Easy hikes and walks in Oasi Wwf Lagune Di Orbetello

The Orbetello Lagoon is a coastal nature reserve of 27 km² located in the Maremma grossetana, in Tuscany. This unique brackish ecosystem is enclosed between the Monte Argentario promontory and the mainland by two 6 km long sand spits, known as Tombolo della Giannella and Tombolo della Feniglia. In the center of the lagoon lies the town of Orbetello, connected to Argentario by the historic Leopoldina Dam (built in 1842), which divides the body of water into the Western Lagoon and the Eastern Lagoon.

with a bar

Who doesn't have a photo with this mill?😁

This surprising sight, which immediately makes you think of a city sunken in the sea (who has never heard of 'Atlantis'), is what visitors see at the end of the headland that separates the northern 'Laguna di Ponente' from the southern 'Laguna di Levante'. Even early in human history, people were clever enough to harness the power of the elements - which could be a threat on the one hand, but also helpful on the other. A total of nine tidal mills once diligently did their work here.

A beautiful stretch of beach. It's a bit narrower here, but still nice to walk on.

Nine mills were built in the 15th century, all in a single line in the lagoon. They were built by the Sienese to grind grain (which was brought to the mill on the local boats) to produce flour. At the time, they were powered by the force of the water (which flowed in and out of the lagoon every six hours from the Giannella tombolo, causing a vast hydraulic phenomenon), which turned the millstones. A century and a half later, in 1557 to be precise, Orbetello became the capital of the Stato dei Presìdi, created by order of King Philip I of Spain. It was under Spanish rule that sails were added to the mill, so as to harness the power of the many winds (four mistral and five sirocco) that blew across the lagoon. The nine mills, arranged in a row by the inhabitants of Orbetello, managed to produce enormous amounts of water by exploiting both the currents and the winds, thus creating a phenomenon of hydraulic and wind engineering of great historical significance. Today, only one of the nine mills mentioned above remains, recently restored.

The old mill is located among the placid waters of the Ponente lagoon, where astonishing sunsets create a truly unparalleled spectacle. The Spanish mill represents the last survivor of the nine mills erected here during the 15th century. They were built with the intention of grinding the grain, transported to the mill via the characteristic small boats of the area, to obtain flour. Originally, the mills operated by exploiting the power of water, but in 1557, when Orbetello became the capital of the State of the Presidia at the behest of King Philip I of Spain, sail blades were introduced to exploit the power of the winds blowing across the lagoon. The nine mills constituted a remarkable example of hydraulic and wind engineering, maximizing both the movement of currents and winds for considerable production.

Beautiful natural beach without mass tourism.