After our visitors left we headed 40km north to Livorno or Leghorn. It was a fairly uninteresting motorway drive and there really wasn't anything to see other than large fields of sunflowers.
Wild Camp 14: Livorno Ferry Port
We arrived about 6PM and were shocked at how busy this spot was. There must have been 30 other camper vans and we managed to bag one of the few spots left. There was fresh water and waste water disposal and there was no charge for staying at the port. There was a large ship from Napoli docked right in front of us and a couple of large cruise ships further along.
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| An unusual view for the evening |
We walked around the port and came across a huge American indoor market. They had military surplus stores selling knives and batons and everything you would need to survive alone in bear infested forests. Jac was adamant we should buy a weapon for protection although Kayleigh managed to persuade him otherwise. They even had harpoons for sale if you fancied trying to harpoon yourself a whale. There were food stores selling typical American imports such as Peanut M&M's, cookies, peanut butter and Hershey bars. There were typical American clothes brands such as Levi's and Diesel and thick lumberjack style coats although why you would need one of those in 35 degree heat is beyond us. We stopped in a bar for a drink before heading back to the camper for dinner. We had some boozy pork marinade left from the BBQ in Cecina, we mixed it with sausages and pasta for dinner. The following morning we were up and out by 8 and headed to a garage in Livorno for (yet more) camper repairs.
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| Vintage Scooters at the New American Market, Livorno Ferry Port |
Wild Camp 15: B Auto, Livorno
An unexpected two nights wild camping in the compound of a garage. The part needed for the van was hard to get hold of and would take two days to arrive so the owner of the garage kindly offered to let us stay in the compound until the van was fixed. An unusual camping spot but it saved us checking into a hotel for two nights. Without a van to get around and a slight language barrier we feared we would be stuck wandering around a industrial estate whilst the van was repaired. Kindly,one of the mechanics offered to take us into the city. He drove us around and acted like our very own tour guide showing us the Naval Academy, Piazza Grande and the beach. He told us which bus to get back and told us to call him if we had any problems. We spent the day wandering along the beach and around the city before indulging in a four course meal. We had bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar to start, followed by ham, melon, mozzarella and olives, followed by pasta (lasagne and carbonara) and an ice cream and lemon sorbet to finish. We headed back to the camper on the bus. The Italians allow dogs everywhere, even in clothes shops so we had no trouble getting around with Oscar. The following day was much the same, we got the bus into the city and spotted a market/carboot situation on the way, we hopped off early and went back to check it out. We rummaged through some rails and a huge table of 1€ items. 16€ and some absolute bargains later we walked away feeling we had treated ourselves.
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| Our bargain haul from the market |
Five minutes down the road, another market, this time predominantly food. Probably the largest market either of us have ever seen selling every kind of fruit and veg you can imagine, however to Jac's disappointment no Pink Ladies. We stood for a while admiring strangely shaped fruits we'd never seen before before stumbling across a warm food stall. We bought some tempura vegetables and roast potatoes and polished them off whilst walking around the rest of the market. Later that evening we left the garage and headed back to Livorno ferry port for the night, it was only a short distance from the garage and somewhere we had stayed before.
Wild Camp 16: Castiglioncello
This morning we ran out of gas. There is no universal gas sold across Europe so we are stockpiling empty gas bottles from various country's in our bathroom at the moment, not ideal. Gas is not as readily available in Italy as it is in France and Spain where it is sold at every fuel station and supermarket and certainly not as cheap. In France we paid 25€ for the first bottle and 5€ for a refill. We turned up at what looked like a junk yard where we were greeted by two large dogs barking loudly at the van. Kayleigh wound up the windows and locked the doors and pushed Jac out to negotiate an angry looking man and his two unfriendly dogs. We were stung 90€ for the first bottle and told it would be 45€ for a refill, we had no choice and begrudgingly paid it before setting off again. Approximately 60KM from Livorno, we arrived around 3PM and were really just hoping for a free or relatively cheap spot for the night, somewhere with wifi so we could plan our next few stops. This place was a real disappointment. Essentially a camp site in the middle of nowhere with a few spaces in its car park for campers. They charged 15€ to park overnight and charged an extra 2€ per person for a shower. With nothing much else to do and every card game exhausted we decided to try our hands at origami. We bought a beginners book with us and after much frustration and tearing of paper we managed to make a rabbit, two fish and a flower, improvement needed but it's a start. We showered and did some washing and left the next morning in search or somewhere more exciting.
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| Our origami efforts. Clockwise; Rabbit, Fish & Flowers |
Wild Camp 17: Marina di Grosseto
70KM along the Tyrrhenian coast is our next stop. Similar to Marina di Bibbona in Cecina, a large pine wood forest between a large camping area and a sandy beach. We found a spot in the shade which was welcome news for Oscar as he'd spent the whole day lying in a heap in the van panting. Also welcome news for us as it probably reached 35 degrees today and of all days our fridge decided to give up the ghost. All that remained was some melted butter, warm water and rock solid ham. After sundown we walked him through the pine forest and to the beach where he paddled in and out of the sea fetching sticks. You would think by now he would be used to sand however every time he steps foot on a beach it's like he's never seen it before. Running around like a lunatic and digging, flicking sand on anything or anyone behind him, then spends the rest of the night sneezing because his nose is full of sand. He never learns.
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| The beach at Marina di Grosseto |
Wild Camp 18: Saturnia
50KM south east, slightly inland we reach Saturnia. High up in the mountains on the very edge of Tuscany. This is not strictly a wild camp as it costs 16€ for 24 hours here although we were more than happy to pay this. A dreamy little spot right on a mountain edge with space for 30 campers. The daily rate includes electricity, wifi, fresh water, waste water disposal, showers, toilets and a free shuttle service to quite possibly the most beautiful sight we have see yet.
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| Saturnia camper parking, La Quercia |
According to history Saturnia is the most ancient Italian city. It's original name was Aurinia before if was renamed by the Romans. Characterised by a troubled history, today it is a small and quiet tourist village made famous by its thermal baths. Legend has it that Saturn, angry with men always at war with one another, threw a thunderbolt to earth causing a gush of sulphurous water from a volcano crater.
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| Thermal Baths, Saturnia |
Today the thermal baths or Le Terme in Italian run at 37 degrees. The hot steamy water cascades down from a waterfall gathering in pools of differing sizes and levels, the water is aqua blue and very inviting due to the presence of sulphur. The area that we visited was free and when we arrived at 8AM we were the only ones there. Oscar even had the opportunity for a little paddle he loved hoping in and out of the pools but didn't quite understand some where deeper than others and kept disappearing underwater.
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| Oscar & Jac relaxing in the thermal baths |
We decided to go first thing in the morning as it was still cool outside we couldn't imagine it would be as nice in the blistering heat but most people use it for relaxation and massages.
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| Saturnia |
Wild Camp 19: Pitigliano
We got up super early again this morning as we wanted to go to Le Terme one last time before we left Saturnia. We arrived at 8:30 along with a handful of others. We floated about in the hot pools for a while before heading back to Park La Quercia to pack up and head off. Before heading to Pitigliano we took a detour to Scansano where we visited Locanda Terenzi vineyard.
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| Locanda Terenzi Vineyard |
It was very grand, we entered through large gates and drove down a huge driveway bordered by vineyards of Sangiovese grapes on the right and olive, oak and fruit trees on the left. We paid 20€ each for lunch, wine tasting and a tour. For lunch we had bread, olive oil, a selection of cold meats, cheese and chutneys.
We tasted three wines (which was quite enough for Kayleigh!!) a white and two reds. The white was named Balbino, dry and made with Vermentino grapes aged in stainless steel tanks for 5 months. Next a red named Morellino Di Scansano, made with Sangiovese grapes and also aged in stainless steel tanks for 5 months. The last red we tried was called Purosangue, again, made with Sangiovese grapes but aged for a year in Slavonian Oak Casks.
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| Locanda Terenzi |
We were told they produce 400,000 bottles of wine each year and shown the enormous vats they are produced in. Neither of us are big wine drinkers but it was something we thought we should do whilst we were here and it was well worth the money.
From Scansano we drove 41KM east to Pitigliano. It is like a fairy tale country and the residents refer to it as a city suspended between sky and earth or the city of the living and the city of the dead. The entire village is set on a plain of tufa rock in the mountains.
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| Pitigliano |
The old town is a maze of alleyways, secret passageways and cellars carved into the rock. Whilst the surroundings are green rolling fields, dense forest and waterfalls cascading into an oblivion. Our wild camp is pretty simple, no running water or electricity, not even a rubbish bin in sight but it's definitely worth it to see this magical village.
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| An evening stroll through Pitigliano |
Wild Camp 20: Sorano
We arrived at Sorano mid afternoon, there wasn't anyone else there and not a lot to do in the town apart from walk Oscar down a very steep hill to a small part of a river so we headed to our next stop Lago di Bolsena.
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