Marina di Grosseto beach

Marina di Grosseto beach is a wonderful stretch of wide golden sands, perfect both for those who like their beaches a little more tamed than 'au naturel' as well as for those who like them a little wild.

Looking towards the beach of Le Marze, Castiglione della Pescaia and the promontory at Le Rocchette

Its sands stretch a long way from the centre of town, with lots of facilities and coloured sunbeds and parasols, all the way into pine wood backed dunes and on towards the beaches of Fiumara and Le Marze.

Looking towards the Marina in March when the "bagni" are still boarded-up and the beach completely free of parasols.

The "bagni" (beach establishments) here - unlike most along Maremma's Tuscany coastline - aren't wooden structures that need repair from the storm damage of the winter before each season's opening, but permanent, purpose-built - and some architecturally striking - buildings on the sands where the dunes would have been.

Their front entrances face a very wide paved promenade that runs the full length of the town from the Marina after which the town takes its name with its boats at the southern end, to the open "pineta" to the north.

The promenade.

The Video

A Marina di Grosseto "bagno", bar & restaurant recommendation

There are LOTS of bars restaurants and "bagni" bathing establishments along the promenade in Marina di Grosseto, from a Napoli to a Gondola to a modern/funky themed experience. But the one that caught my eye - because it was one of only a couple that were fully open in March (the others were all still shut and bordered-up on their seaward side) was Bagno Stella.

And I was impressed: not only by the willingness of the owners to make me just a coffee (good at that), but the whole internal decoration - a beach theme - and presentation. Pristine and friendly. Plus there was the perfume of frying fish wafting in the air for their lunch visitors...

These are just a few of the dishes on their Ristorante Le Bocche menu...

Antipasti - Starters

Polpo con carciofi

Zuppa di cozze con pomodoro fresco e basilico

Spada affumicato con souffle di finocchi e cuore di arancio

Primi Piatti - First Courses

Tagliolini al nero in carbonara di pesce

Strigoli allo zafferano con vongole veraci e asparago

Spaghetti di gragnano alle ostriche belon

Secondi Piatti - Second Courses

Grigliata di Montecristo con vedure grigliate

Pinzimonio di crostacei con salsa tsatziki

Tagliata di tonno in crosta di mandorle con sformatine

You can read their full menu on this page.

Eating out at Ristorante Le Bocche and most of the other restaurants on the beach aren't cheap options: the antipasti here start at Euros 10,00. But back from the promenade into the town you will find a lot more bars and places to eat to suit all budgets.

And if you fancy a lighter less expensive picnic lunch as opposed to a full sit down hot restaurant meal, the local mini supermarket also makes-up "panini" from their fresh bread and deli counters. Beach picnics can be so much more fun :)

Parking

You will find pay and display parking - the blue lined bays - right behind the promenade and beach. If those are all taken then there are many residential side streets (just do a quick check that they aren't permit only, most aren't) where the parking is either pay and display or free.

Disabled Access

The beach in April.

The promenade and paths between each of the restaurants and bathing establishments make Marina di Grosseto beach one of Maremma's easily accessible by wheelchair beaches. Even further north along the beach to where the apartment blocks have finished and the "pineta" (pine wood) backs the beach rather than apartments and houses etc, there are a few paved footpaths that enable access right down to the sands.

A bare-back horse race on the beach

This great photo of the action is by kind permission of Giorgio Monteverdi

The bare-back thorough-bred horse race called the Palio dei Venti was held for two years along the sands of the Marina di Grosseto beach during the middle weekend in April: the last event was held over the weekend of 18 and 19 April 2010. The third year's event was cancelled at the last minute, but I'll update the Maremma Palio's calendar here if I hear that it is on again for this summer.

Marina di Grosseto beach accommodation

There is a wealth of accommodation choice along this part of Maremma's coast: from bed and breakfast, to self-catering apartment hotels and campsites.

Try...

Hotels with self-catering apartments

Grosseto campsites

More Grosseto beaches

Principina a Mare

La Fiumara Kite beach

Le Marze

Marina di Alberese