Istia is a castle that is discovered slowly, strolling through its alleys without haste; appreciating the glimpses, the hidden corners and the perspectives on the river that made it prosperous.
It dominates the river Ombrone from the top of a modest hill in the plain of Grosseto and was already an important junction of the Etruscan-Roman and medieval roads, also thanks to its ford. It’s still clearly visible a summit core and a lower core.  It is mentioned for the first time by written sources in '862 with the name "Iscle", a name derived from Ischia, which means Island, precisely because it was once surrounded by the waters of the river Ombrone. The outer walls, which encircle the entire hill at its base, were equipped with two powerful gates, which served to defend a nodal point of passage for the trade and distribution of salt. Its strategic position made it fundamental in the Middle Ages and made it reach us with still many things to tell. Walking through the streets of the center do not forget to look at the characteristic views of the river that made it rich.