Maremma Nature Park and the Stunning Ruins of San Rabano Abbey

Maremma Nature Park extends from Principina a Mare to Talamone and shares an eastern border with the Aurelia State Highway. Densely covered with a luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation, the Monti dell'Uccellina hills occupy the central and southern parts of the area and offer fantastic views over the Tyrrhenian coast, Giglio, Elba and Corsica. The dark waters of the River Ombrone flow into the sea and mix gradually with the green waters of the Tyrrhenian, creating a remarkable scenographic effect; the park is characterized by several natural environments, including the Trappola marshes and some wonderful dunes covered with stone pine woods and crossed by artificial waterways built by the Dukes of Lorraine. The park's wildlife consists mainly of animals such as wild boars, foxes and fallow deers; however, it also includes badgers, roe deers, porcupines, weasels, wildcats and stone martens. The area is also rich in holm oak, oak and strawberry trees, scotch broom shrubs, thyme, cistus and rosemary. In order to visit the park, you need to go to the Centro Visite di Alberese, open daily from 8.30am to 8.00pm. From there, a bus will take you to Pratini, the departure point for all routes within the park.

The stunning ruins of San Rabano Abbey are located at the end of Route 1, right in the heart of the park and along the ridge of the Monti dell'Uccellina hills. The trail takes approximately 5 hours to complete. Founded in the Middle Ages as a Benedictine Monastery, San Rabano passed to the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem who began some fortification works and also built the nearby Uccellina watchtower.