Getting to Roccalbegna, and When to Visit the Maremma

Short answer first. Fly into Rome Fiumicino, Florence or Pisa, hire a car, and allow roughly two and a half to three hours to reach us. Public transport does not get you into these hills in any sensible way, so the car is not optional. The most comfortable months are April to mid-June and September to early October. August is the hottest month.

The last 3 km: strada bianca to Podere Sant'Angelo

Which airport to fly into

The two usual choices are Rome Fiumicino or Pisa. Journey planners put the drive to Roccalbegna at about 2 hours 15 minutes from Fiumicino (roughly 170 km) and 2 hours 30 minutes from Pisa (roughly 190 km). Add 15 minutes from Roccalbegna to us, plus any stops and traffic, and the whole journey comes to about two and a half to three hours. Pick whichever airport has the better flight for you. The drive is similar and traffic is usually light from both airports.

Pisa airport is relatively small and very easy to get out of, and all the major car hire operators have offices here. The drive down to Podere Sant'Angelo is initially along the paid autostrada, then the Aurelia highway to Grosseto, and finally inland to us.

Rome Fiumicino is large, but once you have your hire car you soon turn off the highway to Rome and head north towards Civitavecchia; there's usually light traffic on the autostrada.

Why you need a car

The main railway line from Rome to Pisa stops at Grosseto, but not in the hill villages. Tiemme buses run from Fiumicino airport to Grosseto station and around the province, but they are slow and keep strict timetables. Getting from the station to us without a car means a long taxi ride. Hire a car at the airport, and book early for July and August.

The last few kilometres

Roccalbegna is 15 minutes from us. The final 3 km are on a strada bianca, an unmade road that a local cooperative maintains. The road is well maintained and is fine for regular cars. We are on Google Maps as "Podere Sant'Angelo Tuscan Holiday Homes", and we send directions before you arrive. A word of warning about Google Maps and other navigation systems in southern Tuscany: they are not 100% reliable, so it's a good idea to arrive with an old-fashioned road map too.

Roccalbegna has the nearest shops, with two general stores, a butcher, a chemist's and a cash machine. As the nearest supermarket is in Arcidosso, 30 minutes away, it helps to buy the first evening's food on the way from the airport. Arriving from Pisa, there's a Conad supermarket near the Grosseto Est exit of the Aurelia highway (the one you take for Podere Sant'Angelo). There's a Co-Op supermarket in Manciano if you're arriving from Rome. We are sorry that we cannot accept pets.

When to come

The figures below are for Grosseto, on the plain. We are at 700 metres, so expect it to be three or four degrees cooler here, with fresher evenings.

April to mid-June. Highs run from about 19 °C in April to 24 °C in May and 28 °C in June. It is good walking weather, and the nights are cool. You will find routes on our walks page.

July and August. On the plain, average highs are 31 to 32 °C, and July is the driest month, with about 15 mm of rain. The sea is at its warmest, around 25 °C in August, and the beaches at Marina di Grosseto and Parco Maremma are just over an hour away. Monte Amiata is cooler. Saturnia is better outside peak hours, as our Saturnia guide explains.

September to early October. Highs are still 27 °C in September and about 22 °C in October.

November and December. These are the wettest months, with about 100 mm and 90 mm. The Focarazza fire ritual takes place in Santa Caterina on 24 November.

January to March. Highs of 13 to 16 °C on the plain and lows of about 3 to 5 °C. Monte Amiata has a small ski area. The nights are long, the sky is very dark, and the Milky Way is clear above the house.

The view across the Albegna Valley from Capitorio Cottage

Local wild flowers are at their best in May and early June, and our lavender hedges flower from late May to the end of June. Good times to visit for walking are April to mid-June and September to mid-October.

Booking with us

Our three one-bedroom cottages can be booked directly from this website. Direct guests avoid paying the commission required by sites such as Airbnb and Booking.com.

See the cottages, the FAQs and our page on where to eat nearby. If you would like to know what is on our doorstep, read about Roccalbegna and Monte Amiata, and why a quiet base suits this part of Tuscany.