Bagno San Filippo and the Big 40

When we first tried to go to Bagno Vignoni, it was on a Thursday, the one day that their big thermal pool is closed...but the man working the front desk of the Hotel Posta Marcucci directed us, a potentially very disappointed group (we had been promising warm swimming pools to the girls), to Bagno San Filippo, just 10 km down the road, and with a lunch suggestion as well. Lunch was great.  First of all, it is so exciting to be in Tuscany in the summer, and not come across any tourists...second, the food at the restaurant, Il Ritrovo, was fantastic, and not at all expensive. The girls had 'hamburgers' made from Chianina beef -- the local beef that is very, very special -- and they were slightly disappointed that there was no bun or ketchup. We had carpaccio and pici that were so good.

Afterwards we made our way to the entrance to the thermal baths and found ourselves at a thermal pool filled with Italians.  It was even warmer than the Bagno Vignoni pool, and it had a waterfall that was basically the stream just pouring down your back. It was nothing glamorous at all, but we were all excited to be there in a warm pool, and in a place so off the beaten path. We felt a big sense of accomplishment.

The carpaccio at Il Ritrovo was insane.

Il Ritrovo.

Bagno Vignoni and the Big 40

I never really understood the hot spring phenomenon...I couldn't figure out if you had to go into a sanitarium-type clinic, or you could just go 'take the waters,' so I always steered clear.  But being with kids in an area prolific with thermal waters, I decided to stop being intimidated and to check it out.  We started at Bagno Vignoni, just a 10-minute drive from Terre di Nano through windy, cypress-lined roads and fields of hay.  Right by the parking lot (it's a flat town with no cars), there is an ancient mill area that have little trough-like streams with the thermal water running through (and lots of old ladies sitting on the side with their legs in it).  The girls loved it, and what's not to love about getting to put your feet in the warm water?  There's also a hotel there, the Hotel Posta Marucci,   where you can pay a fee to get all-day access to their thermal pool (open every day but Thursday).  It's divided into a warm part, and a hot part, and everyone has to wear a swim cap!  There is a sweet little stand where they make a great espresso.  Afterwards, we had one of our best lunches ever at Osteria del Leone.

The Roman bath of Bagno Vignoni.

The pool at Hotel Posta Marucci.

A furry new friend.

Montepulciano and the Big 40

Most of us are familiar with Montepulciano as in “Montepulciano d’Abruzzo” wines, but this is not where that wine comes from it comes from the Abruzzo region, on the eastern coast of Italy). Montepulciano is the Renaissance hill town known for the Vino Nobile of Montepulciano...among many other things. But for us -- two families that really were mostly concerned with having no obligation to do anything but relax, have a great time with our kids, and drink lots of wine and prosecco -- it was a sweet town to meander around, get the most delicious gelato, and buy locally-made copper pots.  It also happened to be a week where the town comes together for a historical festival, called the Bravio dei Botti, where the locals dress in 14th century costume. The event culminates in a wine barrel rolling competition.  One night the whole town turned out for a huge spectacle in the Piazza Grande (the main square at the top of the town), and at 9 pm all the lights went out and the entire town was lit up by candlelight.  Just on the outskirts of town is the most beautiful church ever, San Biagio, and across the road from it, the delightful restaurant La Grotta, where we had my 40th birthday dinner.

 

Lighting candles at San Biagio.

Practicing for the Bravio in front of San Biagio.

Rabbit gnocchi at La Grotta.

The coolest copper shop.

The Bravio.

Birthday dinner at La Grotta.

Gelato at Dolcevoglie, a cute gelato shop in town.

Montichiello and the Big 40

Just down the road from the Terre di Nano is one of the smallest walled towns I have ever been to.  It has a café, a small restaurant, and maybe a three shops. It's the kind of town where the locals study a play all winter, and perform it in the summer.  When the play isn’t going on, it is the quietest of towns, and it's magical.  We loved La Porta, the small restaurant, just inside the entrance to the town. They have the best "pici," a thick, hand-rolled pasta and a local specialty, and a fantastic proscuitto melone.  Then it's fun to walk around, see the church, and say "buon giorno" to the friendly women who are sitting at their windows just watching the day go by.

La Porta

Turning 40 in Tuscany

Last summer I turned 40.  As much as my friends may have wanted me to throw a big party, I just wasn't up for it -- I wanted to go somewhere where I didn't have to think about work (and when you are a travel editor, every time you travel, you start thinking about work-and as much as this sounds like a luxurious problem to have, and it is, it does weigh into how I take MY vacation). I decided that I needed to go to a place that we had already been, so there was no need to 'check out new spots', even though of course, I ended up doing that anyway (it's in my blood). We returned to Terre di Nano, a country house in the southern part of Tuscany, an area called the Val d'Orcia.  We had come here with my mother-in-law when our daughter Clara was just one, and we loved it...I was a bit nervous that since management had changed, it might not be the same, but I checked out all the TripAdvisor.com posts, and everyone was raving on about it, so I went for it.  We were going on holiday with our friends Ariel and Paul, and their four-year-old Daphne, and staying there for a week. What a success!

We stayed in La Fornace, a four-bedroom, three-bath house, which is within the complex of Terre di Nano. You can see from these pictures how amazing the views are.  There are two pools, and while you are sharing them with other guests, there are not that many guests there anyway (guests can rent La Terrazza, a two-bedroom house; Casetta, a two-bedroom house; or four other apartments within the main large house). The plus side of not having your own pool is that you are not paying for it (rentals with their own pools are SO expensive).  We had our own kitchen, outdoor pizza oven, indoor and outdoor dining area, living room, and everything was furnished in very honest Italian country style. We lazed around all morning, and every day would choose a small town to go have lunch, with our only requirement being that the town shouldn't have anything too cultural to do, because then we would start feeling obligation.  In the end, we got to experience towns that felt really authentic, and with engaging locals -- and no big tour buses!

View towards Montichiello.

La Fornace-the place we rented

Sunset at Terre di Nano.

Matt and Paul making their own pizza...

The girls' room.