Cheese and Hot Springs

Today we took a journey to a cheese farm recommended by Copilot. Corzano e Paterno is a working farm between Florence and Siena. They are known for their wines, sheep’s-milk cheese and extra-virgin olive oil.

Corzano e Paterno

This estate is a family run winery and cheese shop. They offer cheese tastings paired with wine. Both are made on the the estate. It was started in 1970 by a Swiss man who fell in love with the area. He got Sardinian sheep to clear the scrub and ended up making cheese. He also planted grape vines and started a small winery. It is now an established and respected estate

Selection of sheep cheese.

We stopped in without a reservation, but were lucky enough to get a table for a cheese and wine tasting.

Wine and cheese tasting

We had four wines paired with four cheeses. Sandy really liked their Rose. The cheeses were wonderful. There was also honey and a spicy blackberry jam on the tasting plate. I loved the way the jam interacted with the cheeses. We ended up buying a few blocks of cheese and some jam. Can’t wait to share the experience with my friends at home.

Cheese tasting plate.

Bagni San Filipino hot springs

The weather was cold and windy, so we decided to head to the Bagni San Filipino hot springs. This is a free hot spring in the middle of a forest with waterfalls and pools. The white travertine scenic setting makes it remarkable to see while you are soaking. The sulfur smell is quite strong and really gets into your swim suit and skin. I definetly took a shower when we got back to our room.

We drove back and had dinner in the on-site restaurant. They really work at creating an atmosphere here. There were small fire pits along the path as we went to the restaurant. The dinner was outstanding once more.

Walkway to restaurant.