11.10 - Day 270 - Siena to Sasso Marconi, ITA

Friday 11th October - Siena - Sasso Marconi, Italy (Day 270)

Thankfully Sienna is fully better today - which means cake and ice-cream and candles later. 

With both Sienna and the weather being under the weather, Siena hadn’t really shone yet, so after we checked out of our accommodation we ventured back into Siena to give it another chance. 

It’s like a bigger and busier version of Orvieto; the cathedral even has the same black then white stripes of bricks along its sides. In the Piazza Del Campo we sit on the sloping slabs in the sun to eat our picnic lunch, with a wedding party emerging out in front of us. 

Sienna has some birthday money already burning a hole in her pocket so as well as a visit to Flying Tiger - lip balm, marshmallows, sparking torch she also adds a leather Siena keyring to her collection. 

It’s a two hour drive north to our next stop at Sasso Marconi - on the way we optimistically try and get to a lookout over Florence, but these pesky Italian ZTL (limited traffic areas and or low emission zones - which our car would qualify for, but we don’t have the permits) tharwt us, so we rejoin the motorway. 

Arriving at Ca Fortuzzi we are greeted by a giant dog barking at us. Diego is a golden retriever (for the hair) crossed with Rhodesian Ridgeback (for the size). He’s huge but gentle. 

The kids love this place instantly. It’s another apartment in the roof of a stone house on the side of a valley all alone above a duck pond. 

As we’re hanging out the golden 1 and 0 balloons to extend the birthday celebrations the owner gives us a giant salami as a welcome gift. And Kate’s happy it has a washing machine, so everyone is happy.