In Grosseto we stayed on a working farm called Volta Di Sacco in a very old stone building. Agriturismo is very popular in this area as we found out when we passed about a hundred different farms doing the same thing. The farmhouse was beautiful and interesting, but it was pretty boring. It would have been nice to meet some people there since it was so secluded.
Justin had researched some natural hot springs in this region, which we had to rent a car to reach. He was pretty happy to be behind the wheel again. I, on the other hand, was car sick because the car was too small and jerky. I had to get him to pull over so I could throw up. I haven't been car sick since I was a child... Good times. It was worth it though because Saturnia hot springs are the most beautiful natural springs I have ever seen. The water cascades down a series of waist deep terraces, perfect for lounging in. It's pretty hard to explain how amazing they are, so I'll let the pictures below speak for themselves.
After Saturnia we ended up at a winery in one of Italy's top regions, Montalcino, and tasted some of the best (and most expensive) wines we have ever come across. We found out a tour was happening just as we were finished drinking so we joined in. The harvest was just happening so we were there at a perfect time. We were able to see the wine in its first fermenting stages in huge metal vats, and were shown into the barrel room where everything sits for years. It was a really interesting lesson.
The next day in Grossetto we went to a little island called Giglio by ferry. This is the island that the Concordia cruise ship crashed into last year. Pulling into the port you are right next to the ship and it's pretty surreal to see it lying there. The island itself is beautiful, and Justin found us an amazing white sand beach to relax on until we had to go back to the mainland. We also had a really amazing lunch: fresh calamari and pesto gnocchi.
When you arrive in Florence you can immediately tell it is something special. It has quite a small manageable centre and all the streets look quite old with small lanes and high buildings. There is also quite a variety of cultures there and we were able to eat Chinese food(!) one lunch and a kebab for a dinner, so we were quite happy about avoiding pizza and pasta. We also went to a restaurant recommended by a couple people at our hostel in Sorrento. The menu was daily and just explained to you by the server. We decided to be adventurous- I ended up getting rabbit and Justin had veal. Both were really good, but it was a little hard to get your mind past what you were eating.
We were told we had to visit the Ufuzzi Museum, so we waited in the 90 minute queue, but we downloaded our own audio guides onto Justin's iPhone, which was awesome and I highly recommend doing if you are going anywhere to avoid paying for one. The Birth of Venus was a beautiful painting to see and we learned a bit about the renaissance in Florence and Venice.
Our hostel was just ok. I personally have been missing how cheap camping was and being able to cook for ourselves. So many places we have been to lately have no stove and too many rules. And not enough bathrooms.
We arrived in La Spezia yesterday and are here for three nights; Our last threes nights in Italy before going to Barce. I guess we better get a few more pasta meals in as we might not be back to italy for a long time... If ever. But that kind of reflection deserves another post.
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