Hot Springs / Thermal Pools in Tuscany, a set on Flickr.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monsummano Terme - December 27, 2011
Monsummano Terme - Grotta Giusti Spa
My fourth trip to a hot spring swimming pool brings me to Monsummano Terme, where the establishment is called Grotta Giusti. My sister accompanied me again - funny how no one minds doing research with me! We were lucky - it was a gorgeous day for late December, and we bathed in the sun while we enjoyed the warm thermal waters. I think our little group of researchers may grow...
To get to Monsummano Terme from Florence, you take the A11 Autostrada (also known as the Firenze-Mare, or "Florence-Sea") and exit at Montecatini. As soon as you exit the tollway you will find indications for Monsummano Terme, and Grotta Giusti Spa.
While Grotta Giusti has been a thermal station for a many years, featuring a grotto famed for its healthful vapors, the swimming pool was opened just 7 years ago and is quite modern. From the well-maintained parking lot you arrive to the entrance where you pay the fee at the reception. When we went there was a special deal if you used the pool from 1pm-3pm only.
You are given a token to be used to access the dressing rooms, which are vast, and a ticket you will need to show to the lifeguard on the pool deck. To use the lockers you need a 1 euro coin. There are very nice showers and hair dryers in the dressing room.
From the dressing room you can enter the pool either through a tunnel where you can hang your bathrobe and leave your slippers, without going outside (if it's cold), or get directly onto the pool deck where you can leave your things on one of the many lounge chairs.
The pool is outdoors and very large. On one end there are 4 areas with whirlpools and jets. The rest is just the right depth for the average person to stand up comfortably. The jets run for about 10 minutes at a time, and then turn off for 10 minutes, during which time the bathers are supposed to leave the whirlpool area... therefore they all walk around the pool. As soon as the jets start up again, they return to that area. There are stone benches placed along the sides of the pool, nice to sit on and chat.
Grotta Giusti Natural Spa Resort
Via Grottagiusti, 1411
51015 - Monsummano Terme
Tel. +39 0572 90771
My fourth trip to a hot spring swimming pool brings me to Monsummano Terme, where the establishment is called Grotta Giusti. My sister accompanied me again - funny how no one minds doing research with me! We were lucky - it was a gorgeous day for late December, and we bathed in the sun while we enjoyed the warm thermal waters. I think our little group of researchers may grow...
To get to Monsummano Terme from Florence, you take the A11 Autostrada (also known as the Firenze-Mare, or "Florence-Sea") and exit at Montecatini. As soon as you exit the tollway you will find indications for Monsummano Terme, and Grotta Giusti Spa.
While Grotta Giusti has been a thermal station for a many years, featuring a grotto famed for its healthful vapors, the swimming pool was opened just 7 years ago and is quite modern. From the well-maintained parking lot you arrive to the entrance where you pay the fee at the reception. When we went there was a special deal if you used the pool from 1pm-3pm only.
Pool Entrance
You are given a token to be used to access the dressing rooms, which are vast, and a ticket you will need to show to the lifeguard on the pool deck. To use the lockers you need a 1 euro coin. There are very nice showers and hair dryers in the dressing room.
From the dressing room you can enter the pool either through a tunnel where you can hang your bathrobe and leave your slippers, without going outside (if it's cold), or get directly onto the pool deck where you can leave your things on one of the many lounge chairs.
The pool is outdoors and very large. On one end there are 4 areas with whirlpools and jets. The rest is just the right depth for the average person to stand up comfortably. The jets run for about 10 minutes at a time, and then turn off for 10 minutes, during which time the bathers are supposed to leave the whirlpool area... therefore they all walk around the pool. As soon as the jets start up again, they return to that area. There are stone benches placed along the sides of the pool, nice to sit on and chat.
Whirlpools
The temperature of the water is 35°C/95°F. It is constantly fed by hot spring water containing bicarbonate, sulphur, calcium and magnesium. They do not add chlorine to the water as the flow is strong enough to avoid it. Being a fairly new pool, there is only a bit of mineral buildup on the sides of the pool - you can see the crystals forming. The water is clear, and doesn't have a particular smell or taste to it. It is wonderful for floating in!
Grotta Giusti Natural Spa Resort
Via Grottagiusti, 1411
51015 - Monsummano Terme
Tel. +39 0572 90771
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Porretta Terme - December 17, 2011
PORRETTA TERME
My third stop on this tour of the hot spring pools of Tuscany brings me to Porretta Terme. Porretta Terme is actually in the province of Bologna, which is part of the region of Emilia Romagna, but just by a few meters, so I'll include it in my list of hot spring pools in Tuscany.
Porretta Terme is in the mountains between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, and is easily reached on the SS64 highway from both Florence and Bologna. There is also a train station in town; it's a pleasant ten minute walk to the pool, along the Reno River.
The building where the thermal baths are located is a depressing 1970's structure, badly in need of some remodelling. It has obviously be given little care in the past few years. However, I understand that the property has changed hands, and some work is being done. For now, it looks like this:
Inside the building is quite nice. At the reception you pay your entrance fee (14.50 euros the day we went) and then are told that you must have an interview with a doctor before you enter the pool. My my - that was a first! The doctor asks you if you have any medical problems, take any medication, and takes your blood pressure. A quick and pleasant visit, so I figure that with the entrance fee you get a free blood pressure measurement... not bad.
My third stop on this tour of the hot spring pools of Tuscany brings me to Porretta Terme. Porretta Terme is actually in the province of Bologna, which is part of the region of Emilia Romagna, but just by a few meters, so I'll include it in my list of hot spring pools in Tuscany.
Porretta Terme
Once again I find that hot spring pools differ greatly from one to another, and that is why I'm doing this tour, so that I can do the "inspection", describe the pool, and you can decide which is the best for you.Porretta Terme is in the mountains between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, and is easily reached on the SS64 highway from both Florence and Bologna. There is also a train station in town; it's a pleasant ten minute walk to the pool, along the Reno River.
The building where the thermal baths are located is a depressing 1970's structure, badly in need of some remodelling. It has obviously be given little care in the past few years. However, I understand that the property has changed hands, and some work is being done. For now, it looks like this:
Entrance to the spa
The Building
You then go back to the reception, get your ticket, and go downstairs to the pool area where you give the ticket to a lifeguard. He explains the pool layout to you and shows you to the changing rooms where there are lockers and showers.
The pool is indoors, a good size, with various depths. There are jets along one wall which are fantastic for massaging shoulders and back. There are lots of floatation devices around, and people like to float around, relaxing in the warm water. There are also vascular treatment pools where you walk first in warm water then in cold water on smooth river stones. In addition, there is a very nice Finnish sauna. There are deck chairs distributed on the deck for resting between baths.
The temperature of the water in the pool is a warm 36°C/96.8°F, and the room is kept at 31°C/87°F. The water contains salt, bromine, and iodine. The lifeguard told me that it is similar to sea water. They treat this pool with clorine.
This is a popular ski area, near the slopes of Corno alle Scale. I imagine that it would be super to soak yourself in this pool after a day on the slopes!
Hotel delle Acque & Natural SPA
Via Roma 5
40046 Porretta Terme (BO)
Tel 0534/22062
Via Roma 5
40046 Porretta Terme (BO)
Tel 0534/22062
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)