I always avoid Sundays at the beach: no parking, too many beach towels, too much noise, too much queuing up for ice-cream - basically too many people.
Unless you talk winter in Tuscany. At that point Sundays at the beach mean clear skies, warm and sunny afternoons, long walks on empty beaches and... queue-free ice-cream.
On the beach: take off your heavy jackets, throw away the woolly hat and soak up the generous winter sun. And even though we're in the midst of January, you'll obviously have those sunglasses at the ready - at least if you want to blend in with the locals.
Off the beach: get that jacket back on, stroll through the town and try to remember whether the Bougainvillea in your Northern European backyard is flowering too at this time of the year...
One last glance at the view...
According to my Tuscan native Gelateria Paradise's ice-cream is very good, but not comparable yet to what he judges to be Italy's best ice-cream at Oasi del Goloso in Paganico. When it comes to ice-cream my Tuscan native is the pro in the family, and as a Swiss I would never dare to voice an opinion about such sacred matters.
But I'm definitely in a position to judge the ice-cream parlor's restroom - which gets a 10 out of 10. Actually just the fact that there isn't just one but two! And both of them are elegant and stylish, plus incredibly clean. If you're practical with Italian public bathrooms you'll be as surprised as me.
I wonder whether the camouflage doors are a tactic here: much easier to keep your restrooms clean if the average customer isn't able to locate their access doors.
Unless you talk winter in Tuscany. At that point Sundays at the beach mean clear skies, warm and sunny afternoons, long walks on empty beaches and... queue-free ice-cream.
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| Winter walk on Castiglione della Pescaia's north beach |
On the beach: take off your heavy jackets, throw away the woolly hat and soak up the generous winter sun. And even though we're in the midst of January, you'll obviously have those sunglasses at the ready - at least if you want to blend in with the locals.
Off the beach: get that jacket back on, stroll through the town and try to remember whether the Bougainvillea in your Northern European backyard is flowering too at this time of the year...
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| Castiglione della Pescaia's medieval town center |
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| Castiglione della Pescaia's harbour and south beach |
...and off to the ice-cream. And for once, just follow the crowd.
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| Castiglione's Paradise Ice-Cream parlor on a Sunday afternoon in January |
But I'm definitely in a position to judge the ice-cream parlor's restroom - which gets a 10 out of 10. Actually just the fact that there isn't just one but two! And both of them are elegant and stylish, plus incredibly clean. If you're practical with Italian public bathrooms you'll be as surprised as me.
I wonder whether the camouflage doors are a tactic here: much easier to keep your restrooms clean if the average customer isn't able to locate their access doors.
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| Where's the restroom? |
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| Got you! |
Gelateria Paradise, Castiglione della Pescaia, Via Vittorio Veneto 13 (right next to a rather good Italian shoe shop on the main non-pedestrian road which leads through the village).
And as your'e in town don't forget to have an aperitivo at one of my favorite Tuscan bars (their bathroom is surprisingly clean too, but if you're into Italian design, remember to do your business at the ice-cream parlor).