Nature and walks in southern Tuscany
Monday 2 – Sunday 8 May 2022
Monday 2 May
After meeting at Fiumicino airport, we travelled to Monti della Tolfa for a short walk and plant hunting, and saw Pyrus spinosa, beautiful Cercis siliquastrum, a field of asphodels, Cynara cardunculus (wild artichoke), amazing clay grasslands and heard the sound of the nightingale.
![DSC_6121](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6121.jpg)
Our excellent guide, Prof Goffredo Filibeck of Tuscia University
![DSC_6122](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6122.jpg)
Cercis siliquastrum stands out in the vista
![DSC_6123](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6123.jpg)
Echium vulgare
![DSC_6125](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6125.jpg)
Cynara cardunculus
![DSC_6129](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6129.jpg)
Cerinthe major
![DSC_6148](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6148.jpg)
Cercis siliquastrum
![DSC_6133](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6133.jpg)
Fields of asphodels
![DSC_6149](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6149.jpg)
Mixed clay grasslands
Tuesday 3 May
The second day in Maremma started on the south-west slopes of Monte Argentario, was followed by a substantial lunch at a brilliant family-run restaurant and an afternoon on Gianella beach, where we looked at psammophytic flora, and had a walk through woodland of Quercus suber and Pinus pinea.
![DSC_6184](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6184.jpg)
Cistus salvifolius
![DSC_6201](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6201.jpg)
Cytinus ruber, parasitic on cistus
![DSC_6197](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6197.jpg)
Walking to the ruins on the top of Capo d’Omo promontory
![DSC_6232](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6232.jpg)
Cistus creticus
![DSC_6233](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6233.jpg)
Orchis italica
![DSC_6235](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6235.jpg)
Ophrys sphegodes
![DSC_6250](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6250.jpg)
Anthemis maritima and Juniperus macrocarpa on Giannella beach
![DSC_6259](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6259.jpg)
Pinus pinea
![DSC_6251](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6251.jpg)
Pancratium maritimum
![DSC_6261](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6261.jpg)
Quercus suber
Wednesday 4 May
It was a glorious day on Giglio Island, arriving at the picturesque Giglio Porto by ferry, then hiking along the main granite ridge with wonderful views, cistus shrubland, colourful annuals and spectacular orchids. The weather was kind, and the shared picnic lunch was much appreciated and enjoyed by all.
![DSC_6267](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6267.jpg)
Giglio Porto was just like a postcard
![DSC_6284](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6284.jpg)
Smyrnium perfoliatum
![DSC_6308](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6308.jpg)
Lavandula stoechas
![DSC_6286](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6286.jpg)
It was a day of incredible views
![DSC_6330](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6330.jpg)
Muscari comosum / Leopoldia comosa
![DSC_6343](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6343.jpg)
Limodorum abortivum
![DSC_6334](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6334.jpg)
A designer couldn’t have improved on nature
![DSC_6349](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6349.jpg)
Lupinus sp.
![DSC_6353](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6353-scaled.jpg)
Anacamptis papilionacea pale form
![DSC_6356](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6356.jpg)
Back to Giglio Castello
Thursday 6 May
There was some rain today in Maremma, so the long walk planned was changed to a shorter walk in the Maremma National Park in Alberese, followed by a wander through an interesting species-rich grassland after lunch.
![DSC_6362](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6362.jpg)
The umbrella pines (Pinus pinea) were certainly doing their job today
![DSC_6363](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6363.jpg)
Evax pygmaea
![DSC_6369](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6369.jpg)
Paliurus-spina-christi with its beautiful seed pods
![DSC_6370](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6370.jpg)
Beautiful colour splashes
![DSC_6381](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6381.jpg)
Three stages of Trifolium stellatum
![DSC_6389](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6389.jpg)
Ophrys lutea
![DSC_6400](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6400.jpg)
Serapias parviflora
![DSC_6404](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6404.jpg)
Urospermum dalechampii
![DSC_6407](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6407.jpg)
Geranium sanguineum
Friday 6 May
Today we left Porto Santo Stefano, travelling inland for the latter part of our trip. On the way we visited Pitigliano and its tuff rock tracks and catacombs, lunched at an agriturismo (a farm which also receives guests) and walked by Etruscan ruins near the half-abandoned village of Sovana.
![DSC_6414](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6414.jpg)
The extraordinary sight of Pitigliano
![DSC_6456](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6456.jpg)
The Vie Cave are gigantic ancient corridors around Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano, carved into the tuff by the Etruscans
![DSC_6469](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6469.jpg)
Cyclamen repandum
![DSC_6484](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6484.jpg)
Etruscan necropolis of San Giuseppe, Sorano
![DSC_6499](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6499.jpg)
Entrance to Sovana village
![DSC_6515](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6515.jpg)
Sovana village
![DSC_6527](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6527.jpg)
Hildebrand’s tomb, the most famous Etruscan tomb in the Sovana necropolis
![20220506_151528](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220506_151528.jpg)
Statue carved from tuff at Agriturismo Aia del Tufo
Saturday 7 May
The last day of the tour was spent walking in the Monte Penna nature reserve and then some free time to explore the village of Sovana.
![DSC_6648](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6648.jpg)
Mossy woodland in Monte Penna nature reserve
![DSC_6670](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6670.jpg)
Anemone apennina
![DSC_6635](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6635.jpg)
Helleborus foetidus
![DSC_6609](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6609.jpg)
Ornithogalum sp.
![DSC_6596](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6596.jpg)
Thymus longicaulis
![20220507_134610](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/20220507_134610.jpg)
Delicious food at Agriturismo Il Cornacchino today
![DSC_6617](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6617.jpg)
STOP it said, so we did, and were very glad to find a huge range of interesting plants on one grass verge
![DSC_6590](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6590.jpg)
Orchis morio
![DSC_6604](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6604.jpg)
Ophrys bertolonii
![DSC_6679](https://www.medpag.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DSC_6679.jpg)
Orchis purpurea
It was an excellent and well organised tour with a fantastic mix of wild scenery, walking, eating, good company, great guidance and of course, the stars of the show, the plants!
Text and images by Lesley Jones