Wellness thermal locations in Italy
"Italian hot spots"
Italy's richness in thermal and mineral waters, combined with the mildness of the climate and the beauty of the scenery, have made it a favorite venue for "health care tourism".
From north to south, the "Bel Paese", boasts a legacy of sulfur springs and curative healing waters, offering a wide choice, regardless of the province you are in.
In addition to fee paying facilities, locals can still enjoy free access to natural pools, often immersed in fascinating landscapes enjoying the many virtues of the waters , just as it was done hundreds of years before.
Italian thermal spas are not only those which exploit hot water resources (as the literal meaning of the world "thermal" might suggest) since mineral water springs are now also generally included in this category.
Abano, Salsomaggiore, Chianciano, Montecatini, Fiuggi and Ischia are just a few names among the many which are known throughout the world and which attract millions of visitors every year.
In this field, Italy has taken up and developed a practice which has been widespread throughout the peninsula since the time of the Romans, when thermal waters and baths were already a typical feature of town life. Interest in the Italian SPAS is not exclusively for health care reasons.
Their proximity to great centres of art makes the spa resorts excellent bases for cultural excursions.
In addition the splendid parks surrounding the most famous spas and their infrastructure which has been created for leisure activities, make them ideal holiday resorts in their own right. The location of the spa resorts clearly suggest that their distribution is not uniform.
The determination factor in the presence of hot water or mineral springs is the geology of Italy, a relatively young country, which is rich in volcanic phenomena and permeated, in every sense of the word, by a dense network of ground water channels.
In north-eastern Italy many spas have developed on the slopes of the Euganei Hills, volcanic highlands where numerous hot water spring gush out.
The main form of treatment is mud therapy, recommended for rheumatic illnesses and problems of the respiratory organs and the female genital organs.
Albano Terme alone has almost two million visitors a year, half of whom come from abroad.
Moving further south, there is a series of thermal resorts in Emilia Romagna, on the foothills of the Apennines.
There are about fifteen localities, including in particular Salsomaggiore, Tabiano, and Castrocaro, all of which have the word "Terme" (SPA) as part of their official names.
The springs have chemical properties which are all very similar (predominantly sulfurous, or containing sodium chloride, iodide or bromide).
They are recommended for a wide range of afflictions: metabolism disorders, problems of the respiratory system and the vascular system and skin diseases.
Another Italian region with a high concentration of spas is Tuscany. The exploitation of this resource also has long tradition here.
A number of springs which where already in use in Roman times are still popular today, including Saturnia... , Chianciano, and Chiusi.
Roselle(the oldest - now closed)...
Chianciano
In this century the Tuscan resorts have changed from being exclusive meeting places and holiday locations and are now open to a much wider public.
Montecatini and Chianciano have acquired even greater importance and the statistics confirm the reputation which they have built up.
The spa resorts in Lazio are linked to the volcanic activity which has shaped the morphology of much of the region.
Bagni di Tivoli on the outskirts of the capital, and Fiuggi, further east, are especially well known.
The latter is famous above all for the treatment in which the waters are taken solely in form of drinks.
Fiuggi waters are especially noted for the treatment of renal calculus and their fame has led to the development of 250 hotels.
In southern Italy the numerous spas forming an arc around the gulf of Naples are extremely important.
This is one of the most active volcanic zones in Italy with heat bursting through from a supply of magma underground which is very close to the surface.
Oral treatment, baths (including steam baths) and mud treatment are recommended in particular for rheumatism, arthritis, obesity and metabolism disorders.
~Locations by region~
From north to south.
PIEDMONT
Acqui Terme | Agliano |
Bagni di Vinadio | Castagneto Po
Crodo | Garessio
Monte Valenza | Terme di Lurisia
Terme di Valdieri.
VALLE d' AOSTA
Pre-Saint Didier | Saint Vincent
Selected : Hotel Bellevue & Spa
Hotel Hermitage | Mont Blanc Hotel
LOMBARDY (Lombardia)
Angolo Terme | Bagni del Masino
Bagni di Bormio | Boario Terme
Rivanazzano | Salice Terme
San Colombano al Lambro | San Pellegrino Terme Sirmione | Tartavalle Terme
Terme di Miradolo | Trescore Balneario Selected : Hotel Spol | Monticello Spa & Fit Park Hotel Imperial | Grand Hotel Bagni Nuovi Villa Luisa Resort & SPA | Cascina Scova
Bulgari Hotel & Spa | Impero degli Dei
Resort L'Albereta | Lefay Resort & SPA
Rizzi Spa Lin
TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE
Bagni di Rabbi
Campo Tures/Band in Taufers
Comano Terme
Levico Terme Merano/ Merari
Pejo Terme | Sesto/Sexten
Terme di Brennerp | Vetriolo Terme Vigolo Beselg
VENETO
Abano Terme | Battaglia Terme
Galzignano Terme | Lido di Jesolo
Lido di Venezia | Montegrotto Terme Recoar
FRIULIVENEZIAGIULIA
Arta Terme | Grado | Lignano Sabbiadoro |
EMILIA ROMAGNA
Bagno di Romagna | Bobbio | Brisighella Castel San Pietro Terme | Castrocaro Terme
Cervia | Fratta Terme | Monticelli Terme Porretta Terme | Riccione | Rimini
Riolo Terme | Salsomaggiore Terme
Tabiano Bagni
TUSCANY
Bagni di Lucca | Bagni San Filippo Chianciano Terme | Monsummano Terme Montecatini Terme | San Carlo Terme
San Casciano dei Bagni
San Giuliano Terme
Terme di Caldana | Terme di Montepulciano Terme di Petriolo | Terme di San Giovanni Terme di Saturnia
MARCHE
Acquasanta Terme | Sarnano Tolentino
UMBRIA
Acquasparta | San Gemini
Terme di Fonte
LAZIO
Bagni di Tivoli | Bagni di Viterbo Ferentino | Fiuggi
Terme di Cotilia Terme di Suio
ABRUZZO
Caramanico Terme | Terme di Raiano
Terme di Popoli | Terme di Canistro Baden Baden
CAMPANIA
Agnano Terme | Barano d'Ischia |
Forio | Casamicciola | Ischia
Castellammare di Stabia | Contursi Terme | Lacco Ameno
Montesano sulla Marcellana | Telese
APULIA (Puglia)
Margherita di Savoia
Santa Cesarea Terme
Torre Canne
