Costa degli Etruschi May 2021- Montecatini Val di Cecina, Guardistallo, Casale Marittimo, Montescudaio

The weather forecast for Saturday 1st May is not excellent. Rain is forecast from mid-afternoon so we pack a picnic and set off just after nine. It's a pleasant drive on quiet roads through the countryside to Montecatini Val di Cecina, a beautiful medieval town of darkish stone which seems stopped in time until a local comes out of his house wearing a mask and we realise it's 2021 and the pandemic is still raging.

We stroll through the peaceful streets of the historical centre never more than a few steps away from countryside and birdsong. A beautiful place, quietly abandoned but without being rundown, so far neglected by estate agent clients in search of 'Tuscany'. We especially like the building in the centre with the arches and the brick built cistern to take water up to the top floor. Quiet, peace, countryside.

Next stop is Guardistallo, which takes about 5 minutes before we are back in the car. Small yellow- orange houses, a tiny square.

We carry on to Casale Marittimo. Casale is very pretty, a small but very well kept historical centre, houses in mustard coloured slightly crumbly stone adorned with flowers and a miniature church in a tiny square. Before exploring we find a quiet bench by the church overlooking the deserted bowling area and the countryside beyond. A simple picnic, but even though it's cloudy it's warm enough to be pleasant outside.

Our last stop is Montescudaio. One of the 'Borghi più belli d'Italia'? No comment. It's no problem when after about fifteen minutes it starts raining and we retreat to the car for a nap. After a while we drive back through the damp countryside to our apartment where the swallows are whirling with delight for the insects brought out by the rain.