The closest village is Manciano (9km), a typical example of Tuscany’s fortified villages, which should satisfy most of your daily needs with food shops, a supermarket, a bank, a post office, a newsagent, a pharmacy and the local bar for your daily cappuccino. A number of other hilltop villages are within easy driving distance — the closest are Magliano and the trendy Capalbio — offering charming alternatives for daily shopping.
On one of the hills not far from I Cavallini the famous French artist Niki de Saint-Phalle built her ‘Jardin des Tarots’, twenty two giant sculpures in ceramic and coloured glass inspired by the figures of the magic tarot cards. Also nearby is the famous spa town of Saturnia with its hot springs and waterfalls — a magical spot in the evenings.
This part of the country is ideal for walking, cycling and horse riding. Golfers too are well catered for with the Golf Club Maremmello (18 holes, Par 72) twenty minutes away, and the famous Punta Ala course (18 holes, Par 72) an hour away.
Find I Cavallini on the map:View on Google Map, Tuscany
The area has many appealing restaurants and trattorias — you’ll find a list in the apartments.
The gastronomical traditions of the Maremma are rich and varied, consisting of fresh vegetables, spinach and ricotta tortellini, mushroom soup, wild boar and excellent fish dishes. Pecorino, a sheeps cheese, is outstanding, especially matched with Morellino di Scansano, a richly flavoured red wine which is rapidly gaining attention from connoisseurs all over the world.
A beach of fine sand stretches along the coast. The water is clean and usually warm enough to swim in from mid-May to October. You can hire a boat (with captain) to explore the islands Giglio and Giannutri, or use one of the local bathing clubs and rent a cabin, a parasol and sunbeds. You'll find a list of recommended establishments in the apartment.
The peninsula of Monte Argentario deserves a mention; a wonderful mixture of seaside cliffs, archaeological excavations, the wild flowers of the Mediterranean macchia, and jet-set holiday resorts like Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole. On the way lies the town of Orbetello, charming and of historical interest.
Unmarred by the growth of heavy industry, the Maremma remains a place of simple natural beauty, with some notable parks and numerous sites of historical interest.
The Etruscans, who dominated the area until the rise of the Roman Empire, have left several notable remains, including the necropolis at Sovana and the tombs at Tarquinia and Tuscania (25km) — home to several notable excavations. Don't miss out on a guided tour of one of the underground tombs with its delicate wall paintings.
Other important sites include the exquisite 11th century churches of San Pietro and Santa Maria Maggiore with their lovely facades, carved altars and pulpits, the Romanic churches in Sovana, and the mediæval town of Pitigliano, once notable for its large Jewish quarter.
The Maremma is also wonderful for nature lovers, a particular highlight being the Parco dell’Uccellina with its walks through lofty pine forests, spotting the romantic ruins of watch towers and the 10th century abbey of San Rabano. Here you are likely to see wild boar, deer, porcupines, foxes, stone martens and badgers, while down in the scrubland of the macchia there is a varied population of wild birds.
Rome and Siena are an hour and a half from I Cavallini, Pisa is two hours and Florence about two and a half. Viterbo is less than an hour away, and Tarquinia and Tuscania are reachable in half an hour.
Public transport is rather inefficient in this part of the world, and the car still seems the easiest way of getting around. The one exception is the regular Rome train from Orbetello (25 minute’s drive) which will whisk you into the capital in just over an hour.
