Orbetello rises on a thin “spit of land” that connects Mount Argentario to the mainland.

It is a country surrounded by the waters of the lagoon, enclosed by six hundred year old walls in which history, nature, and culture find a living expression of the nature of its inhabitants who fiercely define themselves as the "lagooners of Maremma".
On the last Sunday of every July you can attend the spectacular "boat race" titled “Corsa dei Banchini”, a competition between the five districts in which the area is divided.  The teams, formed of two rowers and one coxswain, face the challenge as they board their boards, or “barchini”.

The tradition dates back to 1768 when the first competition was held in honor of the marriage of the King of Naples, Ferdinand IV and the Archduchess of Austria, Maria Carolina of Hapsburg. 

Up until the Second World War there were three historical districts engaging in traditional rowing races: the “Piazza d’Armi"; "Duomo" and "Porto" which included "Neghelli" and Station". This year the race will take place on July 27, a unique opportunity for those who wish to visit this town just forty kilometers from Grosseto, perfect as a “jump off point” to discover a particularly charming corner of the Maremma region. 

In addition to the beauty of Orbetello, in fact, a few kilometers from the town are the hamlet of Ansedonia and other jewels such as Porto Santo Stefano, Porto Ercole and Talamone. The Bachini race therefore can then become the excuse to discover the riches of Monte Argentario and its surroundings.