Saturnia Hot Springs & Village of Pitigliano with Via de Cava Guiseppe - Afternoon of June 11, 2010

Day trip after Morning Market - Following our adventures on market day in Soriano, we head out for an afternoon day trip to Saturnia Hotsprings and Pitigliano.

Saturnia Hotsprings - There are a lot of hotsprings  throughout Italy and I have seen photos of some free ones that appear to be tucked up a road. They look stunning. Off we head on a country drive through the region of Maremma to find this place. Naturally, the roads aren't well marked. I've got some directions and some landmarks and we eventually find it. There's a big dirt parking lot and we wander down a road - on which others are wandering - and come onto the most beautiful vista of shallow tiered hotsprings pools with aqua blue water. Plenty of people know about this place and they are lounging around and draped over the edges enjoying these natural hot tubs.

Village of Pitigliano & Via de Cava Guiseppe - There are supposed to be some Etruscan caves or tunnels somewhere around the base of the tiny town of Pitigliano (pronounced Peeteeliano). After more winding roads, Pitigliano comes into view. Constructed on a spur of tufa below the imposing Orisini castle, Pitigliano appears to the visitor like a scene from a fable, rising on a rocky cliff of savage beauty surrounded by deep valleys. The houses are constructed at the top of sheer tufa cliffs that make the construction of defensive walls superfluous. There are characteristic grottos and Etruscan tombs excavated from the high tufa walls, some of which are used today as cellars for the preservation of wine. Indeed, we see many of these doors.

By following some driving instructions found on the internet, we find where the Via de Cava Guiseppe is located. There appears to be a path adjacent to a river. We meet a fisherman coming out and he eyes us with much suspicion. We're a little nervous that we might be trespassing but signs point the way. When we get to where the Etruscan Cava is there is a sign that seems to indicate "don't enter." There is so much written in Italian we can't understand any of it. Right or wrong, we decide to ignore the sign and go forward. We're respectful tourists and it is exciting to be wandering in this area all alone, knowing that we are walking where the ancient Etruscans once lived and thrived. It feels like an honor to be here in what feels like a sacred place with no one else around. It is a little dark and photographs don't do it justice. Really, there's not much to photograph except mounds of rocks.

Afterwards, we drive up into Pitigliano. It's about 6 p.m. and not much is open. There are a few little shops that are trying to serve tourists with wine, olives, and postcards. Unfortunately, nothing we are interested in. We're worried that we parked in a bad spot so we don't linger long.

Dinner at Palazzo - We're more than ready to head back to Soriano. We wind our way back into town past fields with round bales of hay, up into the square, squeezing up the road in town, and making the sharp right to head down into the parking lot. It's a quick - a familiar - walk to our room at the Palazzo. I tackle the salad and Bob heads off to buy some takeout at Bar Pizzeria Siria.

Down to the Palazzo's lovely garden we go to tuck into bowls of lovely fresh salad tossed with olive oil and balsamic, delicious zucchini and porcini mushroom pizza, and the bottle of Brunello wine. The evening continues with the opening World Cup match between England and the U.S.