Monte Argentario

Ansedonia

Directly across the harbor from Porto Ercole lies Ansedonia, an almost sleepy little town with some of the best beach front in Tuscany. Rather than the rocks and pebbles that greet you on so many Italian beaches, Ansedonia offers soft, velvety sand.
Ansedonia flourished in the 60's, with well-known architects of the time designing villas for the rich and famous, mostly in the mass-media circuit. Now, it is seen more as a retro relic of the past society.
Above Ansedonia, in the archeological zone, lie the ruins of the Roman city of "Cosa". Below, on the slopes near the sea, lies the peaceful residential zone with numerous villas set in green vegetation offering direct contact with nature.
The ancient city of Cosa, situated on a small rocky promontory 114 meters above sea level, was in historic times connected to the primitive island of Argentario by a thin strip of land referred to as the Tombolo di Feniglia.
Its foundation dates back to 273 B.C. in which it became a Roman colony after the territory was conquered by the Consul Tiberius Coruncanio. The name Cosa itself derived from the ancient name "Cusi" or "Cusia", corresponding to a small Etruscan center established where Orbetello lies today.
It seems that Cosa was developed as a strategic point in the water in the middle of the Tyrrheanian Sea since battles with Carthage were anticipated, thus its location was not by chance.
The Romans, thanks to new military techniques acquired during the Samnite war and the campaigns of Pyrrhus, erected, also in Cosa, a mighty enclosed wall with three access ports to the city, which were constructed with enormous polygonal masses of limestone embedded between them; they also erected 17 square towers situated on the side facing the sea.

The Cosa Museum | Via delle Ginestre, Ansedonia | url (it)
The museum has been established by the American Academy in Rome in collaboration with the Archeological Office. It contains archeological documents from excavations in the area of the city and the ancient port of Cosa. It is divided in three sections: the Acropolis, the Casa Romana (Roman house) and the Forum.

Torre Tagliata, is an historical landmark in this area. Near Porto di Cosa, the Torre della Tagliata was built in the early 13th century as a watchtower for the Spanish troops that occupied this part of Tuscany. It is a privately owned hamlet which comprises three separate homes, one being the tower (Torre Puccini) and the other two farmhouses (Villa Rosa and Il Giardino). The famous Italian composer, Giacomo Puccini, acquired this property in the late 1800s and resided here for many years, enjoying the peace and quiet while composing some of his most famous operas, one of which is the "Turandot".
Once he reached fame and success Puccini established residences at Lucca, Chiatri, Milan, Torre del Lago, Torre della Tagliata. and Viareggio.

Extending parallel to the coast, Lake Burano and the immediately surrounding district make up one of the most important wetland habitats in Italy in terms of the integrity of the environment and accommodation and teaching facilities. Lago di Burano is a typical Mediterranean coastal lagoon behind a line of sand dunes.

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Ansedonia, Tomboli di Feniglia

This protected area, the Tombola di Feniglia, is known for its long sandy beach lined with pines and protected lagoons for birds including herons, pink Flamingos and Corsican Seagulls.

Tombolo di Feniglia anello | 13,86 km | 3 ore circa | gpx

Una bella passeggiata attraverso i boschi di pineta sul Tombolo di Feniglia, con un bel tratto di spiaggia. Splendida vista sull'Lago di Levante e Orbetello.

Tombolo di Feniglia anello 2 | 12.40 km | 2,5 ore circa | gpx

Percorso con partenza a Pertuso.

 

Monte Argentario

Itinerary from Porto San Stefano to Torre di Capo d'Uomo | 15 km circa | 3 hours | gpx

Porto Santo Stefano - Capo d'Uomo (variant) | 15,11 km | 3 hours

Anello Orbetello - Poggio Pertuso - Tombola di Feniglia | 15,49 km | 4 ore circa | gpx

Podere Santa Pia is a beautifully renovated stone farmhouse, is located in the wonderful unpoilt countryside of the Maremma, an area in Southern Tuscany, famous for its wine and olive oil. It is easy to believe that this wild landscape owes much of its mystique to the lingering presence of the Etruscans, remembered for their peace loving and hedonistic way of life.
Santa Pia blends a modern contemporary aesthetic with a traditional and rustic ideal to create an unconventional environment that is simultaneously serene and inspiring.