San Giovanni Terme Rapolano (Siena) - October 30, 2011

San Giovanni Terme Rapolano
This is where it all started... that is, my idea to visit all the hot springs in Tuscany and write a blog about them. My boyfriend and I went there on the spur of the moment on the Sunday of the All Saints holiday weekend. It was very crowded, but it was wonderful, and I kept saying to him, "I'm coming back!"

I had been to some other hot springs before: Bagno Vignoni, Calidario, and Saturnia, but I had never even heard of Rapolano Terme! Poor me... well, now I know, and I will certainly go back, but first I have to visit all the other hot springs in Tuscany!

The town of Rapolano Terme is on the state highway SS73, between Siena and Arezzo, and easily reached from both towns. It is about an hour and a half drive from Florence.

There are two thermal pools in the town, and so far I have only visited San Giovanni, but I will go to the Terme Antica Querciolaia sometime too.  

San Giovanni is a very big complex. There are plenty of road indications and it is easy to find. There is a large dirt parking lot.  At the entrance  where you pay your ticket you can rent locks, towels and bathrobes. There are very large dressing rooms with lockers, restrooms and showers. On the same level there is a snack bar.

There are 3 different pools: 

•  an indoor pool, which is the hottest. You can enter directly into this one without going outside, which would probably be nice on cold days! The source of the water is a waterfall which people stand under to massage shoulders. There is a tunnel to pass directly from this pool to the next one;
• the first outdoor pool is quite large and is warmest near where the water comes out from the indoor pool. There is a white mineral sediment on the bottom which is pleasant to spread on the skin, however, it's quite a challenge to get to the bottom of the pool, given that the mineral-rich water makes you more bouyant than usual;
• there are then waterfalls that go through 2 small pools. The water in the pools is progressively cooler. Again, people like to sit under the waterfalls to massage their shoulders;
• the last pool is the largest and the coolest. Some people even swim in this pool. I think it would be very nice on a hot day, but a bit cold when the weather outside is cool. The water finally falls over a large waterfall into its streambed.

The swim decks and lawns are covered with deck chairs for sunbathing. There are also indoor rooms with lounge chairs for resting quietly after bathing in the waters.

There is a hotel connected to the complex which has its own hot spring pool.
The water is a milky white, it is so full of minerals. There is a chalky buildup on the walls of the pools. Swimcaps are not required, given the strong flow and therefore continuous exchange of water.

The waters flow from the spring at a temperature of 102° Fahrenheit.  They are mainly composed of sulphur, and calcium bicarbonate. They definitely have that rotten egg smell!

San Giovanni Terme Rapolano

Via Terme San Giovanni, 52
53040 - Rapolano Terme (SI)
Tel. +39 - 0577.72 40 30
www.termesangiovanni.it