What to see in Grosseto in 2 days: Medicean walls and the Maremma

Day 1 — the walled historic centre

Grosseto is one of the few Tuscan cities whose historic centre remains entirely enclosed within Renaissance walls: an almost perfect hexagon commissioned by Grand Duke Francesco I de' Medici in 1574 and completed in 1593 to a design by Baldassarre Lanci. It's worth walking at least a stretch of the bastions before heading into the heart of the city. Within the walls, the day centres on Piazza Duomo, dominated by the Cathedral of San Lorenzo (1294-1302) with its white-and-red two-tone façade, and the nearby Palazzo Aldobrandeschi. Don't miss the Church of San Francesco, home to a 13th-century wooden crucifix, and — for those with time — the Church of San Pietro, among the city's oldest, with Byzantine-era bas-reliefs.

Day 2 — between the Maremma and the coast

The second day is a chance to step outside the centre and understand why Grosseto is called "the gateway to the Maremma": a 15-20 minute drive takes you to the coastal hamlets of Marina di Grosseto and Principina a Mare, or — for wilder nature — the northern edges of the Maremma Regional Park towards Alberese. Those who prefer to stay in town can spend the second day at a slower pace between the modern Barbanella district and the neighbourhood markets, for a more authentic taste of everyday Grosseto life away from tourist circuits.