Marsiliana

In the gentle hills of the Maremma is the castle and hamlet of Marsiliana, where princes still live. The dominating fortress is still held by the noble Corsini family, who opened an award-winning winery in the area, becoming some of the first to create a modern wine industry in the Maremma, an area that previously had been given over more to pastures and grain cultivation. This is a less-known part of Tuscany, where cowboys still follow their cattle, albeit in view of some of the area's most beautiful beaches. Marsiliana is just a few miles from the Costa d'Argento.

The village is home to about 1000 residents, surrounded by low hills and native vegetation. An immense WWF park nearby is a nature preserve that also holds several ancient watch towers, the remains of an abbey and some interesting caves to explore. Despite its size, there are a few restaurants and coffee bars in town.

The town's claim to fame is its ancient history. The Maremma Etruscans left a lasting mark here, with necropoli that were discovered by the Corsini family at the beginning of the 1900s. The excavations revealed an advanced society and produced several important finds. The Fibula Corsini is an intricate gold dress pin with incredible detail that shows the skill the Etruscan goldsmiths. The Tavoletta della Marsiliana is an ivory tablet inscribed with the 26 letters of the Etruscan alphabet. It still held wax residue and writing on it, indicating it was likely a learning tool, like an ancient version of a notebook. The so-called Casa delle Anfore is named for the vast number of amphorae containers found there.

If you like strawberries, be sure to visit in May when Marsiliana throws their Sagra della Fragola in celebration of the spring fruit. You'll also find farmers' stands selling the sweet berries.