Grosseto and beyond

Aware that we were well into our last week in Montieri, we had to get internet access to book hotels for our trip through northwest Italy and France. So off to Follonica again where we got all sorted out. It was still forenoon so we headed for Grosseto where I had hoped to find some decent pasta and salame shops. By the time we got there it was lunchtime and, as Grosseto is not a touristy town, all shops were closed until 3.30 at the earliest. We keep forgetting the Italian habit of having a long lunch and a siesta.

A modern church on the outskirts of Grosseto

The walls of Grosseto. We parked in a multi-storey carpark just at the walls not realising that there was lots of parking to be had. However, it was a new experience as it had a registration plate recognition system. We were a bit apprehensive but it all worked perfectly - a few hours for 1.50 euro.

The Duomo with its pink and white marble façade.

San Francesco Church

We were not willing to waste time waiting on the shops to open so made another attempt to get to the Maremma Park. There are two entry points into the park, one at Talamone and the other at Alberese. As we had been at Alberese the last time we headed for Talamone on the southern tip. It is a fishing village dominated by the mighty Rocca, erected by the Sienese in the 15th century. 

Canons in the walls of Talamone

Views up from the harbour.

Monte Argentario where we had been a few days ago.

We could not see the entrance to the park anywhere so went to Alberese where we found it - but it was closed! On our trip we could see that a lot of the land had been reclaimed. However, we did not see any “butteri”, the local version of cowboys, nor did we see any of the Maremma cattle (long-horned) that are still bred there, nor any wild local breed of horses. A disappointment!