Yesterday I went to the Terme di Sorano. What an adventure! This place is really on the backroads of Tuscany. I won't even try to give instructions on how to get there - I would just get you lost. There are instructions on the website under location. It's quite a challenge to drive there on the rough "Strade Provinciali" roads, winding through the hills of "tuff" stone ("tufo" in Italian). To add to the confusion, cell phone reception isn't good in the area, so my iPhone map wasn't working very well.
I thought I was totally lost when I suddenly saw a large sign indicating the Terme di Sorano with a spacious parking area - signs of civilization. The pool is part of a large vacation residence with apartments and villas inside an attractive gated park. There is a reception area near the parking lot where you pay the pool entrance fee. You then enter the residence through a gate and follow a footpath several hundred yards to the pool.
The pool seen from the footpath.
You give your ticket to the lifeguard who explains to you where the dressing rooms, lockers (included in entrance fee with a lock), and showers are. If you go in the winter like I did, you enter the pool through a covered walkway so you don't have to feel the cold. The water in the pool is warm, not hot. The pool is on two levels, with waterfalls feeding the lower pools. The waterfalls provide a nice massage, but the water is cooler than in the upper pool, and not quite warm enough to be pleasant during the winter. There are no other jets in the pool. The flow of water entering (and exiting) the pool is very strong. This gives the sense of the whole pool area being very clean and fresh.
This is a new swimming pool, built just 6 years ago, in 2006. Apparently there were hot spring waters in the area historically, but for more than 50 years they had dried up. Then, one day, the family dog (an Irish Setter) was digging a hole in the woods, and low and behold, hot water came out of the ground. The owner then decided to develop the hot spring pool and surrounding vacation rental apartments.
The stream that carries the water from the spring to the pool.
An ancient church on the property.
All of my Tuscan friends knew of Sorano, but not one knew of the hot spring pool. I think this is because the new spring was found so recently.
Soaking in this pool is a lovely experience, and I highly recommend it. You'll probably want to stay there overnight, or somewhere nearby, as the drive to get there is rather exhausting. One thing that confused me about their website: it doesn't state whether the pool is reserved for the guests of the residence only, so I called in advance, and found out that day use is possible.
The water contains calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate, and emerges from the springs at a temperature of 37C / 99°F. The water is clear with a green hue, and has no particular smell or taste. There is a rust color buildup on the sides of the pool which makes me think there must be some iron in the water.
Terme di Sorano
Località S.Maria dell'Aquila
58010 - Sorano (GR)
Tel. (+39) 0564 633306
