Description of the attraction
Natural Park "Maremma" - an area of impenetrable wild mountains descending to the sea with sandy beaches and dunes and surrounded by swamps, pine forests, cultivated land and pastures. The territory of the park, bounded by the Livorno - Rome railway line, stretches along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea from Principina a Mare to Alberese and Talamone. Here are the Ombrone river bed, the Uccellina mountain system, the highest peak of which - Podgio Lecci - reaches 417 meters, the Trappola wetlands and the coast with sheer cliffs and sandy beaches.
The coastal area of the Tuscan Maremma was declared a natural park in 1975. It covers an area of 100 sq. Km. In the northern part there are beaches with characteristic vegetation adapted to the sandy saline soils. A little further from the coast, thickets of Mediterranean bushes begin. From a natural point of view, this complex, formed by the Uccellina mountains, the Marina di Alberese pine grove, the Ombrone River and the Paludi della Trappola swamps, is a unique ecosystem.
To the north of the mouth of the Ombrone lies the Paludi di Trappola swamps, alternating with sand dunes. Wild cattle graze here all year round. The marshes are also a wintering ground for some aquatic bird species. The lands farthest from the sea have been reclaimed, and today cultivated fields and pastures are spread on them.
To the left of the mouth of the Ombrone you can see a compact system of small dunes, which are mostly covered with pine forest. Thickets of pine, or Italian pine, are separated from the sea by a strip of seaside pine, which protects the entire territory from the harmful effects of sea winds. And there are also artificial canals created in the 18th century.
The central and southern parts of the Maremma are dominated by the Uccellina mountain range, almost entirely covered with dense forests. Only on the lower slopes of the mountains can you find olive groves and vineyards or pastures. It is on Uccellina that ancient religious buildings and towers are located: the Abbey of San Rabano, Torre Castelmarino, Torre Collelungo, Cala di Forno and Bella Marsilia. And in Talamon, the remains of an ancient Roman villa were discovered.
