Roads of Tuscany. A little trip to Tuscany. The first day

The seat of the city is not taken.
Of course, a week in Tuscany is not enough. We had more. We traveled to many small and large cities, bathed in baths, lived on farms and ate - a lot and unusually tasty. Before the trip, I studied the forums as usual, trying to compose my ideal route from scattered reports and impressions. Something turned out to be an undoubted must see, and something could well be passed by.
If I were now asked where I would send my virgin relatives or acquaintances in terms of tourism in the first place, I would answer - to Tuscany. To my great surprise, even Provence remained in the shadow of Tuscany. In such a light shade, but still.
So, we have a week in Tuscany - we arrive on Saturday, we fly away on Sunday. Prerequisites: you can rent a car, like to drive it, don't look for parties.
Season - spring / autumn. It is still or no longer possible to swim in the sea, but you still want to get wet somewhere.

Day one: arrival, transfer to Florence.

As an adherent of direct flights, I advise you to fly to Verona. Transaero Airlines regularly flies to Verona from Moscow. Another option is Venice. But I would make Venice a separate visit. Or combined it with western Slovenia.
At the airport of Verona we transfer to a rented car (we book it in advance, for example, here: www.skyscanner.ru). And we go to Florence.
We settle in Florence at our discretion. Florence is expensive. I found an apartment on booking in a residential area, in this house:

The apartment was good for everyone, except for the deaf grandfather-neighbor, who, behind the wall, watched horror films on TV at full volume. The next evening, an Italian family was arguing on the set. We experienced a whole range of emotions. So get ready)
In the evening, if we are still alive, we go out for dinner to a restaurant nearby (TripAdvisor to help).

Day two: Florence.

I don't have beautiful photos of Florence. And it's good, because it must be seen unprepared, so as not to spoil the impression. I have seen enough cities, and Florence is not like any of them.
Where is the first place to go in Florence? Of course, to Santa Maria del Fiore. No matter where you come from, you will be impressed, I promise. Further - at will. You can go to get in line at the Uffizi Gallery, you can look at the graves of celebrities (Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli ..) or at the unique frescoes in the cathedrals. Well, or straight to the world's first Gucci store.
If we know English, then by 16.00 we approach the church of Santa Maria Novella. Two free walking tours of the city start from here every day. (http://www.florencefreetour.com). At eleven in the morning - the Renaissance tour of the very center, at four days - the Medici tour.
We were on both excursions, the second is more interesting. The guides are excellent, with jokes, the people are divided into groups, everything is heard and seen. The second tour ends at the Palazzo Pitti. There is another world-famous gallery there.
And finally, dinner. And, of course, the Florentine steak. On the advice of a guide, we went to the San Lorenzo market for a steak. Food court on the second floor.

Hot meals are served after 6pm. Our "restaurant" is the first on the left side of the entrance:

Choose Bistecca Alla Fiorentina, wait 15 minutes, pick up:

I don't eat meat with blood, but I ate it. Very tasty and there are no extra charges for garnish, tablecloths and other rubbish. The steak is large, almost a kilogram, we could not even finish eating.
If we don’t like raw meat, we go a little further and take raw oysters at the far left side of the “restaurant”, at 2.50 euros apiece. Also excellent.

There is also tuna tartare and what not yet:

Day three: Florence and evening transfer to San Gimignano.

So, we have another almost full day in Florence. If we want to learn more about the history of the city and listen to stories about naked statues, we go on the first free tour. If it's hot, or you're tired of art, you can go for a walk in the Boboli Gardens. We have already been near the gardens - they are right behind the Pitti Palace.

Gardens are paid (12 euros), in principle, not bad, but in general - gardens are like gardens. If you were, for example, in Peterhof, then these are unlikely to impress much. I liked the carps in the fountain the most. And an amazing grotto with sheep.

It's lunchtime and we're off to taste the guts. More specifically, beef stomach. This is me about Lampredotto - the famous Florentine shawarma. Guts in Florence are sold in street stalls. Ours was called Sergio Pollini Lampredoto (ho-ho). From the Boboli Gardens half an hour on foot, but the road is interesting, you will not regret it.

Guts in a boiling vat look disgusting. But if Dante ate, then I can. If you do not think about what you eat, it is very tasty. But fat, of course.

In addition to the intestines they give wine - for free. There is just a bottle and no one monitors how much you pour yourself there. They ate and thought how such a freebie would take root in Russia.
In order to finish off our own stomach, we’ll also run for “the best ice cream in Italy”, not far from here. We need Marco Ottaviano Il Gelato Gourmet.

I recommend strawberries. Maybe not the best in Italy, but so far, perhaps, I have not eaten better.
We inspect what we didn’t have time to, get in the car and hit the road. Our goal is medieval New York. San Gimignano.
At dusk we check into a farm overlooking the city.

Now I understand why New York? Only nine in the evening, so you can walk into the city - for dinner. The city is practically empty.

Tourists usually come here during the day, just for a couple of hours - and in vain. It was here, late in the evening, that I felt that time had stopped somewhere in the narrow stone nooks and crannies. No comparison with ancient Rome, yes its fans ask me.
The season is not in full swing and there are only a couple of restaurants in the city. We go at random.

We order meat. The waiter asks if we would like some truffle shavings with the meat - just in season. Of course we want. The surcharge for shavings is not at all significant - two or three euros per serving. But we have not eaten such delicious meat in all our lives.

They even wanted to build a return route through San Gimignano in order to visit this restaurant again.

Day four: San Gimignano, transfer to Saturnia, thermae.

We wake up in an old house in the heart of Italy.

The hostess has already prepared breakfast.

And the owner's dog came to beg.

During our stay, the old muzzle did not make a single sound inherent in a dog. But the dog snored like a hero. Fortunately, I spent the night in the living room, on my own sofa and behind a thick door.

After breakfast - coffee in the fresh air.

Leave things in the car and go - look at the city in the light of day.

Those who wish can climb one of the many towers:

The rest walk and buy wild boars

Or the unique white wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano. With me, the Poles bought two boxes. The wine is truly amazing.
Finally, we look into the tavern at the entrance to the city. We sit down at a table above the cliff, order a pizza and a glass of local white.
We return to the car, we go to Saturnia. Why Saturnia? Because terms. Useful, natural, free. What an attraction in and of itself. Nice rest after a long day. And it’s also convenient to travel from Saturnia to the cities that I noticed. Saturnia - this is me in general about the surroundings. We lived near the town of Montemerano. In a cozy house above the valley.

Settled in the car and to the terms. Ten minutes later I hear from the driver: “WHAT IS THERE??” I love these moments. Yes, that's where we're going.

Like any self-respecting place in Italy, it has its own bearded legend. Like, once Jupiter was angry with Saturn and threw a spear at him. He missed, but he rescued hydrogen sulfide sources with a temperature of 37.5 degrees.
Cascate del Mulino is a natural waterfall at the foot of an old mill. Nature has created a number of cozy baths with blue, actively smelling water.

I think it is especially good here in the off-season. You approach the waterfall in a jacket, undress in a sprint (there is a shower and a toilet here, there are no changing rooms) and run into the almost hot water. You lie down, get wet, look at the green hills. With us, couples with plastic glasses of wine climbed in there.

Occasionally you pull your hand out into the air and immediately back - it's cold. Go out invigorating, I will not hide. You will run to things, dry yourself, chattering your teeth, pull on jeans with a jacket. Fine. You will drink hot tea in the bar (there is food there, the prices are quite democratic).

And, renewed, you go home - to sleep, smelling of sulfur.

Day five: Pitigliano, Sorano, Via Cave - Etruscan roads in the rocks.

We wake up on the farm. Breakfast with amazing view

If the farmer does not provide breakfast, we buy a grocery set in the supermarket the day before:

We move towards the "magic triangle" of the Etruscans - Pitigliano, Sovana, Sorano. I’ll note right away that I wouldn’t waste time on Sovana, nothing special, just a very small old town. There is also a terrible wind.
For starters, I would stop by Pitigliano. Most of all, the city is impressive from the outside. I strongly advise you to check out this moment - an unremarkable turn and suddenly a city grows on a rock in front of you. An unforgettable sight. That is why I advise you to stop by here on your way to Sorano from Saturnia. I don't think it will look like this on the way back.
We quickly inspect Pitigliano, drink a cup of coffee and go to visit the ancient Etruscans.
We park at the entrance to Sorano.

We go to inspect the roads in the rocks:

The walk will take an hour and a half. Food and drink are not sold there, keep in mind.

On the way home we stop again to soak in the cascade. Or choose paid Terme di Saturnia. This is already a full-fledged thermal complex in Saturnia itself - with pools, showers, a restaurant, etc. Entrance fee 12 euros, bring towels and a shower cap (you can also buy it on the spot).

Day six: Montalcino, Montepulciano, the famous hills of Tuscany, Bagni San Filippo.

Today we have to get up early) We go to look at postcard views of Tuscany: fields, vineyards, small churches, sheep and wild hares.
We are heading for Montalcino.
We stop to take pictures of the sheep. We get out of the bushes. The rams immediately knock the flock together and silently but persistently drive it from the field in an unknown direction.

We quickly wash off, fearing shots in the back seat.
They say that one of the most picturesque roads in Tuscany is the section between Montalcino and Montepulciano. Let's go. Very lacking lavender from Provence, but not bad either. The weather was dull, so there are no good photos.

We visit the vineyard, taste wine and olive oil. We have lunch in one of the towns. We, to confess, did not visit any of them - there was no time. But I think they are worth it. From Montepulciano we head for Chianchiano Terme. We do not stop here (although there is also an excellent thermal complex with pools here). We drive into the navigator Bagni San Filippo. If you go that way, then after Cianciano you should drive along a simply breathtaking serpentine with cypresses (if I didn’t mess up anything, of course). A little detour, but you won't regret it, trust me.
We come to another natural term - San Filippo. An unusually beautiful waterfall is located in the forest.

Before the trip, I could not understand in any way whether it was possible to swim there. Reviews on the forums were diametrically opposed. It turned out that you still can’t swim - a sign hangs.

But almost everyone swims. Well, how they swim - they climb into warm baths for a couple of minutes (like no one sees) or bask in the sun on a salt rock. It is a very unusual feeling to sit on a rock on which water flows.

Above and below the waterfall, a sulfuric river flows, also with baths, and no one is shy there anymore - they sit with whole families.
After another recovery, we go home. On the way we pass a very unusual alpine city - Abbadia San Salvatore. You can stop for dinner or go to the jewelry store at the gas station (I highly recommend local costume jewelry). Just keep in mind that the road is mountainous, winding, and some impressionable people will not be very comfortable driving in the dark)

Day seven: relaxation, Lake Bolsena, Civita di Bagnoregio.

We sleep off. We ride horses on one of the nearby farms. We just walk. We are going to have lunch on Lake Bolsena. For example, in the city of the same name with a very picturesque fortress. We drove past the city and were very sorry that we did not leave time for it.
We are heading to see one of the iconic towns of the region - Civita di Bagnoregio.
I'll warn you right away - the place is extremely touristy. But still, it's worth looking at.

If I had known about everything in advance, I would have preferred to look from the outside. It is this view that impresses the most. Inside the town there is only one street - an ordinary stone street, we have already seen dozens of them. You can get to the city only on foot - along a long bridge standing over the abyss. On the way there, I was somehow distracted by the peeling of peanuts, which are sold at the entrance. And she walked back on wadded legs, at the end she almost ran. In short, the bridge is not for the nervous. Although the pension is actively going back and forth. For them, there is a mini-ambulance right at the entrance on duty)

Not far from Civita there is another very popular ancient city with tourists - Orvieto. We went there too. But after all that he saw, he did not impress me much. Unless, the Cathedral, but we have already seen similar ones in Florence.
We return to the house. It's time for a farewell dinner - for example, in a very cozy little town of Montemerano:

We have been to this restaurant:

And again ordered meat with truffle. Not as phenomenal as in San Gimignano, but still amazing)
I went to Italy with an extreme taste prejudice. I don't like pizza, pasta, etc. Naturally, I was worried that I would eat there at all. It turned out that I simply did not try real Italian cuisine, from real Italian products. Well, okay, pasta is not mine - well, pasta and pasta, albeit tasty. But pizza with thin dough from Orvietto or pizza with truffle from Viterbo I still remember. I remember everything I ate there. Meat, intestines, shrimp and vongole in a restaurant in Rome, tomatoes (what kind of tomatoes are there!), apples, cheeses, biramisu (!), of course, prosciutto. It was by far the most delicious trip in my tourist life.

Day eight: transfer to Verona.
Well, that's it, we get into the car and take the long way to Verona (or where you fly from there).
In Verona we settle closer to the center and go for a walk.

Are you going to Juliet's balcony anyway?) Well, yes, a balcony. But it was necessary to dissolve such a vulgarity - to rub Juliet on the chest. Both adult men rub (over there in the background), and children.

Most of all I liked the tombstones of the Scaligers. And the cathedrals are beautiful. And, still, there is a Colosseum.

Stores are not interesting. Well, there is, of course, no special “spirit of love” there. I don’t know, half a day in Verona would be enough for me. If you find yourself there in the evening, take a look at this place:

It's very atmospheric here. Quite a tiny cocktail bar, no one fits inside, everyone hangs out on the street. As I understand it, mostly local and young.
Well, last glass of red wine and sleep. Goodbye Italy.

P.S. All this is solely my opinion and my ideal weekly itinerary - Italy is different for everyone. I would be glad if you tell me about yours)

Wine, splendor of flowers and incredibly white beaches - Tuscany is a gem of Italy, which is mined from the depths of the Alps and washed by the Tyrrhenian Sea. This region is absolutely unique, it will open before you many secrets and give you an unforgettable experience. holidays in Tuscany.

Dreaming of new adventures - make journey in Tuscany and you will simply fall in love with the magnificent nature and see the ancient capital of the legendary Etruscans. Unforgettable holidays in Tuscany will help you relax both soul and body, and give a lot of positive emotions.

Travel and holidays in Tuscany

Tuscany can be called a small country in the country. It is original and includes ancient settlements, each of which has its own special history and legend. Traveling through provinces Tuscany, be sure to visit the unique Florence - it is considered the capital of the region. Art connoisseurs will be shocked by the masterpieces of the famous Michelangelo, which are presented in the galleries of the city or on the square of the same name in honor of the great master.

This city breathes the history of the Renaissance - the Uffizi Museum contains rare specimens of that period. Magnificent cathedrals and monuments of the fertile land will give you a lot of impressions and positive emotions. Love bright holidays - come here for Easter, and you will see a costume performance and a procession, the apogee of the action will be the burning of a fabulous wagon.

Cities of Tuscany

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of magnificent Italy , or vacationing in Tuscany , better from the main rival of magnificent Florence - the city of Siena. This paradise is located far from noisy roads and freeways.

It is surrounded by olive groves and huge vineyards. He managed to preserve his originality and unique virginity, here you will forget about the bustle and civilization and enjoy the cleanest air and beautiful landscapes of the hills.

Moving west from the provincial capital, you will find yourself in ancient Pisa with its "leaning" tower and many architectural monuments. The ancient port is famous for its many cathedrals and museums, and a pleasant surprise will be for you a lot of inexpensive restaurants where you can have a delicious lunch.

The city of Volterra is an amazing settlement that spreads out on a steep hillside. Traveling ByTuscany, be sure to visit the homeland of the ancient Etruscans. It seems to “hang” over the whole world, leaving all the fuss somewhere below. Here you will see the ruins of an ancient theatre, unique baths with mosaics on the floor, you can get acquainted with the heritage of an ancient tribe in the local museum.

If you are going to holidays in Tuscany and want to admire the architectural sights - come to Arezzo. This graceful white stone town will surely captivate you. A beautiful castle and an ancient square will make you feel like noble Romans. An antique fair is held here, where you can see real works of art collected from.

And you would like to see the ancient fortress, which is hidden among the vineyards - Montalcino will meet everyone with great wine. In the old castle, you will be treated not only to the Divine drink, but also to an appetizer in the form of cheese and homemade sausages. The famous abbey of Sant'Antonimo is located in this city - it is recognized as the most ancient and beautiful creation in all of Tuscany.

Little Luke will open before you a huge number of stunning churches, they are decorated with unique frescoes. The Roman amphitheater fascinates and reminds of the former greatness of this country.

Traveling in Tuscany, you can do it yourself, because the distances between cities are small. Get ready for twisty descents and hilly climbs. Your gaze will open the unique landscapes of vineyards and mountains that step on the water surface of the warm sea.

Nature and climate

Truly this area is a gift of the Gods to people. The climate is wonderful at any time of the year, which will make your travel in Tuscany, this province of Italy, comfortable and pleasant. In May-June, nature gives a stunning spectacle - poppies bloom, enveloping the earth with a bright red carpet. And when huge sunflowers ripen in September, the hills are immersed in a sunny splendor of flowers.

Thanks to the sea and mountains, the temperature is very comfortable both in summer and in winter. Holidays in Tuscany gives an excellent opportunity to soak up, which are famous for their white sands and warm sea. Majestic palm trees and lush greenery will surround you and let you forget about all the hardships. The water temperature in summer is around 25C.

Entertainment and recreation

Holidays in Tuscany, will give you a lot of entertainment - these are colorful holidays and interesting excursions. Wine connoisseurs will find themselves in the real cradle of the creation of the best wines. Rare grape varieties grow in this area, and you simply cannot resist this drink.

If you like privacy and peace, many hotels and remote villas will give you this opportunity. On the beaches you can practice various types of sea sports or just ride a snow-white yacht in the open sea.

Shopping in Italy is great! Everyone will find something special for themselves and for any wallet! In the evening, go to a quiet restaurant with live music and excellent Tuscan cuisine. It is famous for its simplicity and at the same time for its sophistication: seafood, ox meat and perfectly cooked vegetables with local sauces.

Traveling in Tuscany, This is an event that you will remember for the rest of your life. It is original and unusually interesting for every person, you will meet wonderful people and plunge into the ancient history of the Roman Empire with its history and monuments. A holidays in Tuscany will give you a great opportunity to enjoy the beautiful nature, sandy beaches and the purest Tyrrhenian Sea.

This wonderful film will help to feel the Tuscan flavor:

You know, I've been to Tuscany every year, for eight years in a row. And I never, ever stop being amazed. Why? If you say that it is good there, it means to be cunning. It's just unbelievable there.

Everything seems to be specially created for joy. Every cell of the exhausted organism rests. And slowly so comes a peaceful state of bliss. I have been to many wonderful places, but I choose Tuscany.

Tuscany by car

Florence and nine other provinces around - that's Tuscany. This area has everything, only we rarely go there. Or maybe who was not at all? It's never too late to go to Tuscany. Good at any time of the year. You will spend money with pleasure. It is difficult to remain dissatisfied in Tuscany.

I must say right away that I move around Tuscany on my own and only by car. I cannot give advice on other ways to explore this amazing place. Yes, and I can’t imagine how you can watch Tuscany by train or bus? If by plane, then - to Florence or Pisa. Next, car rental. Just book as early as possible. Italians have cars mostly with "mechanics". In the season they disperse quickly.

Where to settle

Try not to limit your choice to finding a hotel in Tuscany. Tuscany is a rural area. So, given the agrarian specifics of the region, the locals are actively promoting agritourism. Go to "Google Maps" and explore the spaces of Tuscany. Here I advise only the “poke method”. You'll be surprised how many there are.

Hundreds of small dots on the map will be transformed into sites of wonderful Tuscan farms. There they receive guests with a unique flavor. Hundreds of options. I can't stand my ground.

Agrotourism is essentially the same hotel, only better. First, more space. There is a kitchen, living room, bedroom, patio, even a pool. They often offer half board, tasting of their products and wines. Italians love to flaunt beauty. Their rural estates are finished with love and excellent taste.

But the most important thing is that only in this way you will be imbued with the true spirit of Tuscany, you will get to know the inhabitants, their customs. In addition, you choose what you like. The geography is vast. The choice depends on the route. By the way, there are plenty of hotels in Tuscany too. But the hotel pencil case loses to the farm expanse.

Tuscan housing options

So, you can spend a couple of unforgettable weeks in Tuscany:
in agritourism
in the villa
in apartments
in caza vacanza (vacation house)
In a hotel

For a two-week stay, you can ask for a discount. They often agree. You must arrive on Saturday after 16.00. Such a tradition. The week is counted from Saturday to Saturday!

About the beautiful

Glory and in its own way will eclipse almost any Tuscan town. There is no doubt that the cities, untwisted to the fullest by tourists, are beautiful. If you haven't been, check it out. But include in your itinerary:

With amazing concave area;
Lucca, where an interesting historical center is hidden behind the fortress walls;
Prato, which will surprise with its version of the Middle Ages;
Arezzo is one of the oldest settlements in Tuscany.

This is just a quartet of more or less large ones. Small architectural masterpieces in Tuscany are on almost every hill. Go to any, you can't go wrong. Places are deaf and touchingly beautiful. I am in awe of Voltaire. I like to walk around the tiny Suveretto. Everywhere I enjoy the atmosphere and cuisine.

What to see in Tuscany besides architecture

Tuscany is not only a rural idyll and captivating architecture. More than 320 kilometers of sea coast - also Tuscany. In the Viareggio area you will see the Turkish coast. Sea, umbrellas, sun loungers, promenade with palm trees. Look for the highlight, starting from Livorno and down towards Rome.

I like the area of ​​San Vincenzo, Cecina and Castellone dela Pescaia. The coast here is densely covered with Mediterranean pine, the beaches are sandy. I also bathed under the pines. The air, you know, is marine, and even with a pine aroma. The territory of Tuscany is also 120 nature reserves!

The area is known for its thermal baths, which have been successfully used for medicinal purposes for a long time. Medvedev's wife, for example, often visits Montecatini. There are nine more worthy places. Between Pisa and Lucca is San Giuliano. In the Grosseto area - the terms of Saturnia. What are interesting? There is a free relaxation area in the natural baths of the mill waterfalls.

Not far from San Vincenzo, in the town of Venturina, look for the Calidario Baths. A day of pleasure costs 16 euros. But he's worth it.

Don't leave Tuscany until you've seen this

And now about what Tuscany captivates immediately and on the spot. Val d'Orcia - remember the name. This is the very classic Tuscan landscape with hills, castles, vineyards and cypresses.

It is in this heavenly landscape that Pienza, Montalcino, Montepulciano and small towns, whose names I can’t remember, slide down from the Tuscan hills. Need to write down.

So, going along the S222 road, you get to the place where you will only have time to say “Wow!” This is the Chianti road. She needs to be seen. Leave for the whole day and immediately decide: who is driving? The Chianti Road, you know.

The main thing for a trip to Tuscany: a car and your desire to do everything yourself. Tuscany is for romantics and adventurers. There are discoveries at every turn.

Rent a car and drive around Tuscany - you will remember it forever! We decided to go to the province of Siena, because, to be honest, the most beautiful piece of Tuscany belongs to Siena, not Florence.

So, we left, and ... the weather began to deteriorate. This is normal, sometimes in the weather forecast for the same day you can see: snow, rain, clouds, sun, thunderstorm. But we were even glad of this, because we didn’t want to explore the cities under the scorching sun. We didn’t have much of a plan, we were guided by a navigator, a map and the Internet and chose cities on the way.

Our first choice fell on the Monteriggioni fortress. The first impression of us ... deceived. From the road, the fortress seemed so authentic, retaining its medieval atmosphere, but inside it turned out to be touristy through and through. We stayed there for about an hour and ate an insanely delicious sandwich (I took a sandwich with prosciutto crudo and truffle sauce, mmm ...).

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Then on the map we saw that Montalcino was very close to us. My husband and I are big wine lovers, and we wanted to drink a glass of Rosso di Montalcino in the city where it is produced.

*I must say that the word "city" for most of the places that we visited is not very applicable, they are rather fortresses, small towns surrounded by city walls. But for convenience, we will leave the proud name of the cities for them.

We liked Montalcino already more. It is also touristic, but still larger in size than Monteriggioni, which means there is more choice, you can find places a little in the depths, away from the main attractions, but more “real”. Instead of one glass of wine, we were given a whole tasting of different wines, one better than the other. And for wine we ordered different bruschettas (toasted bread), the most delicious of which were truffle bruschetta and bruschetta with traditional Tuscan liver pate. Hm. some kind of enogastronomic tour we get ...

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But the further, the more interesting! Our next “city” was planned in advance, because as soon as I accidentally found it on the Internet, I realized that I must definitely visit it. And everyone should go there and try to understand how one can even live in such a town. I already liked one name - Murlo, something so cozy that it is associated with cats (Murlo is the emphasis on the first syllable, not the last, otherwise the associations would be completely different).

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This photo is not mine, I took it from the Internet.

Under the sign hung a sign that said we had arrived at Murlo, the most beautiful borgo in Italy. "Borgo", or "burg", in ancient German means "fortified city", "castle", "fortress". To say that this fortress is small is not enough. From the strength of 20 people will be typed. The city is located on a hilltop and consists of fortress walls (they are also houses), located in a circle, forming a ring. In the center of this circle are 3 more houses. There is one bar, one trattoria and even an archaeological museum. That's it, here's Murlo! 10 minutes is enough for you to get around the whole of Murlo, but if you were not born there, then a whole life is not enough to understand how you can live there. But this is an amazing place! For some reason, I was always attracted by the Dark Ages, and I wanted to be in the Middle Ages at least for a day. And so I visited there, this Middle Ages is called Murlo. I want to repeat and repeat this name, it is so warm and pleasant.

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Then we headed to Bagno Vignoni, a city that was also originally on the list of places we wanted to visit. We were about to look for some suitable agritourism where we could spend the night, but along the way we saw a sign for San Quirico. We did not know or read anything about this city, but for some reason we decided to turn off. At least for half an hour, why not. Moreover, there were only 5-7 kilometers to Bagno Vignoni.

The first thing we saw there was an absolutely amazing Romanesque church. It seems that this is how it was built in the 11th-12th centuries, and so it remained. It's so cool! In big cities, everything is different: first they build a Romanesque church, then over time they will redo it all, make it Gothic, then a couple of centuries later they will add a Renaissance facade to it, then subsequent generations will not like the decoration of the church, with the advent of a new fashion, everything will be demolished, redone ... and in the end nothing will remain of that very Romanesque church, and only the guide tells you: “Here you can see the columns that remained from the Romanesque church, look at the drawing, that's what it was like.” And in San Quirico, everything remained as it was. Inside it is so dark, dark, with small windows through which daylight penetrates. You go in and at first you go blind, but then your eyes get used to the darkness. Time has stopped there.

We walked around this city, through its gardens, and nevertheless went to Bagno Vignoni, the city where Tarkovsky filmed Nostalgia and Yankovsky spoke Italian. Bagno Vignoni is a thermal spa. But do not imagine Karlovy Vary, Bagno Vignoni is 20 times less. But it has one outstanding attraction: in all cities there is a central square, there is one here too, but its place is completely occupied by a thermal pool, and you can see how the spring beats from below.

The hostess advised us where it is better to have dinner and what is the fastest way to go down to the city on foot, because we no longer wanted to take a car. At the same time, she warned us that when it gets dark, it’s better not to return this way, it’s better to return along the road we came on.

When we finally began to descend into the city, it turned out that the road led through the forest. As soon as we entered it, in the depths we saw a fox, which first looked at us intently, and then ran away. I felt a little uneasy, somehow I didn’t think about wild animals. But Tuscany is famous for a large number of wild boars in its forests ... In general, all the way I behaved like a coward, and was afraid of every rustle. Then we finally got out of the forest, the road led us straight to the square with the pool. There was also a restaurant that was recommended to us by the owner. I won’t describe here what we ordered there, I’ll only say that all the dishes were very original and tasty, plus a dessert and a bottle of white wine.

After supper, we walked a little more, sat on a bench above the cliff, looking at the hills, which seemed so welcoming under the sun during the day, but now, at night, so uncomfortable and full of dangers. When it was already completely dark, we went home. After a hearty dinner, it was very difficult to get up (if the car could barely cope, then what can we say about us) and we had to light our way with a telephone, because there was not a single lantern and there was impenetrable darkness. In general, on this day we got emotions over the edge!

We rented a house in Sabaudia for several years. Wonderful town. The beach is luxurious. about 10 km of sand and a variety of shells. There is only one hotel on the beach. The rest is a wild and semi-wild beach with both pleasant and not so pleasant moments arising from this. Of the pleasant - the opportunity to indulge in relaxation for free and in the open. If it's before mid-July. Then the time comes when the Italians fill the entire beach for another half a month on weekends. In August guard! There are a lot of people, there are almost no amenities, or you have to run to them and stand in line. No cafes on the beach. There is one end on the territory of the hotel, something in the middle and under Mount Chercello. In July and August, the sea is often very dirty. and this is not algae (they are useful), but real garbage, which the tenants of the beach spots in the evenings take in bags to the sea and throw it away. Because you have to go down to the beach for a long and tiring time from the high bank, then the services of garbage collection equipment are expensive. This is where they save. We even went to the municipality. Helped for a whole week. I don’t know where you plan to rent a house, but if not in the town itself, but in a nature reserve by the sea, be careful and close the doors and windows at night. The Albanians have become insolent there and climb into the windows even when the tenants have not yet gone to bed. The police respond only to the statements of the locals. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. We went through this school of courage one night with two children and we are two grandmother and great-grandmother. For a long time afterwards and during the day it was unpleasant to sit in the yard, and only at night they walled up in spite of the heat. Mosquitoes are also unpleasant (given the presence of the sea and a large lake and swamp prehistory, you can imagine what kind of monsters fly). Every year I brought mosquito nets and dampness from Moscow. Everything that was hung out to dry at lunchtime, if not taken into the house at night, it will be even wetter in the morning. From the pleasant: wonderful sea and beach until mid-July, on Thursdays a wonderful market for food, things and other things. Tasty and not expensive food, the purest spring (it was shown to us by the manager of the house that we rented) and for three years we have never bought drinking water. Brought from the spring. By the way, there is a very nice restaurant nearby. If you are traveling with children, then in Sabaudia there are many children's towns and trampolines, inflatable slides, swings, carousels, etc. San Felice is nearby. And there is the most delicious pizza. It's on the right at the entrance to the city. Everyone knows her and you need to come early or order. Locals living in neighboring towns are not too lazy to go there several times a week. And yet, when the sea in Sabaudia is stormy, we left for San Felice and I don’t remember any extreme waves there.