Lee's Tuscan Odyssey: 53. Massa Marittima

In 2001 I came to live in Italy. I had some fun, wrote a journal and this is the blog of my story...

"Tuscany is a state of grace. The countryside is so lovingly designed that the eye sweeps the mountains and valleys without stumbling over a single stone. The lilt of the rolling green hills, the upsurging cypresses, the terraces sculptured by generations that have handled the rocks with skillful tenderness, the fields geometrically juxtaposed as though drawn by a draughtsman for beauty as well as productivity; the battlements of castles on the hills, their tall towers standing grey-blue and golden tan among the forest of trees, the air of such clarity that every sod of earth stands out in such dazzling detail. The fields ripening with barley and oats, beans and beets. The grape-heavy vines espaliered between the horizontal branches of silver-green olive trees, composing orchards of webbed design, rich in intimation of wine, olive oil and lacy-leaf poetry. Tuscany untied the knots in a man's intestines, wiped out the ills of the world. Italy is the garden of Europe, Tuscany is the garden of Italy, Florence is the flower of Tuscany." Irving Stone from my favourite book " The Agony and the Ecstacy" A fictional biography of Michelangelo

With all these diversions we're not going to reach the coast before dark, so we decide to stop and check out Massa Marittima, 8th Century hill-top mining town on the edge of the Maremma region.

The Etruscans and Romans once mined copper, lead, iron and even silver in theses hills and the town was nearly wiped out in the 1600's by the malaria that spread from the Maremma marshlands.

We stop for a late picnic lunch enjoying as usual our stunning Tuscan views. Today it's towards the 1,000 metre volcanic hills of Montieri.

By now it's early afternoon and we enjoy a pleasant stroll through the old town, which at 380 metres has spectacular views of the valley below and narrow, winding medeival streets that lead to the main square, 'Piazza Garibaldi'.

It's a superb square with its silvery grey Travertine stone shimmering in the hazy afternoon sun. Here we find the very impressive 14th Century Romanesque/Gothic cathedral, San Cerbone. The square also houses the Palazzo Communale, which is actually two buildings that have been joined together, again in travertine stone and the 13th century Palazzo Pretorio which houses the Archaeological museum.

We wander the ancient streets, losing ourselves in this enchanting town, free from the hoards of tourists we witnessed in Cortona.

Next we stumble onto a pretty outside cafe, under a colonnade with a view of the Porta al Salinitro. Afterwards we climb up the tower and walk along the ramparts over the Arco Sanese for some more great views and a couple snogging away in the corner!

(Original journal entry 14/9/02)

2 comments:

Barbara Bueno said...: Hello Lee!
It's good to read your adventures! Thanks for sharing with us.
ciao!
Barbara; September 15, 2010 at 12:51 PM
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