Cascate del Mulino

Natural pools

Cascate del Mulino are thermal pools located near the small village of Saturnia, in the province of Grosetto. That is in the very south of Tuscany, about halfway between Florence and Rome.

There you will find an old mill building and a sulphuric hot spring that flows from one side into a beautiful waterfall forming natural pools that you can bathe in. The water is a pale milky blue and has a pleasant temperature of around 37°C all year round. It’s also rich in minerals, that are good for various health conditions, from skin to circulatory. Your skin will feel very nice and soft afterwards.

The spring been in use since Roman times, and remains a favourite to this day amongst locals and tourists alike. Some years ago, Cascate del Mulino was the perfect hidden gem, known mostly amongst Italians and untouched by mass tourism, but that is no longer the case. Today, it is one of the most popular attractions in the Tuscan countryside - despite its somewhat remote location.

Getting there

Cascate del Mulino is deep into the Tuscan coutryside, far enough from any major city. To get there, it’s a 3h drive from Florence, a 2h drive from Rome, a 1h drive from Grosetto.

Getting there by car is the only practical option. It would be best if you had your own car (rented or otherwise), because private transfers from nearby cities can be quite expensive. I’m not sure if organised group tours are an option.

Getting there by public transport takes time and is not straight-forward. It involves taking a bus from Grosetto to Scansano, and then another one from there to Saturnia - but keep in mind that they don’t run very often. Unless you spend the night in Saturnia and have time to spare, I would probably not recommend this option.

Where to stay

The thermal pools are located not far from the two most beautiful villages in the region - Pitigliano (30min drive) and Sorano (40min drive). It might be a good idea to base your stay there, and spend half a day at Cascate del Mulino. That is what we did.

Alternatively, there are many accommodation options around the village of Saturnia, which is within walking distance from the pools. A worthwhile mention is Terme di Saturnia, a luxury resort with natural spa and golf course.

When to visit

Cascate del Mulino is one of those picture perfect places that everyone wants to see and photograph. Many of the photos you might come across online (including most of which I am displaying here!) paint an image of a secluded paradise with no one around. In reality, there will be people around, no matter when you go. The site is actually open 24/7, though one probably wouldn’t visit at night. Mid-day, it can get very, very, VERY crowded. It’s a truly amazing attraction that is free for all, so that should be expected.

Getting there very early in the morning or late in the evening) is a good way to avoid the crowds as much as possible. Generally, those that want to take photos put in the effort and may arrive at sunrise, others that just want to enjoy themselves arrive whenever. But it doesn’t take long before the place becomes packed - it’s a small space and everyone knows it’s best to be there early. We visited in the morning, so I’m not actually sure if the same applies for sunset.

Drones

This is a very popular location for drone photography, for obvious reasons.

There aren’t any signs that prohibit drone flying. So it is allowed. The general advice is to avoid flying over crowds of people, but as long as you exercise some caution, it is fine. It’s probably best to do this early in the morning, when there are less people around - better photos too.

The best part though is that a drone will go unnoticed here, unlike in most places. What annoys me the most about drone flying is the loud buzzing noise, and the fact that it attracts unwanted attention from everyone around - whether they find it disruptive or interesting. The waterfall is quite loud, so one can barely hear the sound of drones overhead.

Parking

Cascate del Mulino as an attraction is free entry, but the parking is not - at least not right now.

The parking situation at the moment is quite odd and possibly one of the worst I’ve ever seen.

When we visited in July 2021, we used the huge free parking lot next to the waterfall. I recall this only opened at a certain time (around 7:00, which was already an hour after sunrise - not ideal). Anyway, it seems that this parking is now closed until… who knows.

The only option right now appears to be the paid parking further up the road - which is about 400m away. The fee is 4€ between 8:00-13:00, and 5€ for 13:00-20:00. This system is very silly and impractical. Imagine you want to spend 3 hours at Cascate del Mulino between 11:00 to 14:00. You buy a ticket for 4€ at 11:00, then return at 13:00, to buy another ticket for 5€ just for the next hour. Yes, that is supposedly how it works. You can’t stay longer than 13:00 without a new ticket or you might get fined, and you can’t buy this ticket in advance. However, based on one review, it seems that a workaround would be to buy two 4€ tickets in the morning and inform the staff (they would consider this as an acceptable payment for the full day, even though it is 1€ short). This would save you having to return. Also reportedly, it is not possible to pay with card (yet), only cash.

I am not sure if the paid parking is open outside of the 08:00 - 20:00 interval. If that was the case, then a short trip between 06:00 - 08:00 during summer would be nice (good light, few people) and would come for free.

The paid parking is attended, but the free parking (if it ever opens) is not. It’s best to avoid leaving any valuables in the car, or at least not on display - there have been reports of theft. Also, it may seem tempting to park on the side of the road nearer the waterfall, as there is space, but this might attract a fine - it has happened.

Facilities

Cascate del Mulino is a free and unmaintained attraction, so don’t expect to find great facilities at the location (in terms of changing rooms, showers, toilets). But I believe there might be just a few showers and toilets around there, which you could use for a small fee. There is also a restaurant/café … and a pizza vending machine (yikes).

Facilities are limited, and not the best. It may be a good idea to come prepared, change in the car (before/after), bring along some water and snacks, and probably save the shower for later.

Larvae

Last but not least, I thought I should mention that the dreamy waters of Cascate del Mulino are full of tiny little red worm-like creatures. You will notice them immediately. These are fly larvae that flourish in these waters due to the high sulphuric content. They are completely harmless, but perhaps still unpleasant if you are a little squeamish. My advice - don’t let them stand in the way of you enjoying this one-of-a-kind attraction. The thermal pools at Cascate del Mulino really are amazing and live up to the hype.