Grosseto: City Walls, Museums and the Maremma

Grosseto lies on a plain crossed by the Ombrone River, a few kilometres from the Tyrrhenian coast. Its historic centre is surrounded by a fully intact and well-preserved medieval city wall. Alongside this built heritage, museums and archaeological sites shape the city’s cultural offerings; Parco Regionale della Maremma is a destination in its own right for hiking and cycling.

Walking and cycling trails

Parco Regionale della Maremma can be explored via a network of hiking and Nordic walking trails. The short, flat A9 – I valloni route passes through the Grand Dukes’ pine forest and the landscape known as “Little Africa”. It offers an alternative route to Torre di Collelungo, with connections to the beach and towards Marina di Alberese.

The Grosseto–Alberese cycle path connects the two places. It starts at Grosseto railway station, follows the Ombrone riverbank, enters Parco Regionale della Maremma at Pian di Barca and ends at the visitor centre in Alberese. The centre is 4 kilometres from the SS Aurelia and is signposted from the exits. As route conditions can change, check them before setting off.

Other cycling routes have different destinations: one route to Spiaggia di Collelungo passes through the Grand Dukes’ pine forest to Marina di Alberese; from there, take the coastal cycle path back to Alberese. Another follows Strada del Mare, crossing pine forests, wetlands and meadows to reach Marina di Alberese and the mouth of the Ombrone. The Alberese–San Rabano route leads to the ruins of the monastery, its church and the Uccellina Tower, surrounded by large holm oaks.

City walls, cathedral and fortress

The surviving city walls enclose Grosseto’s historic centre. An important landmark in the city’s history is the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo: construction began in 1294 under the Sienese architect Sozzo Rustichini, on the ruins of an earlier church dedicated to the Assumption. Its furnishings include a baptismal font, stained-glass windows, the Cappella del Crocifisso and a painting by Matteo di Giovanni. The Sienese Keep is Grosseto’s most important fortress; it was built during the Republic of Siena.

Museums and archaeological history

The Museo Collezione Gianfranco Luzzetti displays 64 works donated to the city of Grosseto. The exhibition route takes visitors through the former Santa Chiara monastery, once a convent of Poor Clares, and the Chiesa dei Bigi. The Giardino Archaeologico, an open-air museum and archaeological garden, is also located in the historic centre. MuseoLab houses original finds and large-scale graphic reconstructions relating to the history of Grosseto.

The Museo di Storia Naturale della Maremma offers guided tours, exhibitions, conferences, workshops and educational activities. For a different perspective on history, visit the Area Archeologica di Roselle, 8 kilometres north of Grosseto. It preserves sections of Etruscan walls and Roman city remains, including the forum, Cardo maximus, basilica and bath complexes. The Museo Archeologico e d’Arte della Maremma has a section dedicated to Roselle: the Etruscan city was founded at the end of the Iron Age and conquered by Rome in 294 BC.

Traditions and events

Grosseto hosts the Game Fair every year, a three-day outdoor festival featuring hunting traditions, sport shooting, equestrian sports and activities with dogs. A distinctive expression of local tradition is the procession on the night of San Lorenzo: a cart pulled by Maremma cattle from Alberese leads the way through the historic centre, followed by mounted Butteri.

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