Mura Medicee di Grosseto
Grosseto's hexagonal Renaissance walls, commissioned by the Medici in the 16th century, are so well-preserved you can walk the entire 3-kilometre circuit on top of them. Shaded by ancient holm oaks and dotted with six angular bastions, they frame the old city like a living history lesson.
Walking the Ramparts
The promenade on top of the walls is completely flat and car-free, making it one of the most pleasant evening passeggiata routes in all of Tuscany. Locals jog, cycle and push prams along the same battlements where Medici soldiers once kept watch.
Each of the six bastions has a different character — some host open-air cafés, others small playgrounds or benches angled toward the sunset. The Bastione della Cavallerizza on the south side offers the longest uninterrupted view over the Maremma plain.
History Carved in Stone
Construction began in 1574 under Cosimo I de' Medici, who wanted to turn Grosseto into a proper garrison city after absorbing the Republic of Siena. The walls replaced a medieval circuit and were designed by the military architect Baldassarre Lanci.
Look for the Medici coat of arms carved above the two original gates: Porta Vecchia (facing north) and Porta Nuova (facing south). Both gates still channel daily traffic, giving the fortifications a wonderfully lived-in feel rather than a museum-piece stillness.
Practical Tips
The wall walk is freely accessible at all hours and costs nothing. Rent a bike from one of the shops just outside Porta Nuova to complete the circuit in about 20 minutes, stopping at each bastion for photos.
Evening is the magic hour: the warm Maremma light turns the brick a deep terracotta and the Bastione Fortezza fills with aperitivo drinkers from the nearby bar.
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