Bordering the glittering Tyrrhenian Sea, hotels in Maremma are charming and discreet. While Italy’s sun-kissed summers attract vacationers to the Amalfi coast, the Italian Riviera, and the beaches of Rimini, Maremma remains an enchanting destination, often overlooked by travelers to the country. Hidden coves, remote beaches, and rolling fields of golden sunflowers make up this region on the coast halfway between Pisa and Rome, making Maremma an accessible yet private destination for travelers seeking a different kind of vacation.
Few places on the Italian coast are as peaceful and private as the Monte Argentario Peninsula. Jutting out into the ocean, this spot was heavily bombarded by the American’s during WWII and rebuilt during the 1950s and ‘60s into a colorful and picturesque vacation destination in Maremma, complete with luxury 5 star hotels overlooking the sea. You won’t find many non-Italians here, making this a destination for locals in-the-know and travelers with their ear to the ground. Fastened to the mainland by two strips of sand called the “Tomboli, ” Argentario’s rich topography is made up of rocky coves, turquoise lagoons, and wild flora and fauna, peppered with quaint seaside villages nestled in the slopes. Stay in a hotel in Porto Santo Stefano, an enchanting port town made up of pastel-colored buildings with terracotta roofs, where fishing boats and luxury yachts bob in the small harbor. A relic of the region’s military past can be discovered at the port’s 17th century Spanish Fort – La Fortezza Spagnola. Hotels all around this tucked-away part of Maremma provide a sanctuary for romantic getaways.
Imagine: Wide, empty expanses of powder-soft white sand, rolling dunes, the wild ocean, and timeless countryside. Hotels on Maremma’s rich coastline offer all this and more. Aside from the northern Ligurian region, there are more Blue Flag beaches in this part of Italy than anywhere else in the country. Your first stop for some of Italy’s most stunning scenery is Maremma’s national park; Parco Regionale della Maremma. Along with 20km of pristine coastline and verdant pine groves, the cliffs overlooking the ocean are hiding ruined watchtowers and private coves begging to be explored. You won’t find sunbed-lined uniformity here. Marina di Alberese beach is ideal for families, while the abandoned Spiaggia Alberese is a dream for beach combers with its gnarled driftwood and ocean treasures strewn across its rugged coast. Maremma hides further wonders which can all be discovered a short distance from many gorgeous hotels. L’ Acqua Dolce is a well-concealed beach near Porto Ercole on the Monte Argentario. Perfect for couples, this beach is a local secret. Slightly further north you’ll find the crystal water and pine forests of Cala Violina near Puta Ala. Nestled in a nature reserve, the sun, sea, and sand here is a dream.
Idyllic Tuscan hamlets litter the rolling hills and jagged cliffs of Maremma’s rural countryside, and a hotel in anyone of them provides a sense of timeless wonder that can only be found in this part of the world. The largest in the region is Grosseto, a city to the north of Maremma characterized by Romanesque architecture, beguiling churches, and ringed by ancient Medicean walls. Further east lie Maremma’s gorgeous Tuscan towns, surrounded by fields of sunflowers and lone Cyprus trees. One such destination is the Etruscan town of Sovana, one of the “Città del Tufo.” The town looks to be embedded directly into the rock, merging the manmade with the ancient, giving Sovana its special, timeless nature. The two other “Città del Tufo” are Pitigliano and Sorano, both within easy reach from Maremma’s many luxury hotels. The beautiful Capalbio village provides the best of both worlds; rural Tuscan charms with an intimate seaside vacation just a stone’s throw from the commune’s breathtaking historic city center. The area is also known for its DOC wine, which should only be enjoyed as the sun sets upon the deep blue ocean or undulating Maremma hills.