Thanks to the variety of its "wild" landscape, Maremma is one of the most beautiful Italian regions. It is a sort of big natural oasis its inhabitants and the local governing bodies have protected through the creation of wonderful parks and nature reserves.

In Maremma there are three parks, 21 nature reserves and 42 so-called Siti di Interesse Regionale (or SIR) (Sites of Regional Interest). If you want to make an idea of the incredible natural riches of Maremma , just look at the map and the photo gallery on www.maremmariservadinatura.it.

The largest and most important protected area is the Parco Naturale della Maremma (Maremma Natural Park), which also known as Parco dell`Uccellina (Uccellina Park). It stretches over 90,000 hectares of pinewoods, marshlands, lagoons, sandy coast and pastures between Grosseto, Magliano in Toscana and Orbetello: a real paradise for nature lovers, as you can also read on its website www.parco-maremma.it.

The major Tuscan islands, including Giglio and Giannutri, are part of the Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano (Tuscan Archipelago National Park), which was created in 1986.

As far as nature reserves are concerned, you are just spoilt for choice: in Maremma you will find the nature reserves of Belagaio, Duna Feniglia, Lake Burano, Laguna di Orbetello di Ponente (Western Orbetello Lagoon), Tomboli di Follonica, Scarlino, Poggio Tre Cancelli, Marsiliana and many others. They are all wonderful places, but some of them, such as the Riserva Naturale Diaccia Botrona (Diaccia Botrona Nature Reserve), between Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia, have been declared Ramsar sites and included in the list of wetlands of international importance. The Ramsar Convention covers all aspects of wetland conservation and wise use.

Most of the parks and nature reserves, as well as some sites of regional interest offer guided tours with nature experts for visitors to better appreciate the variety of plants and animals. In lagoonal reserves you could also have beautiful boat trips.

Sometimes nature combines with art, as in the picturesque Giardino dei Tarocchi (Tarot Garden) in Capalbio. Taking inspiration from the Gaudì Park in Barcelona, the garden is decorated with sculptures by the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle.

Parks, reserves and oases represent an immense nature-environmental and at the same time historical-cultural heritage that is to be approached with care and sensitivity and that will remain in your memory forever!