ORBETELLO
Orbetello is a lively city built between the banks of the lagoon to which it gives its name.
With a breathtaking view of the Monte Argentario coast, and palm trees as far as the eye can see, Orbetello is one of the most fascinating villages in the Maremma
The settlement dates back to the eighth century BC. C. In the following centuries it was a landing place for ships carrying treasures from ancient Egypt and Africa, while in more modern times, between the 15th and 16th centuries, it became an easy target for pirates: for this reason, in Orbetello very little remains of what must have been a rich Etruscan and Roman heritage. The inhabitants of Orbetella seem to live in two distinct worlds: the streets and squares inside the town are very chic, dotted with Renaissance relics and suffused with a timeless grandeur, thanks to the riches brought here over time by thousands of ships; its external streets are instead wild and natural, bordered by palm trees, gardens perfect for a picnic and protected parks. In the evening, the best place to go is the Orbetello lagoon, as the sun sets behind Monte Argentario and the nocturnal animals make their appearance. The first fishmongers in Orbetello date back to the 15th century, and today the lagoon remains famous for two gastronomic delights: bottarga and smoked eel.
NOT TO BE MISSED
GOVERNORS' PALACE
BRING TO THE GROUND
WHAT
AROUND ORBETELLO
BEACHES
What to see in Orbetello
The visit to Orbetello starts from the Porta del Soccorso, Porta Nuova and Porta a Terra, three arches that guard the city. Restored in the 17th century, their facades in typical Spanish Baroque style are surmounted by various coats of arms. The statue of San Biagio, protector of the city, rises above them.
Follow Viale Mura di Levante along the faded white façade of the Guzman Polveriera; Built in 1692, this building was a factory and warehouse for explosives, one of the cornerstones of the city’s economy. Today it is home to the Archaeological Museum of Orbetello (Via Mura di Levante 11; January-March: Saturday: 2.30pm-5.30pm / April-June and September: Saturday: 4pm-7pm, Sunday: 10am -1pm and 4pm-7pm / July-August: Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 6pm-10pm / rest of the year: Saturday: 2.30pm-7.30pm, Sunday: 10am: 00-13:00; 0564 860378; free). On the first floor, the Roman and Etruscan eras come to life thanks to the Talamone Pediment and other
other richly decorated votive pieces. The Etruscans loved banquets and, unlike the ancient Greeks, they also admitted women to meals, enjoying aromatic wines and incense-scented game that burned in the thymiaterion, similar to the one on display in this museum.
The main street of Orbetello, Corso Italia, shows hints of old-fashioned luxury with its richly painted houses and exclusive shops. In the middle of the course is the magnificent Palazzo dei Governanti with its 16th century clock tower.
Turn right into Piazza della Repubblica to visit the Cathedral of Orbetello, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, which is believed to have been built on the ruins of a pre-existing pagan temple in 1201. The rose window is framed by sculptures representing saints and leaders originating from the place. Inside, the chapel of San Biagio, added in the 17th century, houses the head of San Biagio in a precious reliquary in the shape of an embossed silver bust. The bust is placed on a medieval marble altar of rare beauty. Most of the cathedral’s walls are deliberately kept bare to enhance the evocative 19th and 20th century frescoes that adorn the dome above the main altar.
Furthermore, Orbetello is particularly known for its beaches: the Feniglia tombolo and the Giannella tombolo.
CURIOSITY'
THE SPANISH STATE
In the war between France and Spain in the 16th century, the Republic of Siena chose to take the wrong side and lost dominion over the Maremma, which passed to the Medici. The Medici ceded the Argentario coast to the Kingdom of Spain, which established the vassal state of the Garrisons there, with its capital in Orbetello; Spanish culture, food and traditions thus spread from here throughout the promontory. The Spaniards also built the numerous towers still visible today, to protect against the Turkish pirate Kahyr-ad-Din, known as Barbarossa, and his progeny, who would frequently try to invade the Argentario coast, capturing the inhabitants to sell them as slaves in markets in Istanbul and Africa.
THE FRONT OF TALAMONE
The Talamone Pediment is a terracotta bas-relief depicting the ancient Greek myth of the
Seven against Thebes, which tells the dramatic culmination of the war between Eteocles and Polynices, sons of Oedipus and Jocasta. It is one of the few remaining examples of Etruscan-Hellenic art (2nd century BC) and is kept in the Archaeological Museum of Orbetello (page 125). The sculpted figures are intensely expressive, such as that of blind Oedipus among the bodies of his dead children and Amphiaraus sinking into Hades.
AROUND ORBETELLO
The Orbetello lagoon is the only marine lagoon in the world to be perpendicular and not parallel to the sea. Geographical wonders aside, it is a great place to visit in the summer season, when you can go on excursions by boat or on foot. From its banks you can see the Spanish mill, one of the nine windmills built by the Sienese: in the 16th century the fishermen of Orbetello transported the Maremma wheat to be milled there by boat. The Orbetello lagoon is also a WWF oasis and is home to more than 450 species of birds.
MUSEUM OF PEASANT CULTURE
This museum is dedicated to the rural transformation of southern Maremma in the 20th century. Chronologically divided into three rooms, its collection of paintings, tools, photographs and maps showcases the social history of a turbulent period of land struggles, sharecropping, malaria and chronic food shortages.
WHAT
Cosa is perhaps not the richest archaeological site in the Maremma, but given that it is free to enter, it is worth a look.
The settlement was founded in 273 BC. C., and developed into a thriving agricultural and urban centre, but was destroyed in 70 BC. C. during a battle between Romans and pirates. The city rose again, but never returned to its previous prestige. Today, most of it is still buried underground. The Museo di Cosa (€2) has a small collection of Etruscan and Roman votive objects, vases and other artifacts, but the best pieces are
been taken elsewhere. Near the museum there are tiles from the Republican age with their typical white and geometric designs. Take the path that leads to the most interesting part of the site, the arx or citadel. The largest building overlooking the Orbetello lagoon was the Capitolium, a temple built around 150 BC. C. and used for ceremonies.
Next door, in the auspicious templum, burnt sacrificial remains were found. The smaller temple is thought to have been dedicated to a goddess of the sea and fertility known to the Romans as Mater Matuta. To the other
extremity of What can be seen the ruins of a basilica of 150 a. C., on whose ruins a small Byzantine church was built in the 6th century.
GASTRONOMY
Orbetello is famous for two Maremma specialties: marinated eel and bottarga. Brought by the Spanish in the 16th century, marinated eel was traditionally served with an acidic sauce known as escabeche, but Orbetellans prefer it seasoned with vinegar, garlic, chili pepper and rosemary. Today it is possible to buy eel in any shop selling typical products, but to be done properly it must be fried for a few seconds and then seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil.
Bottarga is actually made from mullet roe. The history of this delicacy dates back to when the city council used to pay fishermen for the unwanted parts of the fish. Although it is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s caviar”, it is actually a food of reasonable value and quite expensive. The best is the handmade one, which can be recognized by its dark amber color. Traditionally, bottarga is served on thin slices of warm bread with a drizzle of lemon juice or as a condiment on pasta.
EVENTS
end of October – beginning of November
Gustatus, which means “the sense of taste” in Latin, is a five-day food festival where local restaurateurs, farmers and wine producers come together to celebrate peasant and lagoon cuisine; among other things you can taste the famous spaghetti with bottarga.
