Page 352 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

350  CENTR AL IT AL Y

k Elba
Livorno. * 30,000. g Portoferraio.
@ n Viale Elba 4 (0565 91 46 71).
( Portoferraio: Fri.
Elba’s most famous resident
was Napoleon, who spent nine
months here after the fall of
Paris in 1814. Today Italy’s
third-largest island is mainly
populated by holiday-makers, The dramatic cliffs and caves of Pitigliano
who come by ferry from
Piombino, 10 km (6 miles) away which contains frescoes and z Pitigliano
on the mainland. The main a 9th-century altar canopy. Grosseto. * 4,400. @ n Piazza
town is Portoferraio, with an A lane beyond leads through Garibaldi 51 (0564 61 71 11). ( Wed.
old port and a modern seafront olive groves to the Romanesque
of hotels and fish restaurants. Duomo, filled with reliefs and Pitigliano is spectacularly situated
The landscape of the island is carvings from an earlier church high above the cave-riddled cliffs
varied. On the west coast, which on the site. Some fine Etruscan of the Lente valley. Its maze of
tends to be a little quieter, there tombs lie in the surrounding tiny medieval streets includes a
are sandy beaches suitable for countryside, many of them small Jewish ghetto, formed in
all water sports. The east coast, clearly signed and easily visited the 1600s by Jews fleeing from
centred on the town of Porto from the village. persecution in the papal states.
Azzurro, the island’s second
port, is more rugged, with high Trappola
cliffs and stony beaches. Inland, x Maremma Irrigated salt
olive groves and vineyards line Grosseto. n Piazza del Popolo 3, marsh
hillsides, and vegetation covers Grosseto (0564 42 79 18). @ to
the mountains. A good way to entrances from Alberese. Open daily.
see the interior is to take the road 8 & Inner Park Areas: @ from
from Marciana Marina to the old Alberese to tour departure point. &
medieval village of Marciana ∑ parco-maremma.it
Alta. Close by, a minor road leads
to a cable car that runs to Monte The Etruscans, followed
Capanne (1,018 m/3,300 ft), by the Romans, were
a magnificent viewpoint. the first to cultivate the
marshes and low hills
of the Maremma. Fiume Ombrone
Following the collapse
of the Roman Empire,
however, the area fell prey
to flooding and malaria, twin
scourges that left it virtually
uninhabited until the 18th
century. The land has since Marina
been reclaimed, the irrigation di Alberese
canals unblocked and
farming developed on the Beaches
fertile soil. The stunning Parco The Ombrone estuary is a mixture of
Naturale della Maremma was pines, marsh and dunes and is home
set up in 1975 to preserve the to birds such as the flamingo,
area’s native flora and fauna, sea eagle, roller and bee-eater.
Marciana Marina on Elba and to prevent development
on one of Italy’s few pristine
stretches of coastline. Entrance Key
l Sovana to much of the park is restricted Roads
to access on foot or by a
Grosseto. * 100. n Piazza Busatti 8 Paths
(0564 61 40 74). park bus from Alberese. Canals and rivers
Other more marginal areas,
Sovana is one of southern however, such as the excellent Itineraries
Tuscany’s prettiest villages. beach at Marina di Alberese
Its single little street ends in and the countryside around 0 kilometres
Piazza del Pretorio, home to the Talamone in the south, are 2
ancient church of Santa Maria, easier to see. 0 miles 1
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp569–73 and pp590–96

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