Ahhhh... Spa!
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We’ve never been “spa” people in general - we’re not much for hot stone massages, mani-pedi treatments, or mud bath and cucumber water therapy. But we do like an occasional jacuzzi tub or sauna, and we’re certainly open to enjoy the healing properties of natural mineral spring pools.
In Italy, spending a day at natural hot springs is a health care consideration, not just recreation. It is not unusual for us to get a “prescription” from our doctor to go to the nearest thermal bath, to help with breathing during a bout of bronchitis, or to help with muscle aches and pains. Our area, the Tuscia, has many such thermal water sources, and the facilities are open to day visitors as well as hotel guests.
We are new converts to the idea that the spa is a important for health. There is much discussion here regarding the quality of the natural waters, their PH balance, sulphur and bicarbonate content, and the quality of hot springs in one area versus another. We have enjoyed indulging in “taking in the waters” in several spas, both indoor and out! At some of the facilities, there may be other health elements as well, like a salt room, which is thought to be good for breathing; and you can probably also book a massage as well.
One of these, a large spa nearby our town, offers a three-hour entry for €12. It’s a community-pool sort of scene, but one where the water is about 100° F. The only downside is that this one has that distinctive “eggy” smell! …but that’s part of what makes it highly therapeutic, apparently.
A favorite place of ours is up in southern Tuscany, a more upscale place - a set of three pools attached to a fancy hotel. We like to go up and stay at a much more affordable B&B nearby, and pay the admission for a night-time dip in the mineral waters.
Other spots are outdoor hot springs coming directly out of the rock - totally free to enter. Italians are big fans of these free, public outdoor thermal baths, and the muddy springs that often surround them. These places are stunning sights, where the hot water bubbles from the earth and tumbles down to create otherworldly calcified cliffs. Intrepid travelers and bathers sit in rock pools in the woods, sometimes smearing the mineral mud over their skin. Just like at the spa - except without the ability to shower off afterwards. (And again, some of these have that sulphuric aroma that permeates everything within several miles.)
Sometimes we prefer a private place, though. One of our more extravagant favorites, for special occasions, is a top-floor suite with a hot tub on a private rooftop terrace, overlooking a lake. Another recent overnight trip to an agriturismo netted us a very affordable two-hour session in a private spa facility: a very hot sauna and a Turkish bath, and a big hot tub with a giant picture window, all to ourselves; towels and robes and detox tea were included. Set out in the countryside, this B&B has the most beautiful grounds, bursting with flowers. There is a restaurant there as well, serving food farmed right on the grounds. In the morning they serve the most delicious eggs, gathered from their own chickens.
In other places, we get just a simple hotel room that has a jet tub: private, simple, easy, and - most importantly - we’re sitting in only our own water. Some of them are even pretty large - and surprisingly affordable.
These are all great experiences for most months of the year. In the summer, though, no one needs a hot bath. Instead, we like to rent a place at an agriturismo with a swimming pool. We spend every possible waking hour in the pool, keeping cool and beating the summer heat. Sometimes we combine that sort of visit with our musical engagements, going for a week or more and bringing the cats with us. (They don’t go in the pool!)
We have found a few thermal spas that we really did NOT like: they were not clean, or they felt like you were on an assembly line. it’s really not a good value for your money if the spa leaves you feeling less relaxed than when you went in, because it seemed dirty or crowded. But we have managed to find some very nice places, that left us refreshed, and aren’t hard on the pocketbook either.
