Stepped pools
White rock.
Einaz80 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Raimond Spekking — CC BY-SA 3.0 · qwesy qwesy — CC BY 3.0 · Vassil — CC0 · Einaz80 — CC BY-SA 4.0
Saturnia is a spa village in Tuscany, central Italy, part of the municipality of Manciano in the province of Grosseto, about 35 km east of Grosseto and 116 km northwest of Rome in a straight line. It has about 280 residents and has been inhabited since ancient times. Near the village, 800 litres a second of sulphurous water at 37 °C pour over a waterfall and into a cascade of natural pools formed as calcareous rock is deposited by the evaporating water. Until 30 BC it was called Aurinia; it takes its name from the Roman god Saturn, and legend says he sent a thunderbolt to earth that created a magic spring of warm water. The warm, milky pale blue water flows over terraces of white and cream rock into stepped pools like watery stairs, with steam rising on cool mornings. Green fields and the hills of the Maremma countryside surround them. Visitors bathe in the natural pools of the Cascate del Mulino, open all day, lying back in the warm water. Arrive early or at night to avoid crowds, bring water shoes as the rock is slippery, and some leave silver jewellery behind because of the sulphur.
White rock.
Milky blue.
In the cold.
Cascate del Mulino, Saturnia, Manciano, Grosseto, Italy
Yes, at the Cascate del Mulino.
Early morning or evening.