruria, Greece and the Orient. The following century (6th century BC) was marked by a clear-cut decline of the city, that lost control over the Colline Metallifere. During he course of the 4th century BC, there was possibly a 'refoundation' of Vetulonia, which progressed to the point of coining its own money for the first time. The fortification of the walls, which can be seen within the medieval village, also dates to this epoch. The clash between the Roman civilisation and the Etruscan civilisation, that had already begun around the middle of the 4th century BC, saw the progressive absorption of the latter. The Vetulonia of the Roman age always remained a centre of little importance.

Tuscany is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Known for its enchanting landscapes, its fantastic and genuine food and beautiful towns as Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena.
Podere Santa Pia is an enchanting Tuscan farmhouse, nestled in the vineyards and olive groves of the rolling Maremma hills. This privileged location offers a spectacular vista over the charming medieval town of Cinigiano and the entire Ombrone Valley. It is the perfect place for your relaxing holiday with your friends and family. The property consists of 4 large bedrooms furnished in a classic Tuscan style and 2 bathroom with shower, a big full-equipment kitchen with a fireplace and a big living room and dining room. With its original kitchen and the wood burning pizza oven, Podere Santa Pia offers an upbeat atmosphere. The farmhouse has been renovated and provided with all modern comforts (satellite TV, Wi-Fi Internet access, washing machine, dishwasher, and so on), with an eye to preserve the typical and charming elements of these rural lodgings. There you have, then, cosy and warm rooms with traditional terracotta-tiled floors, stone walls and wood-beamed ceilings. And the kitchen, furnished for pleasant meals with traditional Tuscan dishes (bread soup or "ribollita", tomato soup, "fettunta", Florentine-style steak, stewed wild boar, cinta senese cured meat, and other Tuscan specialities).
The impressive garden (9000 square mt.) allows you to enjoy a relaxing holiday and is perfect for taking time out and lounging about while sipping on a glass of local wines, Montecucco DOC and Brunello DOC.
Sitting in the garden, one can enjoy our dawns and dusks, with their jubilee of colours ranging from dark yellow to pink, orange and red. In this scenario, it is often possible to observe the flight of pheasants, falcons and buzzards, great tits, chaffinches and sparrows.
This is an enchanting place far from noise, ideal to regenerate body and mind, where one has the opportunity enjoy pleasant walks or rides on mountain bike. The summer breeze that caresses Podere Santa Pia guarantees "cool" holidays even in the hottest weather.

Tuscan farmhouses | Podere Santa Pia

Diaccia Botrona, Casa Rossa Ximenes

Principina a Mare

The Ombrone River located along the coast of Maremma Grossetana, where it flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea in Principina a Mare.