December is the first month of winter, but in Maremma it is full of wonders and surprises.
At night, the thermometre can drop below zero, and we sometimes wake up to beautiful white patterns of frost in the fields. But as soon as the first rays of the sun light up the vally, the fog dissipates and the air warms up. The temperature often reaches above 15 degrees, and towards the end of the morning it is more than warm enough to enjoy a coffee at the terrace of one of the Corso Carducci cafés in Grosseto. Even on Christmas day, we are usually able to have lunch outside!
We can also take long walks along the beach, that can be reached after crossing an old majestic pine forest. The Ombrone river has carried beautiful polished tree trunks to the Principina beach. Sculpted and whitened by the waves, they can be used as benches by the onlookers, here to watch the sun set on the sea, while looking at the Giglio and Monte Cristo islands on the horizon.
Along the roads, the bushes are covered in small yellow flowers. The landscape is broken up by the hedges that delimitate the brown, freshly ploughed fields and the green pastures, where white Chianina cows, typical of Tuscany, can often be seen grazing. The low winter sun shines on the silver leaves of the olive trees, or hides behind the pine trees. In the distance, the top of the Monte Amiata (1700m) is covered in white snow and sparkles in the blue sky.
The sun may set early, but you will be able to enjoy cosy evenings in the Villa Ombrone, go to the sauna, or enjoy a glass of Prosecco near the fireplace. Sometimes, when getting firewood on the terrace, we can even hear deers calling each other...