Bastione della Cavallerizza at Sunset
Of all the six bastions punctuating Grosseto's Medici walls, the Bastione della Cavallerizza on the southern arc delivers the widest, most cinematic panorama: an unbroken sweep across the flat Maremma plain toward the Tyrrhenian Sea glinting on the horizon and, on clear days, the silhouette of Monte Argentario. Come thirty minutes before sunset and stay until the sky turns violet.
The View Itself
From the bastion's broad terrace you can see the patchwork of wheat fields, vineyards and umbrella-pine forests that carpet the Maremma lowlands. On exceptionally clear winter mornings the island of Giglio is visible as a dark hump beyond the coastal lagoons.
The foreground is equally rewarding: the red-tiled rooftops of the old city cluster tightly inside the walls, with the Duomo's Romanesque campanile rising above them like a sundial.
How to Make the Most of It
A small kiosk near the bastion sells Morellino di Scansano wine by the glass in summer — sipping Maremma's signature Sangiovese-based red while watching the sun drop is a very specific kind of happiness. The kiosk is usually open from 17:00 to 22:00 in June, July and August.
Photographers should set up on the western face of the bastion for the best light angle; a wide-angle lens captures both the city rooftops and the plain in one frame.
Getting There
Walk south along the wall promenade from Porta Nuova for about 10 minutes. The bastion is signposted and has a grassy open area at its tip with several benches.
There is no entrance fee and no time restriction. In winter the kiosk is closed but the view — often sharpened by cold, crystalline air — is arguably even better.
More of Grosseto
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Grosseto →
