Here is a guide to discover the best spas in Italy from North to South. Explore all the locations where you can find the most beautiful Italian spas and spend relaxing spa breaks in Italy.
After a busy week, everyone wants to relax in their favourite way. Watching TV, reading a book or sipping herbal tea. But what could be better than relaxing spa breaks in Italy?
Thermal baths are created at thermal springs. Their main characteristic is the possibility of accessing therapies with thermal water for both internal and external use. This water has got many properties, which allow it to have positive effects on a person’s psycho-physical well-being. In fact, thermal water has a beneficial effect on the respiratory tract and skin, but also on the cardiovascular system and much more.
There are several Italian spas that offer such a service. From north to south, Italy is home to some of the best spas of all.
And considering Italy’s stunning natural and cultural beauty, the spa Italy combo is a winner. As well as enjoying a unique experience of relaxation, you will have the chance to discover more Italian destinations and enjoy breathtaking landscapes!
From the most luxurious to the free ones. There are all kinds of spas in Italy and, in some cases, their cost also includes a stay, organised down to the last detail.
What can I say, thermal baths are perfect for any occasion. Moreover, the characteristic high temperature allows you to visit the best spas in Italy in all seasons.
It’s time to start our tour to discover the most beautiful spas in Italy, and who knows, maybe give you some ideas for your next spa breaks in Italy!
Do hot springs fascinate you? Create your own tailor-made trip with Italia Delight’s Local Experts!
1. Top Spas in Italy: the North
Merano Thermal Baths
The Merano thermal baths are a spa and tourist facility located in the centre of Merano, in South Tyrol. Considered one of the most beautiful spas in Italy, they have 25 thermal baths with water temperatures of up to 37°C. Their special feature? A wide range of exclusive spa treatments such as a malt and hop peeling, a massage with warm herbal pads and a buttermilk bath. Entrance to the thermal baths is on payment, with different prices for adults and children.
Saint-Vincent Spa
The journey of the best spas in Italy continues with the thermal baths of Saint-Vincent. Located in the Aosta Valley, they offer a wide range of aesthetic and massage therapy services, as well as a relaxation area and swimming pools. The latter have a temperature ranging from 27° C to 36° C. However, their added value lies in the beautiful view over the valley. Here too, there is a charge.
Pré Saint Didier Thermal Baths
Let’s stay in the Aosta Valley to discover other important hot springs Italy has to offer. In the Valdigne, the high valley of the Dora Baltea, lies the village of Pré-Saint-Didier, home to one of the best spas in Italy. Here the waters flow from the mountain at a temperature of 37° C. Rich in iron, silica and calcium carbonate, they have toning and relaxing properties. A payment is required for access. In addition, Pré Saint Didier thermal baths offer one-night packages for special experiences.
Levico Terme
We continue north, precisely in the province of Trento, where we meet Levico Terme. The municipality, located at the highest point of the Valsugana valley floor, is home to the Levico Thermal baths, one of the best spas in Italy. The therapeutic and regenerative quality of the arsenical-ferruginous waters make them unique among Italian hot springs and known throughout the world. Their strength lies above all in the natural beauty of the Valsugana valley where they are located. Here too, admission to the spa is by payment.
Bormio
Bormio, located in Alta Valtellina, is a wonderful resort in the heart of the Alps. But as well as being a natural beauty, it is also home to one of the most beautiful spas in Italy, the thermal baths in Bormio. Bagni Vecchi, Bagni Nuovi and Bormio Terme make up the spa town. But of them all, the most complete is Bormio Terme. A short walk from the historic centre, it has Turkish baths, saunas and pools for relaxation amidst woods and mountains. The thermal baths are not free. Moreover, let’s not forget some natural springs, which complete the picture of Bormio’s relaxation.
Terme di Sirmione
The Terme di Sirmione on Lake Garda is one of the most important spas in Italy. We are in Lombardy, in the province of Brescia, where an enchanting landscape surrounds the spa. Its waters, with a temperature of around 69° C, are of sulphurous salsobromoiodic origin. This characteristic was acquired as long as 10,000 years ago, when the water infiltrated the rock up to 2,500 metres below sea level. In this way, it was enriched with mineral substances. The thermal baths are subject to a charge, with different prices depending on spa treatments and stays.
Abano and Montegrotto Terme
In the Euganean Hills Regional Park, the thermal baths of Abano and Montegrotto are the ideal place to enjoy spa breaks in Italy between relaxation and culture. Unique in their kind, they are called the Euganean Spas because of the spectacular landscape that surrounds them.
They are considered the largest thermal spa in Europe, especially thanks to their specialisation in mud-bath therapy. With no less than 240 thermal pools, with salso-bromo-iodine water, they are among the best spas in Italy. To visit them, payment is required.
Salsomaggiore Terme
We move on to the region of the great plain, to meet Salsomaggiore hot springs. In the province of Parma, they are among the best spas with salso-bromo-iodine and sulphurous water, recognised as some of the richest in Europe. It is the perfect place for relaxing spa breaks in Italy, thanks to the combination of tradition and innovation for wellness, health and beauty. There is a charge for the thermal baths.
2. Spas in Italy: Central Italy
Montecatini Terme
In the heart of Tuscany, between Florence and Versilia, I couldn’t miss telling you about the Terme di Montecatini. They are considered one of the largest spas in Italy, following Abano and Montegrotto. A true oasis of greenery, enhanced by its characteristic waters rising at a depth of 60-80 metres. The Thermal Park is framed by beautiful Art Nouveau and neo-Gothic buildings, enclosing about 700 years of history. All this makes it one of the best spas. You can discover the hot springs thanks to the many paid experiences on offer.
Chianciano Terme
Not to be missed among the best spas in Italy are Chianciano hot springs, in the province of Siena. The Sensory Spa in the Acqua Santa Park is very interesting. This is a unique place in Italy, based on the criteria of naturopathy, which offers five paths. Among other activities, there is a path defined as “of taste”. The Terme di Chianciano also offers the possibility of purchasing a complete package with the best hotels in the city.
Saturnia
We continue our itinerary in Tuscany, meeting Saturnia hot springs. They are one of the most famous spas in Italy, consisting of a single thermal spring, which gushes out at a temperature of about 37.5° C. The thermal structure consists of the Thermal Park “Terme di Saturnia SPA & Gold Resort and Golf Club”. Entrance to the park is, of course, on payment. However, there is the possibility to try the free thermal baths of Cascate del Mulino, fed by the same spring. They are of a lower temperature, free of charge and have a breathtaking view.
Bagni San Filippo
Bagni San Filippo, with its waterfalls and small natural pools, is a charming landscape surrounded by lush forests. They are free thermal baths. The Bagni are located within the “Parco Artistico Naturale Culturale della Val d’Orcia” where you will find other amazing thermal springs, such as Bagno Vignoni. The latter is the only place in Italy with a swimming pool located in the central square, dating back to the Renaissance period and built exactly above the original spring.
Terme di Petriolo
Petriolo thermal springs are among the free spas in Italy. The most famous hot springs in Tuscany, after Saturnia. Also known as Bagni di Petriolo, they are a thermal spring located in the Ombrone valley, between the provinces of Siena and Grosseto. Its saline and hyperthermal waters reach temperatures of 43° C. They are rich in minerals with beneficial and relaxing properties. Guaranteed relaxation, but above all free!
Thermal baths of Viterbo
As far as the central Italy spa tour is concerned, we just need to get to Viterbo. In one of the most beautiful towns of Tuscia, you will find the free thermal baths of Piscine Carletti and Bullicame, surrounded by greenery. Just a few metres away, you will find the Terme dei Papi (Thermal Baths of the Popes), so called because they were frequented by popes during the Middle Ages. You have to pay for the latter.
Fiuggi hot springs
Our itinerary in Lazio continues in the province of Frosinone, where we meet Fiuggi. The Terme di Fiuggi, downstream from the town, is a complex of two hydrothermal springs, the Fonte Bonifacio VIII and the Fonte Anticolana. Unlike the former, the water in the thermal spring of Fiuggi has a low concentration of mineral salts. Here too, there is a charge for the spa.
3. Italian Spas in the South
Terme di Ischia
Let’s cross the threshold of the Campania region together to get to know the beautiful thermal springs in Ischia. There are several thermal baths in the area, including the Giardini Poseidon, Parco Termale Negom, Parco Termale Castiglione, Terme di Cavascura and Giardini Termali Aphrodite Apollon, all of which are subject to payment. What they have in common is the characteristics of their thermal water, which is alkaline and contains many mineral salts. With a temperature of around 38° C, it is perfect for thermal therapy.
Hot springs in Cerchiara, Calabria
We travel to Calabria to discover the best spas in Southern Italy. In particular, we talk about the free hot springs in Cerchiara. One of the most interesting springs is the Grotta delle Ninfe (Cave of the Nymphs). It boasts several curious legends that decorate Calabrian culture. Its peculiarity is the half-moon shape, on which a beam of light shines during the day.
Hot springs in the Aeolian Islands
The Aeolian Islands are truly beautiful and also host some of the most interesting spas in Italy. Our Sicilian tour of the best spas in Southern Italy can only begin with the Terme di Vulcano. Vulcano’s free hot springs take the form of a pool, where you can enjoy its intensely sulphurous waters. However, the Terme di San Calogero should not be forgotten. Post-volcanic in origin, they are an opportunity to delve into the culture and history of Lipari, because unfortunately they have been closed since 1975.
Pantelleria hot springs
We conclude our journey through the most beautiful spas in Italy with the free thermal baths of Pantelleria, in Sicily. There are several evidences of secondary volcanism on the Sicilian island, consisting of steam and hot water emissions. These phenomena can be seen at Kuddia Mida, the Grotta del Freddo and the natural sauna of Beniculà. In addition, the relaxing 50° C thermal waters of the Nikà springs and the Lake Mirror of Venus can be enjoyed on this amazing island.
Have unique Spa Breaks in Italy, with Italia Delight!
Now that I’ve outlined some of the best Italian spas, it’s up to you to decide which one you prefer! You could take advantage of the famous spa Italy combo thanks to Italia Delight.
Italia Delight offers many experiences around these hot springs. Ready-made itinerary ideas that can be customised with the Local Expert.
Perfect to be included in the roadmap of your spa breaks in Italy to enjoy relaxation and discover the most beautiful spas in Italy! 😎
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