Sorano, Maremma
Perched on a tufa rock spur above the Lente gorge in southern Tuscany's wild Maremma region, Sorano is a half-forgotten medieval town built on top of an Etruscan settlement — and the surrounding landscape is riddled with ancient rock-cut roads, tombs and cave dwellings almost nobody visits.
The Town on the Rock
Sorano's old quarter clings to a volcanic tufa outcrop so steep that some medieval houses were simply carved into the cliff face; wander the narrow lanes and you will find doorways opening directly into the rock.
The 16th-century Orsini Fortress (Fortezza Orsini) dominates the skyline and now houses a small but fascinating museum of Etruscan finds; the views from the battlements over the gorge and forest are extraordinary and entirely crowd-free.
The town has fewer than 3,500 inhabitants and sees a fraction of the visitors that Montepulciano or San Gimignano attract, meaning you can eat lunch at a family trattoria and be the only non-Italian in the room.
Vie Cave: Etruscan Sunken Roads
The real reason to come to Sorano is the Vie Cave — deep, narrow corridors cut up to 20 metres into the tufa rock by the Etruscans, stretching for kilometres through the forest and connecting ancient settlements across the Maremma.
The most accessible stretch begins just outside Sorano's old quarter and leads to the Necropoli di San Rocco; follow the marked trail and you will walk through a mossy, cathedral-like passage that feels genuinely other-worldly.
These routes are largely unmarked on mainstream tourist maps; pick up a free trail leaflet from the Sorano tourist office (Via del Municipio) before you set out.
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