The Natural park of Maremma
Little remains of the old Maremma - an area known chiefly for its brigands, its hunting, and its malaria.
There are still the dense forests around Scansano and Montieri and here you can see the last symbols of the wildlife: the wild boars
and ...wolfs...
The Natural Park of the Maremma was created in 1975 on what once was the Estate of Alberese.
It has an area of about 98 square kilometers, stretching from the ancient swamps of the Trappola south of Principina a Mare all the way to Talamone.
To the east, the park is bounded by the mountains of the Uccellina and the SS1-Aurelia highway.
The Ombrone River, which empties into the sea at the Bocca d'Ombrone, divides the park in two.
During the Middle Ages, this part of the Maremma was used as a rampart to protect inhabitants from Saracen raiders.
The Knights of Malta and Cosimo dei Medici built a number of towers on the mountain tops to watch for invading Saracens.
Also in the park are the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey of San Rabano, which was built around 1100.
Today the park functions as a natural oasis for many types of flora and fauna.
At the ticket booth in Alberese, you may purchase entry to several guided paths.
There are 9 routes (html files), 7 of which are accessible from Alberese and 2 from Talamone.
The park is also famous for its several local types of cattle and horses.
The Merca of the livestock that occurs annually near Alberese is a good example of local tradition.
During the Merca, the "butteri maremanni", the "cowboys" of the Maremma, brand the stock and tame wild horses.
A point of interest: for many years, the beach near Alberese at Cala di Forno has been considered a paradise for nudists from Italy and from abroad.
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