Discovering the surroundings of San Biagio Relais: the Maremma regionThe Maremma region stretches between the promontories of Piombino and Argentario.
It includes the lower valleys of the rivers Cornia, Bruna, Ombrone and Albegna and reaches as far as the hills that enclose the plain areas.
This environment encompasses sea, plains, mountains, sand dunes, marshes and woods and is inhabited by seamen, farmers and shepherds, miners and lumberjacks. Different settings, therefore different cultures and different rhythms and ways of life.
All of them nonetheless are joined together under the name of 'the Maremma'.
Through the centuries, this area has been a borderline territory, a wedge between Lazio and Tuscany; what brought together the people of the Maremma and, at the same time, separated them from the rest of Italy was their curse: malaria. Centuries of isolation and desperation are still remembered here and they have given the region a unique identity and a specific dimension.
The liveliness and the comings and goings along the coast are in sharp contrast with the silence of the villages, enclosed by walls and standing higher on the slopes of the mountains. These are places of unforgettable charm, still preserving the unspoiled wealth of a rich past. Furthermore, medieval squares, fortifications, and the wonderful view on the hills below are the ideal setting for the gratification of one's taste buds with excellent wild boar and the typical 'acquacotta', a soup with bread croutons. History shows that the populations who have inhabited the Maremma through the centuries have always struggled to cope with the harsh physical and morphological features of the land.
The first permanent settlements in the Maremma were built by the Umbrians - after whom the river Ombrone was named. However it was only with the coming of the Etruscans that the Maremma territory became a trading region, important throughout the Mediterranean, since the Etruscans carried out most of their activities along and on the sea. Then the Romans settled in the area, but they did not pay their surroundings very much attention. It was only a pleasant holiday location for noble families and a land crossed by busy consular roads - in particular the famous Aurelia - leading to the towns of Northern Italy.
Nowadays the region is characterized by ancient little villages as well as trendy locations, ports for VIPs, elite destinations for international tourism, rich in social life, seafood delicacies and prestigious wines.
