Epic Southern Tuscany Road Trip Itinerary (From a Local!)
Plan your epic Southern Tuscany road trip with this itinerary from a local! Our guest author, Lisa, is an Italian mom with a passion for travel and writing. You can read more from her on her blog Rome Travelogues.
Whenever I feel the need to get away, I flee to Southern Tuscany, which is about 200 km from where I live. When I talk about Southern Tuscany, I refer to the area just beyond the border with Lazio (the region with Rome). This Southern Tuscany road trip itinerary includes pretty villages and natural and archeological sites that are just incredible, and that pulls me back there over and over again. This Tuscany road trip covers some must-see places that are fantastically off the beaten path in Tuscany. You will drive across the classic Tuscan countryside with olive fields and vineyards, of course, but also discover different places and secret spots that only the locals know, like mysterious archeological sites, gorges, and bays.
Southern Tuscany is also known as “Maremma” or “Tuscan Maremma”, and it’s part of the Tuscia region (the area of influence of ancient Etruscans.), which includes areas of northern Lazio and Umbria as well. This itinerary will take you to 15 incredible places, some of Tuscany’s hidden gems only locals know. I’m also offering advice on where to eat and accommodation.
WHERE TO START THIS EPIC SOUTHERN TUSCANY ROAD TRIP
Ideally, you will leave from Siena or Rome. Florence is handy as well, but farther. I started driving from Lake Bracciano, the lovely area north of Rome I’m staying in now. This itinerary in Tuscany unfolds in 5 to 7 days, depending on your pace.
I invite you to travel as slowly as possible because Southern Tuscany deserves careful exploration, and it will only reveal its secrets to those who dare to travel slowly.
THE CAR YOU NEED FOR THIS TUSCANY ROAD TRIP
I traveled on a sub-compact car with a/c and wheels in perfect condition. You won’t necessarily drive on countryside tracks, but it may definitely happen by chance.
You need a good GPS. Google Maps’ “shortest way” is deceiving or inexact sometimes.
Try and keep on “SP” (provincial road, “strada provinciale” in Italian) as much as you can. We got lost while going for the agriturismo we had booked our stay at because it was surrounded by countryside. We drove along endless vineyards and got to see a lot of lovely country houses; it was worth the time anyway.
The aircon is a must-have in the car: during late spring or summer, when Southern Tuscany’s nature is in full bloom, you don’t want to mess with flying insects (including huge wasps and horseflies) that might get inside your car and distract you from driving safely.
BEST SEASON TO TAKE A ROAD TRIP IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY
April to June and September to November. The Tuscan summer can be really hot, and I’d recommend it only if you stay by the coast. If you visit in July or August, stick to the coastal locations I address in the last part of this article.
15 PLACES YOU MUST ADD TO YOUR SOUTHERN TUSCANY ROAD TRIP ITINERARY
I’m not sure if you drive to Southern Tuscany from north or south, so feel free to visit these places in the order which is the most to you. They are all close to each other anyway, this region is dense of attractions.
VILLAGES IN THE “ARCHEOLOGICAL PARK OF TUFF”
One of the highlights of Southern Tuscany is the “Archeological Park of Tuff”. The park includes villages, archeological sites, and scenic areas in between Mount Amiata, the border with Lazio, and the River Fiora.
This region’s charm and beauty will leave you speechless and thinking that you’re exploring some authentic secret spots in Italy. Here are some villages and sites you must add to your first Southern Tuscany road trip itinerary. They are all only 5 to 10 km away from each other, so you could find accommodation in any of them.
1 Sovana
Sovana is the smallest village in the region, “Archeological Park of Tuff.” It is also the quietest and the most beautiful. If the towns of Sorano and Pitigliano have dramatic scenery, rising on huge flat rocks, Sovana is more intimate, one of the most relaxing villages in central Italy.
Every corner of this village deserves a photo. The village has two small pedestrian streets, a main piazza with the watchtower and shops, and a few incredible historical landmarks.
If you love meditative silence, make Sovana your base for exploring Southern Tuscany.
Things to see in Sovana:
1.Ruins of the Aldobrandesca Fortress
2. Church of Santa Maria Maggiore
3.Palazzo Pretorio
4. Duomo di Sovana. The main building inside the village is the “Duomo Di Sovana”, one of the most important examples of Romanesque art and architecture in central Italy. The bas-relieves on the ancient gate of the cathedral and on the columns inside it are worthy of slow observation: enigmatic figures and symbols, which transmit the influence received from other parts of the Mediterranean.
Just outside the village, immersed in the thick nature and vegetation of the gorges that are typical of this area, three important archeological sites are dating back to the Etruscans:
1. The tomb of Ildebranda
2. The tomb of the siren
3. The tomb of the winged demons
2 Sorano
This medieval village is built from the tuff stone that shapes the region. Sorano is located on a dramatic tuff cliff surrounded by the River Lente. The village is similar to Pitigliano, which is another stop on this Southern Tuscany road trip, but even more secluded and smaller. Most of this village you can only explore on foot. We parked our car on the side of the road “strada provinciale Pitigliano-Sorano,” where we saw other cars parked, and entered the village from the neighborhood called “the ghetto of Sorano.” The alleys were silent and picturesque, a series of houses made with ancient stones, and every few of the small terraces offered views of the green valley below. We arrived at the heart of the historic center by walking through arches and alleys. A few people were hanging out there: the old ladies sat quietly chatting in circles in front of their doorsteps; children were playing with their mothers, a very laid-back village.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO IN SORANO?
- Visit the “Orsini Fortress” This is the most outstanding building in town, medieval, erected during the XII Century. It hosts the “Medieval and Renaissance Museum”, a hotel, and the “Enoristrò”, a bistro and restaurant where you can get breakfast, lunch, aperitivo, and dinner in the local style.
- Sit and sip a glass of local wine at a café in the Piazza del Municipio. We did that at “La Cantina Dei Sapori”.
RESTAURANTS IN SORANO
Enjoy a true, organic local meal at the “Agriturismo Aia del Tufo,” which only serves its own products and has excellent prices. This is the best place we ate during the entire Southern Tuscany road trip.
Houses in Sorano, Tuscany
Delicious food in Tuscany
3 PITIGLIANO
Pitigliano is the biggest and most famous of the three main villages in the “Archeological Park of Tuff”. The sight of the town from the provincial road will be one of the most exciting moments of your Southern Tuscany road trip: it stands out from a very steep cliff, the houses are the continuation of the rock, and it’s impossible not to stop during by day and night to take pictures of the landscape. I bet Pitigliano was unassailable in ancient times!
Now, it’s a village waiting to be explored. Your task here is to walk through the tight and intricate alleys and discover the hidden panoramic spots overlooking the gorge; there are many of them.
ATTRACTIONS YOU’LL WANT TO STOP BY IN PITIGLIANO:
Medicean aqueduct
Fountain of the Sette Cannelle
Archeological Museum of Pitigliano to admire stunning Etruscan artifacts from the region.
Workshops and shops in Via Roma and Via Zuccarelli
The piazza with the Cathedral of Santi Pietro and Paolo
The area around “Little Jerusalem.”
GET YOUR SOUVENIRS IN PITIGLIANO
Pitigliano is the perfect place to buy food souvenirs and a few bottles of local wine. I stopped at a shop just outside the main historical center, and it proved the right choice: “Narciso e Bussi.”
RESTAURANTS IN PITIGLIANO
1. Ristorante la bontà di Claudia Cucina Tipica
2. Pizzeria Trattoria La Terrazza
WHERE TO STAY: ACCOMMODATION IN SORANO, SOVANA, AND PITIGLIANO (AGRITURISMO, B&B, HOTEL)
Farm House “Tenuta Roccaccia” | There are many B&Bs inside the villages, but we wanted more privacy, so we rented an apartment at a farmhouse a few km from Pitigliano. The “Tenuta Roccaccia” has a kitchen and a swimming pool, and vineyards and olive fields surround it… Their apartments can host up to 5 people. I sincerely recommend it if you want to cook your own meals.
Agriturismo Sovanella | Cozy rooms in a farmhouse surrounded by nature. The cook is excellent, and we probably ate too much here. The common stay here includes dinner and breakfast, but you can also have a simple B&B.
Agriturismo “L’aia del Tufo” | Certified organic food (also some of the best food we’ve had in the region)
Enjoy a stay at Farm House “Tenuta Roccaccia
4 ETRUSCAN CUTS TRAILS (ARCHEOTREKKERS’ FAVORITE!)
The “Etruscan cuts” (also known as “vie cave etrusche” in Italian) are monumental paths caved in the tuff stone that naturally shapes the land in Southern Tuscany and northern Lazio by the Etruscan civilization. The concentration of these “archeological paths” around the villages of Sorano, Sovana, and Pitigliano is massive and unrepeated in other parts of Italy. These are the archeological and natural highlights of the area. There are more than 20 of these “particular” routes.
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THESE PATHS?
They were caved with picks; they followed along with extended necropolises, crossed each other, and reached up to 20 mt. deep and a few mt. wide. The Etruscans (1000 B.C. – 1st Century B.C.) created them, and researchers aren’t able to understand clearly how these trails were used. During the Middle Ages, hermitages and Christian votive niches appeared within the Etruscan paths. On the massive walls of these man-made canyons, you can see the work of the picks, inscriptions from all ages, symbols, and of course, you can access the burial caves.
Tips for visiting the Etruscan cuts
All of these trails are interesting to walk through. You can start your exploration descending from Pitigliano village to the valley. Take the path through “Porta Sovana” and follow the directions to “via Cava di Poggio Cane”, then to the “Via Cava San Giuseppe”. The Etruscan cuts around Sovana instead have direct access to the archeological sites Tomb of the Siren and Tomb of Ildebranda.
Even if the hiking difficulty for these trails is just easy-moderate, it’s best for you to wear hiking shoes. The path is mostly shaded, but during the summer a hat is highly recommended. Bring a torch with you if you want to explore the interior of the many caves along the way. The path becomes very slippery when it rains.
5 SAN QUIRICO – WALK AROUND THE PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT OF VITOZZA
The village of San Quirico (not to be mistaken with San Quirico D’Orcia) is a fraction of Sorano. I visited there to have dinner at the popular restaurant “Il Tagliere Etrusco”, which is now open only during weekends, Friday to Sunday.
Since I found the place shut, I strolled around the village and found out about the abandoned settlement of Vitozza, which seemed worthy of further exploration. The next day, I left my car in San Quirico and walked for 1 km to access the archeological park. This is the easiest nature walk in the area, and it’s shaded because it goes through a forest.
The trail develops across prehistoric and medieval settlements. There are dozens of caves facing the trail, the ruins of two castles. These ruins are easier to visit than the necropolis in the Etruscan cuts. I really enjoyed this walk. The entrance is free.
6 THE SATURNIA HOT SPRINGS
The “Mulino Waterfalls” of the Saturnia hot springs are famous worldwide. They look like the spectacular pools of Pamukkale in Turkey. These natural thermal pools have a constant temperature of 25 °, access is public, and so they are open 24h a day.
The sight of the pools is delightful. If this is your first time in Saturnia, try to get here when there is still light, even if you can also enjoy bathing at night. There are many pools, but the visitors are too. There is also an equipped thermal resort nearby.
The water temperature of all pools in Saturnia is perfect for bathing in spring, summer, and fall.
Rejuvenate in the thermal pools
7. TERMAL RESORT “TERME DI SORANO”
An awesome compromise, in terms of money, between the natural thermal pools of Saturnia and the Terme di Saturnia Resort is the complex “Terme di Sorano”.
Southern Tuscany is rich in natural hot springs. The Terme di Sorano is a recent creation, it features three big pools with different depths and temperatures, thermal massaging flows, and a lawn with beach beds and umbrellas.
Prices are accessible. These are some of the best thermal baths near Rome. You may also stay at the Terme di Sorano Hotel.
In some periods of the year, they are open only at weekends, so I advise you to contact them before dropping by.
8 MANCIANO, AN OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH VILLAGE IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY
The villages and historical landmarks I’ve added to this itinerary for a perfect road trip in Southern Tuscany attract many local travelers, many more than the neighboring Manciano, which doesn’t deserve at all being overshadowed instead.
My fellow road-tripper and I visited Manciano to haunt for a good trattoria. What we found is a surprisingly off-the-beaten-path Tuscan town with an intact fortress (Rocca Aldobrandesca) and a splendid panoramic view on the surrounding countryside. We spent a couple of hours strolling around the historic center and visiting the Museum of History and Prehistory of the Valley of the River Fiora, which is free.
DINING IN MANCIANO
Il Covo dei Briganti Biobar | Breakfast, wines, aperitivo, and to get local food souvenirs
9 TAROT GARDEN – UNIQUE ART GARDEN IN ITALY
Italy has plenty of secret spots and off-the-beaten-path destinations that foreign and local travelers overlook. The Tarot Garden in Southern Tuscany is one of them. About half an hour’s drive from Manciano and a few km from the coast stands a green hill home to 22 contemporary sculptures and artistic installations. The American-French artist Niki De Saint Phalle dedicated ten years of her life to the creation of this sculpture garden, the most important artistic project of her life. Once you are inside, you start walking through colorful, giant figures. The 22 major arcana of the tarots are realized using steel, cement, glasses, and colorful ceramics. The artist said she drew inspiration from the Bomarzo Monster Park in northern Lazio and the sculptures in Barcelona’s Park Guell. You need a couple of hours to enjoy visiting the Tarot Garden. Kids will love it, too. What a unique thing to do on your Southern Tuscany road trip!
Booking your entrance ticket to the park is mandatory; you can do that on the official website.
AND NOW HEAD TO THE COAST
On your Tuscany road trip, you can get to know a few of the best beaches near Rome like Capalbio and Ansedonia, and even discover some of Italy’s most beautiful and secret beaches. I’m talking about the Argentario Peninsula.
FALL IN LOVE WITH THE ARGENTARIO PENINSULA
Beach lovers will love the Argentario Peninsula. Three strips of land connect this rounded promontory to mainland Italy.
If you have followed my suggested Southern Tuscany road trip itinerary, you get here from the South, so the first place you’ll reach is the town of Orbetello.
12 La Feniglia Beach | the longest beach in Southern Tuscany
La Feniglia Beach is 14km long and surrounded on its whole length by untouched pinewoods. The beach is so big you won’t have trouble getting all the space you need to relax and sunbathe.
The view is beautiful: on one side, the promontory of the Argentario, with a glimpse of the cute dock of Porto Ercole town; on the other side, kilometers of sand and trees up to the mainland.
You can access the beach from the car park at the end of the road coming from Orbetello, where you’ll find also the campsite “Camping La Feniglia”, where we stayed. If you want to save money, I recommend staying at this campground but protect yourself from mosquitoes.
13 Porto Ercole | must add to your Tuscany road trip
There are two main towns on the Argentario Peninsula. The smallest, Porto Ercole, is the one that deserves a visit for sure. Have your dinner here, a beer, or a gelato, and enjoy walking along the dock up to the ancient citadel on a refreshing summer evening. Porto Ercole is also the best town to stay in the area.
14 Secret beaches of the Argentario
We explored a few of the little bays and beaches hidden in the Argentario peninsula’s lush vegetation. Our favorite is the tiny “Cala Gesso”. The water of the Argentario’s small bays is emerald-green and crystal clear mind.
You might need to hike down for half an hour to get to the bays: bring your sneakers, plenty of water, food, and your own beach umbrella.
15 Beaches in the Park of the Tuscan Maremma
From the Argentario Peninsula, traveling about 40 km north along the Tuscan coast, you will encounter more beautiful beaches and clean sea.
Here you are in the Tuscan Maremma Regional Park, famous precisely for its beaches and extensive pine forests that reach almost to the sea.
Our favorite beaches are two. The first one I want to tell you about is Alberese Beach, which is easily accessible even with small children. Like Feniglia Beach, it is also long and spacious. To access the beach by car, you pay about €2 per hour, and parking is close to the beach. Bring your own lunch; the luiogo is wild and protected nature reserve.
Another wonderful but smaller beach is Cala Violina Beach.
You must walk about 1.5 km in the woods to get there. The path is almost all in the shade, and there are some uphill sections – I recommend it only to those who are fit and have shoes for walking. To access this beach in the months from May to October you must necessarily book through the official website of the nature reserve, access has a minimum cost: €1 per person plus €1 for the car.
