The Road to the Termal Baths
Manciano - Montemerano - Terme di Saturnia - Saturnia - Poggio Capanne - Poggio Murella - Manciano

15. The Road to the Termal Baths - 37.2 km

MANCIANO Km 0 - MONTEMERANO Km 6,2 - TERME DI SATURNIA Km 10- SATURNIA Km 14,7 - POGGIO CAPANNE Km 20,6 - POGGIO MURELLA Km 22,8 - MANCIANO Km 37,2

Starting point and arrival: Manciano
Distance in kilometres: 37.2 km
Difference in altitude: about 260 m
Type of road: tarred road (1.2 km on dirt track)
Bicycle: roadster and all-terrain
Difficulty: average
NOTES: The short distance in kilometres makes this itinerary suitable for “quiet” cyclists too. Anyway it must be said that the road linking Poggio Murella to the regional road S.R. 74 to Manciano has an uneven surface (with 1.2 kilometres of compact dirt track) and a difference in altitude that is decidedly “playful”. Besides the fairness of the landscape it offers very interesting opportunities to the tourists: for example historical sites like Manciano, Montemerano, Saturnia and the renowned thermal baths.

One starts from the roundabout in the centre of Manciano following the road signs to Saturnia on Via dell’Imposto. After 200 metres one turns left, again towards Saturnia on the provincial road S.P. 159 “Scansanese” sloping gently uphill with many bends for about 3 kilometres before starting to slope downhill towards Montemerano (6.2). One continues downhill on the S.P. 159 for about 700 metres as far as the crossroads on the right to Saturnia (6.9).

From this moment one cycles on the S.P. 10 “Follonata” mainly downhill (save a pair of short stretches uphill) towards the valley bottom with the waterfalls and thermal baths of Saturnia. After about 3 kilometres one has the possibility of admiring the waterfalls from an observation point overlooking them.

The road stretches then across the plain passing by the waterfalls on the left and the thermal baths on the right. A short while later (11) it starts sloping gradually uphill towards Saturnia. A climb of 2.6 kilometres leads to the crossroads to the village. From here the urban site is 1 kilometre away.

From Saturnia (14.7) one returns cycling downhill to the S.P. 10 where one turns left in the direction of Catabbio. After about 2 kilometres one starts cycling uphill again overlooking the valley with the thermal baths. Reaching the Poggio Capanne hamlet (20.6) one cycles on for 300 metres and then follows the road signs to Poggio Murella leaving the S.P. 10 and taking the S.P. 116 on the right.
Downhill for 500 metres as far as the bridge where the ascent to Poggio Murella begins. At the next crossroads (22.5) one turns right towards the centre of the small town (22.8). From here one cycles straight on (on the right the descent returning to Saturnia) following the road signs Pro Loco and “Castellum Aquarum” leaving the village in the direction of the cemetery (23.3). One continues downhill along the panoramic road with a fine view on the Montemerano and Manciano hills. From this point the road surface is less smooth and the asphalt is not in good condition.
A little while later a spurt uphill of 800 metres clearing the hill (25.6) where the descent to an evident T-crossing (26.4) begins. Here one turns left towards Manciano again downhill. After 400 metres a stretch of dirt track1 kilometre long, easy to cycle on. Returning onto the tarred road one cycles decidedly downhill again on a surface in bad conditions. The road continues with ups and downs as far as a crossing (31.3) where one keeps to the right cycling as far as the regional road S.R. 74 (32.6) where one turns right in the direction of Manciano.
After 2 kilometres the climb to the town begins and one reaches it after about 2.5 kilometres halting near the large roundabout (37.2).[1]