Connect to Nature, Connect to Yourself
Podere di Maggio is nestled in a place of powerful and deeply inspiring nature, in the green heart of Tuscany, Monte Amiata region. This dormant volcano stands at 1738 metres in height and is home to a variety of local flora and fauna, as well as the surrounding valleys. It is a favourite amongst nature lovers, hikers, cyclers or anyone looking for peace and silence. We are surrounded by nature reserves, many medieval towns, healing thermal waters and a very old and rich history and culture.
The forest around Podere di Maggio is alive with an abundance of wild boars, deer, porcupines and even wolves. In the spring the fields form abstract paintings of a myriad of flowers, among which are many varieties of orchids.
In autumn the forest turns into a wonderful combination of yellow, orange and red and every shade in-between.
In autumn the forest turns into a wonderful combination of yellow, orange and red and every shade in-between.
In the area of Etruscan excavations, about half an hour from Podere di Maggio, you can find 3 wonderful small towns; Sorano, Pitigliano and Sovana. These places seem to be sculpted out of the rocks that they are situated on. They are surely worth a visit, as well as their surroundings; beautiful cliffs, clean brooks that murmur through the valleys and lots of Etruscan grave tombs on the vertical walls of the hollow roads.
The medieval and artistic cities of Tuscany do not need a long explanation. With their beauty and their history they speak for themselves.
In a reasonable distance from Podere di Maggio you find many of these medieval towns such as Orvieto, Siena, Florence, Perugia, Assisi and some lesser known places like Pienza, San Quirico D’Orcia and many others.
In a reasonable distance from Podere di Maggio you find many of these medieval towns such as Orvieto, Siena, Florence, Perugia, Assisi and some lesser known places like Pienza, San Quirico D’Orcia and many others.
Monte Amiata is without doubt one of the most beautiful mountains of Italy. It’s only 20 minutes from Podere di Maggio and offers great possibilities for hiking, mountain biking and even skiing in winter. On its slopes you find several restaurants where you can enjoy local meals after a long hike.
The towns around the area look as if they were part of a film, dating back around 1200 and even today they maintain their old charm.
They are an oasis of silence, with beautiful stone structures and forms that are backdrops for a breathtaking play of light and shadow. You can feel the long history in every alley, in every square and every detail.
Between the main attractions of this area are the natural hot water springs; there are at least 6-7 of them in the area around and near Podere di Maggio. Some of them have ferrous water, while others are sulphur based springs. They are all a result of the still present volcanic activity of Monte Amiata.
Monte Labbro is a mountain with a height of 1100 meters, shaped like a pyramid, from which you have breath taking views of 360 degrees on the southern part of Tuscany. You can see the islands in front of the coast and the mountains in the east. This place has a very special energy, maybe for the fact that a hermit and philosopher named Davide Lazzaretti used to live here around the end of 1800, beginning 1900. It is a place to restore you energy.
The Tuscan landscape is known as the garden of Europe and that name is well deserved. It is a poetry of amazingly soft forms, lonely farmhouses on hilltops, cypresses and rolling cornfields. Often it’s enough to just drive around without any destination to discover the timeless beauty of it.
The Tyrrhenian coast is amongst the most beautiful seasides of Italy. It is not very far from Podere di Maggio; in just over an hour you can be on the beach.
One of the nicest beaches is in the Parco della Maremma. It is a big nature reserve where the forested hills meet the beach and faces the islands of Giglio and Elba. For the ones that love a more “worldly” place there is Castiglione della Pescaia. Also the Gulf of Baratti is worth a visit.
One of the nicest beaches is in the Parco della Maremma. It is a big nature reserve where the forested hills meet the beach and faces the islands of Giglio and Elba. For the ones that love a more “worldly” place there is Castiglione della Pescaia. Also the Gulf of Baratti is worth a visit.
There are some very interesting gardens to see in the neighbourhood. The closest is Giardino di Spoerri; an estate with very interesting art and sculptures spread over the landscape. The second one is Giardino dei Tarocchi, the tarot garden of Niki de Saint Phalle. It is a wonderful collection of huge statues made in mosaic, depicting the major tarot figures. Bomarzo, also called the monster garden is a very interesting garden from around 1650, with great sculptures and a story which is worth knowing.
