Hello,

Has anyone driven on the mountainous back road between Bagno Vignoni and Saturnia (via Castel del Piano-Arcidossa-Sempronano)? Via Michelin says it's an 84 minute drive. Might they be way off about this? Should I instead take the via Cassia south, and then head west to Saturnia?

Thanks for any input on this.

Scott

Hi Scott! We have driven some of this road, but not all of it. We have also driven to Saturnia a few times and there is no good fast way to get there.

The faster route would be the SS 2 (Via Cassia - main road to Acquapendente, to Pitigliano, to Sovana, to Saturnia). We have done that drive and it is slow going from Acquapendente to Saturnia, but you get to visit the fabulous towns of Pitigliano and Sovana.

We did part of the route you are talking about from Bagno Vignoni, to Castigline d'Orcia. We have also driven Castel del Piano to S. Fiora. This route is also great - you are driving on the side of Monte Amiata and you will see some lovely towns.

If you are going to do a round trip from Bagno Vignoni, why not go there on the minor roads, then back on the SS2? If you are not going back, but will be going back thru Pitigliano, then do the minor route. If you are not going back, and otherwise will not see Pitigliano, do the SS2 route.

Does that make sense?

84 minutes sounds about right to me for that route.

Hi Pauline,

Yes, that makes sense.

Looking back, I think my initial concern with this back-road and the timing was more of a psychological thing. As I'm driving along, I like to know how much time there is--after my travel companion wakes up from her lunch- induced nap, sees no people, discovers she's in the middle of nowhere, and has a meltdown--before medication is necessary. I love long rambling drives in the country, she prefers to be tethered to towns. I sort of have to plan with her in mind, or, at the least, attenuate any very long back-country hauls.

Anyway, I'm so glad I recently came across the Slow Trav website, because we'll be spending a couple of weeks in this area in April and now we're better stocked with ideas--the "less scenic" thread has been particularly interesting.

And the towns along the backroad between Bagno Vignoni and Saturnia sound great. I found a link that talks about the food in some of these towns:
www.epicurean-traveler.com/Mount_Amiata.htm
I can't wait.

Thanks again,
Scott

Scott, I was just reading this thread to my husband and he reminded me to tell you - make sure you have lots of gas in the car. It was in this area once where we were driving and gas stations were either closed or out of gas!! Our new rule is to get gas once we get to a 1/2 tank.

More and more gas station has 24 hours self-service pumps now.

Even if the trip takes a while, the road is beautiful! Take the day to do this trip, stop in scenic places and enjoy the view!

I find that even at stations that have 24 hour self serve pumps, I often cannot get them to work. I always err on the side of caution like Pauline and fill up often!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dean,

By the way we have done the backroads route you mentioned through Semproiano, which was incredible! We did it on a quite foggy day and it took us 3 hours with several stops for wandering thru towns and looking at the view when we were either above the fog or when it lifted. If you are prepared for a long drive on a twisty but very well maintained road, it should not be a problem. If you are in a rush, this ain't the right part of Toscana to visit!

Thanks for all the info.

On a tangent.....

All of the opera stuff on Dean's link just reminded me of my hearing, a few years ago, a repeat Studs Terkel (WFMT, Chicago) radio interview with Alan Lomax, who spent his life researching music around the world.
I think the interview took place in the 50's....anyway, Lomax was saying how he had been so immersed in American culture and music that he was sick of it....and to do something different he headed to Italy to look for the origins of opera and the bel canto style of singing--which he said he found in Tuscany.
Then, on the program, they played a couple of beautiful recordings that Lomax made (somewhere in Tuscany) of a teenager, standing outside his girlfriend's window, singing love songs, bel canto style....Lomax said this tradition goes back centuries in Tuscany.

Just a bit of nostalgia.....you probably don't see that anymore.

Scott