Saturday night and Sunday morning are very different affairs in Bagno Vignoni, a small hilltop town 50 kilometres south-east of Siena. Judging from the drawing of the town – renowned for its hot water spring – in the 14th century that illustrated the menu of the Osteria del Leone, it has changed very little over the centuries, apart from an influx of tourists and cars.

As we left the Osteria after dinner at 11pm we decided to walk under the stars towards the viewpoint over the rolling countryside. The narrow channel of warm, sulphurous spring water that cuts through the rocky platform leading to the cliff edge was lined by scores of Italians sitting in the dark to take advantage, at last, of some cooler night air.