Massa Marittima is a remarkable “art city”, but is still well outside current touristic routes, lying as it is under the so-called “Metalliferous Hills”. It is the gateway to the Tuscan Maremma, with its wild landscapes so different from the “Crete” around Siena and in Val d’Orcia.
Its circle of walls is very well preserved, and within it the city rises on a hill, with narrow alleys and streets up to the wonderful Main Square, where all the typical buildings of the life in the medieval “età dei comuni” (the age of city-states) are assembled: the imposing Cathedral, a well-known masterpiece, the Palazzo del Podestà (the City Governor), the Lodges of the City Market, and the City Hall. But the oldest part of town is higher still, and is dominated by a Fortress, with its Clock Tower. The view from here reaches down to the sea.
The surrounding area is very interesting, both from an archaeological and a naturalistic point of view. There is the archaeological Park at the Accesa Lake, and everywhere trekking paths and places for pleasant walks. Even mushrooming is possible in autumn. The sea is very near, and, to the West, also the evocative San Galgano Abbey is easy to reach.