If you come to Italy and want to relax a little bit, you can decide to do it in one of the many Italian hot springs.
Indeed, not everyone knows that in Italy you can find Italian hot springs in many different regions, Tuscany, Sicily, Lazio, Lombardy, etc.
Some of them are in great hotels or spas, so you have to pay to use them. Some others, instead, are completely free.
Sometimes some of these free Italian hot springs are a little bit crowded, and some others cannot be easily found, however, in my opinion they’re still worth a visit.
So, in this article, I’m going to list four of the best free Italian hot springs you can visit.
SATURNIA THERMAL BATHS
The most famous and stunning free Italian hot springs are surely those located near Saturnia, in the town of Manciano, in Tuscany.
These Italian hot springs are completely natural. Waters here are composed of sulfur, carbon, bicarbonate, sulfate, etc, and reach a temperature of 37 °C.
Saturnia thermal baths have many little waterfalls, the most famous ones being the Mill Falls, and many little pools where you can sit and relax.
VITERBO THERMAL BATHS
Other beautiful Italian hot springs are those near Viterbo: Piscine Carletti.
Waters here reach a temperature of 58°C, and flow in different pools.
Near the area there are no trees, so there’s no shadow. Bring this in mind if you ever decide to visit Piscine Carletti.
Waters of Viterbo thermal baths are of volcanic origin and it seems they’re usually used to cure dermatological deseases.
SAN FILIPPO THERMAL BATHS
Other popular thermal baths in Tuscany are those of San Filippo.
San Filippo thermal baths are placed in Castiglione d’Orcia, at an hour drive from Siena.
It seems that their name derives from that of Saint Philip Benizi, a man who lived there as a hermit in the XIII century.
These Italian hot springs are called White Whale because they’re formed by white sediments.
Waters here reach 48°C and are composed of calcium carbonate deposits. At the bottom of these Italian hot springs there are also some muds that you can rub on your skin to smooth and polish it.
To reach these Italian hot springs you have to walk a little bit, since they’re hidden in the forest.
BORMIO THERMAL BATHS
The last free Italian hot springs that are worth a visit are those near the town of Bormio, in Valtellina.
You have to pay to enter Bormio thermal baths. However, there’s a small pool that’s totally free: Leonardo’s pool, located at 1200 meters.
The pool is hidden in the woods and you can reach it by following a path.
The temperature of the waters you’ll find ranges from 37°C to 43°C.
Be aware that the pool can only accommodate up to 15 people.
Have you already visited one of these Italian hot springs? What do you think about them?
Credits
Original image by Ghisolabella
Italian Mountain terms
