The road out of Capalbio to the north winds its way through a little forest before opening up onto the beautiful fields, hills, valleys, woods, and farmland of the Maremma. There are miles of roads, country lanes, and tracks to explore if you are happy to get lost or planning a route.

The Maremma was rich farmland for the Etruscans, who farmed grains, cereal, fruits, vegetables and olives. The Romans built luxurious villas for the nobility by the sea, and large farms, groves, and vineyards inland. During the middle ages the area was blighted by malaria and neglect for centuries, until a great land reclamation project in the 19th century.