Maremma is beautiful all year round. Perhaps it’s because it is scarcely urbanized, perhaps it’s because the territory is varied, and offers sea, hills and mountains too, with the Amiata. So even in the autumn it is worth organising a trip to Grosseto’s Maremma, even if only for a weekend (there are low cost companies flying to Pisa), to appreciate its nature, its culture and flavours. So here’s a list of things you can do in the autumn in Maremma:

Terme di Saturnia, Cascata del Mulino.
Terme di Saturnia, Cascata del Mulino. Photo by Roberto Ferrari
    1. Swim at Saturnia thermal site – the hot season is over, swims in the sea are just a memory now, but in Saturnia’s therms you can dip into hot water (from 37 to 45°C) all year round. This is thanks to the volcanic territory of Mount Amiata – did you know it’s a volcano? In Saturnia there’s a spa resort but there’s also an open access spring called Cascata del Mulino.
    2. Birdwatching in the parks and natural reserves of Maremma. In this area and season, you can see many migratory birds, both those that are passing by in the autumn, and those that come here for the winter season. Among these you can fined wood pigeons, mockingbirds, woodcocks, winter wrens, robins, chaffinches. There are many itineraries and ways to visit Parco della Maremma and the WWF Laguna di Orbetello Oasis.
    3. Riding horses or bikes – if on top of nature you also like sports (so that then you can enjoy a plateful of tortelli maremmani or pappardelle without any pointless qualms) then you can visit Parco della Maremma also riding a bike or a horse – you can rent them on location.
    4. Food festivals dedicated to seasonal products -Autumn in Maremma is the season of lovely products such as chestnuts and mushrooms, a cuisine that is rich and full of aroma and is of comfort against the first cold days. So to celebrate these products, every village organises some festival. We’ve written about the October ones here, and in the next few days we’ll publish the list for November.
    5. Tasting bruschetta with the new oil – our land is scattered with olive groves just as much as with vineyards. And in these weeks olives reach the moment when they start to change their colour, the best moment for picking. After leaving the oil to rest a little… it is ready to be enjoyed, better if on a bruschetta made with local bread.
    6. Admiring nature’s warm colours … – the colour palette offered by nature in the autumn is enchanting, what with all the shades of red, gold and yellow. So walking outdoors or even driving from one village to the other, it’s a good idea to stop and take a few pictures but most of all, enjoy the beautiful colours of this season.
    7. … but also the red skies at sunset, looking at the sea! – and if towards the end of the day you still haven’t had enough of warm colours, try looking at the sea from our hills: you’ll see the sea diving into the sea, painting the sky in red. And when the sky is clear, and perhaps there’s a little wind, you can see as far as the islands of Elba and Corsica too.
Novello Toscano dei Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano
Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano’s Novello Toscano
  1. A dish of pappardelle with wild boar meat sauce or mushrooms – and should you find the right food festival for you, you can always visit a local trattoria and try some delicious pappardelle with wild boar meat sauce. A dish that with the autumn cool becomes even more delicious. And of course it must be paired with some Morellino di Scansano!
  2. A visit to a winery – Carducci, not far away from here, wrote a poem about the must fermenting on Saint Martin’s. As a tribute to him, and even more so to Morellino di Scansano, why not organise a nice visit to a winery? Wines from the latest harvest aren’t ready yet – but see #10 – but visiting a winery in this season, knowing new wines are getting ready for their debut, is special.
  3. Tasting Novello – Novello is out at the end of October, and it is the very first wine from the harvest that has just ended to be out. It is a young, fresh and lively wine, a perfect pairing with chestnuts, in front of the fireplace.