Massa Marittima

Massa Marittima is a medieval town in Tuscany, in the province of Grosseto, set amid the Maremma and the Colline Metallifere, an area with a mining heritage dating back to Etruscan times. The historic centre is arranged around Piazza Garibaldi, overlooked by the Romanesque-Gothic Duomo di San Cerbone and the Palazzo del Podestà. The upper town retains the Torre del Candeliere and remains of the Sienese fortress (Cassero Senese), reminders of the medieval rivalry between Massa Marittima and Siena. Its mining past is showcased at the Museo della Miniera, housed in former galleries that trace the extraction of copper, silver and iron. Twice a year, in May and August, the Balestro del Girifalco takes place, a crossbow tournament held in period costume on the main square. The surrounding hilly, wooded countryside produces Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC wine and olive oil. The Tyrrhenian coast, including the Gulf of Follonica, lies around twenty kilometres away, making beaches easily reachable while still enjoying the quiet of the Tuscan hinterland.