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Natural spas and hot springs in Tuscany

  • Tuscany, Italy

Last updated: 21 March, 2024

Tuscany is full of natural hot springs or terme, many of which date from Roman or even Etruscan times and whose waters, originating from deep within the earth’s crust and emerging at around 35°C-37°C, have long been known to have therapeutic properties.

Each spring has a different combination of minerals and gases, so different terme are said to be beneficial for different conditions. Carbon dioxide boosts the immune system, for example, and sulfur-rich water is believed to benefit muscular and arthritic pain.

Hotels, some with day spas, have been developed around many of these springs, and while some are fairly modest, others have turned into luxury spa resorts offering first-class accommodation and a myriad of treatments (both medicinal and cosmetic) to compliment the thermal waters.

Recommendations

6

Bathe at the Cascate del Mulino

  • Saturnia, Tuscany, Italy

aerial view to hot spring and old mill in Tuscany in Italy

Experience

If you want to wallow for free, join the locals at this natural thermal spa phenomenon between the towns of Saturnia and Montemerano.

The steaming, sulfur-infused water, heated to a balmy 37.5 degrees Celsius, flow down a series of terraces forming natural hot water pools and mini waterfalls.

These mineral-rich waters are known for their therapeutic properties – making it a popular destination for both relaxation and healing. It’s particularly atmospheric by moonlight.

Good for age: 13+

Hotel Fonteverde

  • San Casciano dei Bagni, Tuscany, Italy

Hotel Fonteverde

Experience

A luxury retreat, in a former Medici villa, with a state-of-the-art spa offering more than a hundred different treatments. There’s a fabulous hot indoor-outdoor ‘bioacqua’ pool with 24 different massage jets to pummel the stiffness from limbs, backs, and shoulders.

Adult price: £350

Good for age: 13+

Hotel Posta Marcucci

  • Bagno Vignoni, Tuscany, Italy

looking to a thermal outdoor pool with countryside behind

Experience

You can’t bathe in the old ‘vasca’ that occupies the central piazza in tiny medieval Bagno Vignoni these days, but you can wallow in the magnificent pool at the newly-renovated Hotel Posta Marcucci, against the splendid backdrop of the Val d’Orcia.

Adult price: £250

Good for age: 13+

Grotta Giusti Hotel

  • Monsummano, Tuscany, Italy

Looking down over a large outdoor pool, filled with thermal hot spring water

Experience

The unique feature of the Grotta Giusti spa and hotel in Monsummano Terme is its extraordinary prehistoric underground cave system. An hour spent sweating in the dripping grotta offers relief from rheumatic pain and does wonders for the skin. After your sweat, you will be sluiced down naked in a small cubicle with a strong jet of water.

Adult price: £240

Good for age: 13+

Terme di Saturnia Spa & Golf Resort

  • Saturnia, Tuscany, Italy

Large outdoor thermal pool lit up at night

Experience

The sulphur-rich water (think rotten eggs) in the huge thermal pool at the recently re-vamped Terme di Saturnia Resort bubbles up from the ground at 37.5°C. There is pummeling and pampering too, plus five-star services.

Adult price: £340

Good for age: 13+

  • San Quirico d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy

  • Official star rating:

Among the many thermal spa resorts in Tuscany, ADLER Spa Resort THERMAE is one of the most appealing. Located in the heart of the Val d’Orcia – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – it offers a perfect balance of relaxation, comfort, and beautiful surroundings. The ambience is a stylish calm, with a design that blends in well with the Tuscan landscape.

Food and wine play an important role in the experience. Guests can enjoy fresh, regional dishes at the main restaurant or opt for something more informal at the cosy Osteria dell’Amicizia. A wine tasting in the resort’s Travertine wine cellar is highly recommended for those wanting to explore local labels.

The wellness area is impressive, with indoor and outdoor thermal pools heated naturally to 37°C, a panoramic whirlpool, and a range of saunas and steam baths inspired by ancient Roman traditions.

The resort is the perfect base for visiting the lovely hill towns of Pienza, Montepulciano, and San Quirico d’Orcia. The famous wine region of Montalcino is nearby, and Siena is about 45 minutes away by car.

 

Average £450

Extra beds

Pool

2+ bedrooms

Beach

Kids menu

Fitness center

Kids club

Logistics

Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: -

When to do it

The Tuscans love to wallow, particularly in cooler weather, and many go to the terme just for the day at the weekend. So Saturdays and Sundays at spas that offer day passes can get very crowded. If you’re staying at one of the more exclusive spa hotels, this is likely to be less of a problem; there is usually an area that is off-limits to non-residents.

There is something wonderful about wallowing in 35°C plus water (especially in an outdoor pool) when it’s cold outside, so winter is high season in spa resorts. In summer, the Italians go to the beach.