Grosseto

Grosseto travel guide - Things to do and see in Grosseto, Tuscany
Itinerary Grosseto: Sightseeing tours - bike tours - day tours - wine tours

Grosseto in the Italian province Tuscany is a city with ca. 82.261 inhabitants. Grosseto is the capital of the correspondent province and the center of the Maremma area.

Things to see in Grosseto, Tuscany

The fortification around the historical center of the city.

At the square “Piazza Dante” is the neo-Gothic palace of the provincial government (1900) as well as the cathedral San Lorenzo whose construction started in 1294. 

The Franciscan church from the 13th century with a cloister.

The Museo Archeologico e d’Arte della Maremma.

Check our insider's travel guide to Grosseto, featuring the best Events of Grosseto, Night Live of Grosseto and sightseeing tours to discover the stunning landmarks, markets, churches, museums and monuments of Grosseto Tuscany. 

Typical cuisine of Grosseto

Are you planing a day trip to Grosseto or to the tuscany countryside? Please check our travel guide for the best restaurants in Grosseto, wine tasting courses or selected wine tours discovering the most famous tuscan wineries of the Chianti or the Brunello region guided by a certified Tuscan wine sommelier.

The cuisine of the Maremma is rural and simple just like everywhere else in Tuscany. Tagliatelle with different side dishes, mushroom soup, pheasant soup and especially “Acquacotta“, a soup with fried onions, celery, tomatoes and peppers. Roast boar. Also wild rabbit hunter’s style with tomatoes, spices and some pepper.

At the coast fish soup like the „Caldano“ – a soup made from mixed fish, calamari, tomatoes and bread – is very popular. As dessert (Dolce): the “Cavalucci” from Massa Marittima, the “Castagnaccio”, the “Pagnottella di Natale” and the “Scarsella orbetellana”, an Easter crown cake with an egg in the middle. 

On the one hand the wine production is very diverse and interesting. Among the wines are the „Colli di Maremma”, a white wine from Pitigliano, the red “Morellino di Scansano”, the “Ansonica Costa dell’Argentario”, the “Ansonaco” from the island Giglio and then of course on the other hand some of the best Italian wines come from the Maremma like e.g.: The “Sassicaia”, the “Ornelaia”, the “Solaia”, etc. 

Indulge your passion for Italian food or life style on a cookery holiday combined with language courses in Grosseto Tuscany and enjoy our hands-on cooking lessons and cookery courses in Tuscany Grosseto.

Events in Grosetto, Tuscany

Numerous traditional and folkloristic events take place in and around Grosseto, among them:

The “Balestro del Girifalco“ (fourth Sunday in May and second Sunday in August).

The “Palio Marinaro dell’Argentario“. 

“Festa della Pina” in Arcidosso on the first Sunday after Easter. 

The “Palio Marinaro“ in Castiglione della Pescaia.

The festivities in honor of the city’s patron are of particular importance:

The festival of San Lorenzo in Grosseto

The festival of Sant’Erasmo in Porto Ercole

The festival of San Cerbone in Massa Marittima

The gastronomical event „Gustatus“ in Orbetello (last weekend in October)

The fair of the wild rabbit on the island Giglio (in September)

The fair of the boar in Capalbio (September)

Things to do in Grosseto, Tuscany

The diversity of the environment around Grosseto offers numerous opportunities for sport activities. Sea lovers can choose between rocks, little bays and long beaches and go diving, boating and do other water sports.

A few kilometers away from Grosseto are the seaside resorts Principina a Mare and Marina di Grosseto.

Those looking for more pristine beach sections are advised to visit the beach “Pineta del Tombolo” north of Marina di Grosseto.

The trails through the nature reserve „delle Biancane” are recommendable. 

In the nature reserve „Laguna di Orbetello“ and at the Burano-Lake bird watching comes first. 

Golf enthusiasts can fully devote themselves to their favorite activity at several courses surrounded by wonderful nature. 

Several spas guarantee wellness stays fully dedicated to the health, thanks to the therapeutic qualities of the springs.

Discover the marvelous countryisde of Grosseto and Tuscany joining a grape harvest festival or olive harvest festival, taking a bicycile tour in Tuscany visiting one of the nature parks or follow up our tracking itinerary.

If you want deeply to relax and re-charge all your energies a Spa journey would be perfect within your Grosseto or Tuscan holiday. Tuscany has many natural hot springs. In most towns there is a modern spa where hot springs water is brought into a swimming pool and you pay a daily ticket to use the pool.

Holiday in Grosseto or Tuscany countryside

The Coast line of Tuscany offers many splendid white beaches. A guide to Tuscany's best beaches with reviews and what to do when you're there, chosen by our local experts.

Our portfolio of hand picked rental villas with pool, holiday houses, romantic country houses and cottages, apartments or rooms for rent with a view in Tuscany offers you authentic, charming and private accommodation for a unique holiday experience.

No matter if you favor family holidays, beach holidays, golf holidays, luxury holidays or a pet friendly accommodation, we have the best private rentals in Tuscany available for you!

History of Grosseto, Tuscany

The foundation of the „young“ city dates back to the Middle Ages. The relocation of the seat of the bishopric to Grosseto also brought along an economic revival for the city in 1138.

In the year 1552 the Spanish troops of Charles V, that had occupied Siena, were driven away.  With the final collapse of Siena in the year 1555 Grosseto fell under the rule of Florence which had been declared an imperial grand duchy – Tuscany – in the year 1569 under Cosimo I.

In 1348 the first outbreak of the Black Plague was recorded.  By the year 1745 the disease had spread to such an extent that Grosseto merely counted 648 inhabitants, while it had already counted several thousand inhabitants back in 1224. Finally under grand duke Leopold II. of the house of Habsburg the situation changed in the 19th century, as he started a project to drain the swamps.

The construction of a canal system resembling those used in Ancient times and the reforestation of the area with pine forests started. Consequently the city was habitable once again, even though the water returned consistently and thus Malaria wasn’t eradicated completely.

In the year 1836 the population increased to 2392 inhabitance once more. In the 1950s a chemical disinfectant annihilated the Malaria agent finally. 

Economy of Grosseto, Tuscany

The service sector is the main base of the economy, in particular the tourism in the districts at the coast. But also agriculture still plays an important role and has preserved its historical traditions like the cultivation of crop, citrus fruits, fruit and vegetables, as well as the cultivation of wine and olives.

On an international scale the area is known in particular for its excellent wines. 

Climate of Grosseto, Tuscany

The climate at the Tuscan coast is typically Mediterranean-mild. Generally you can say that the month July is least cloudy while the months November, December, January, February and also April are characterized by rather cloudy weather.

Arrival

By train

The region Maremma is located at the railway line Rome-Genoa, where many trains pass in both directions. Apart from the train station in Grosseto, there are also train stations in Orbetello, Albinia, Capalbio and Talamone, yet fewer trains stop here.  There is a good connection to Florence, but most of the time you have to change trains in Pisa or Livorno (Leghorn). The departure schedule can be found on the website of Trenitalia. 

By airplane

The nearest airports are Rome Fiumicino and Pisa, both are international airports. Trains take you from Rome Fiumicino to the train station “Stazione Termini”, where you have to change to a train to Grosseto. Also Pisa airport offers a train connection to the main train station, where you can find trains to Grosseto.  

By bus

The bus company R.A.M.A. services the lines Grosseto-Florence and Grosseto-Rome Ostiense (and Fiumicino) and back several times a day. Departure times can be found on the website: www.ramamobilita.it 

The company SENA services the line Grosseto-Milan and back.  Departure times can be found on the website: www.sena.it

Local transportation

Public busses R.A.M.A Information at www.ramamobilita.it

Radio Taxi Grosseto 149, v. Mazzini - 58100 Grosseto (GR) Tel.: 02 5353