Outdoor spas in Lazio, oases of relaxation and wellness to suit all tastes

The area of Viterbo is certainly the richest in terms of thermal springs and it is here that you will find many places to indulge in a moment of relaxation.

These include the thermal springs at the Terme di Vulci, a facility that combines natural spas with glamping. If you want to get in touch with nature but in an exclusive way, you’ve come to the right place.
This former farmland was very fertile thanks to the waters that flowed here: once their “magical” power was discovered, the thermal park was born. Today, it consists of four outdoor thermal pools immersed in the countryside of the Lazio Maremma, each with different colours, temperatures and properties, creating a complete wellness ritual that will benefit body and soul alike. All you have to do is follow the path and let the benefits of the waters take effect, while contemplating the clear skies and the olive trees that surround you. Nothing could be more restful: it will be impossible not to come out regenerated!

We’re staying in the province of Viterbo and this time we’re visiting the Terme del Bullicame. These free outdoor thermal baths actually rise near another free site, the Carletti pools – a clear testimony to how this area is a true thermal paradise.

The Terme di Bullicame owe their name to the very hot spring water, so hot that it simmers and “bullicare” (or bubbles) non-stop, aided by the high gas content of the waters themselves. The spring was and is so hot and its vapours so rich in sulphur that it inspired no less a person than “Divine Comedy” author Dante Alighieri, who in Canto XIV of “Inferno” compares Lucifer’s kingdom to these springs. Today, the basin from which the water gushes out is protected by plexiglass, preventing direct access, but visitors can still enjoy complete free access to the other two basins – one rounded and warmer, the other rectangular and colder. Why not embrace your inner Roman and go between the frigidarium and caldarium to reactivate your circulation? The waters are highly sulphurous, which is excellent for the skin, and the mud that settles here also has beneficial properties. However, the facilities are rather basic, so don’t expect toilets or showers and make sure you bring everything you need with you.

We move a little further on to arrive at the Terme dei Papi (or Baths of the Popes), a prestigious facility that has exploited the beloved thermal waters of the Bullicame since Roman times. We are about an hour from Rome, so we can say that in the Viterbese area, you can immerse yourself in water and in history.

Here, too, you can enjoy the therapeutic properties of the hot water – which reaches 58°C – and is rich in sulphur salts, calcium bicarbonate and magnesium, among other minerals. These are excellent as cures and as supporting treatments for various ailments and diseases of the respiratory, bone and genital systems (including chronic diseases), as well as dermatological problems.
At the Terme dei Papi it is a must to relax in the wonderful monumental outdoor pool, which measures over 2000 square metres. But that’s not all: here you can also enjoy mud therapy, stay in the natural humid grotto where the water is 48°C, access the spa and its beauty treatments, or start a course of thermal cures.

If what you want is an all-round wellness stay, where you can spend a few days away from the stresses of city life, the place for you is definitely the Terme di Stigliano, a facility located in Canale Monterano (Rome).

Here you will find a 4-star hotel in a historical mansion, the refined Il Ninfeo restaurant, a spa where you can pamper yourself, and above all the wonderful thermal park: 600 square metres pf pools, surrounded by the natural beauty of Tuscia.
The strength of these outdoor thermal baths is that the beneficial effects of the waters are combined with the relaxing healing powers of nature – a magical combination that will make you fall in love with the Terme di Stigliano. The facility boasts a total of five pools plus a whirlpool where you can immerse yourself surrounded by various species of trees and plants, listening to the sounds of nature. Music for the soul.

Of all the outdoor spas in Lazio, we cannot fail to mention perhaps the most famous: the waters at Fiuggi. Palazzo Fiuggi is particularly noteworthy. This extra-luxury facility is housed in a former palace where guests can receive medical treatments or follow wellness courses lasting several days. This is more than a spa, it is a true retreat where you can rely on their methods and programmes focused on different needs, whether curative or aesthetic. But one feature of this exclusive place is the main swimming pool, dating back to the 1930s and still as spectacularly beautiful today. It is part of a wellness path that goes both outdoors and indoors, allowing you to make the most of the power of the waters as well as the surrounding nature. Palazzo Fiuggi is recommended if you want a complete renewal immersed in beauty.