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The Thermal Baths of Suio in Castelforte: Sulphurous Waters at 60°C Among the Gorges of the Garigliano
The Thermal Baths of Suio, a hamlet of Castelforte in the province of Latina, are fed by sulphurous springs that spurt forth at a temperature ranging between 56 and 60°C. The water comes from deep aquifers, becomes charged with sulphur and minerals, and emerges in an area where the River Garigliano carves narrow gorges through the Aurunci Mountains. The Romans knew them well: the remains of pools and conduits testify to baths that were already operational in the imperial age.
A History of Healing Waters
The springs are documented from the 1st century AD, when the territory was part of the colony of Suessa Aurunca. Pliny the Elder cites them in his Naturalis Historia for their therapeutic properties. After centuries of abandonment, the baths were reactivated in the early 20th century, and today are run by private facilities offering thermal pools, mud therapy and dermatological treatments.
The Present Day
There are two main bathing establishments: Terme Vescine and Suio Terme. Both have outdoor pools with sulphurous water, some immersed in greenery. This water is recommended for osteoarticular, respiratory and skin conditions. A few miles away is the medieval village of Castelforte, perched on a rocky spur, and the Regional Park of the Aurunci Mountains, with trails leading to peaks in excess of 1,500 metres above sea level.
