Visiting one of the many natural thermal baths near Rome and hot springs can reveal a rewarding day trip from the Eternal City.
Some of the pools are in luxury hotel’s spas while others are free-access thermal pools with basic facilities.
But rest assured that all the hot springs near Rome are immersed in beautiful nature, perfect for an escape.
The presence of thermal baths near Rome dates back to the pre-Roman age. Some historians even attribute to the abundance of curative waters that civilization flourished in this part of Italy.
Rome was once part of a system of volcanoes and lava flows. You will be surprised at the number of terme you could visit while you explore one or more picturesque towns around Rome.
You need to research a bit to find out the thermal baths that would best suit your travel plan and budget (I can help you with this.)
These are genuinely precious waters from hyperthermal (hot) and hypothermal (cooler) hot springs. This means you’ll enjoy your thermal bath in both winter and summer!
In this post, I will tell you about the thermal pools in Viterbo, a beautiful medieval city north of Rome, the famous Saturnia hot springs, the Baths of Tivoli, and many more.
In addition, I will reveal which thermal baths are perfect for any season and weather.
11 Best Thermal Baths and Hot Springs near Rome, Italy: Local’s Guide
1. Terme dei Papi – Thermal Baths of the Popes, Viterbo
Viterbo is a beautiful medieval city located 80 km north of Rome.
An important number of hyperthermal and hypothermal hot springs surround the city. This feature attracts travelers from all over Italy and makes Viterbo one of the top destinations in Europe for thermal baths.
The most popular hot spring in Viterbo is the Bullicame Spring, where water gushes out at 58°.
The Etruscan people already used this water in the 8th Century BC. Even Dante talked about this hot spring in his Divine Comedy, while Michelangelo drew the thermal pools in the area.
The Bullicame Spring supplies the Terme dei Papi Spa. Here, you can use thermal water to cure many common ailments such as respiratory and circulation problems.
The highlight of Terme dei Papi is the monumental thermal pool (entrance costs €18 for the entire day). The spa offers beauty treatments and has a special thermal grotto that you can access for an additional fee.
There is also a café and a restaurant.
The best way to enjoy this spa is to spend the entire day and stay in the 4-star Terme dei Papi Hotel.
How to get to Terme Dei Papi in Viterbo by public transport from Rome
- 1. Take the Shuttle Bus that leaves from Viale George Washington near Metro Flaminio Station at 9 AM and returns to Rome from the thermal center at 4 PM on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. A two-way ticket is €8.
- 2. Take a train to Viterbo from Rome and get off at Viterbo Porta Fiorentina. In front of the train station, Piazzale Gramsci, you’ll find the Francigena Bus No. 2 that stops at Terme dei Papi.
Working Hours: Wednesday through Monday 9 AM – 7 PM Saturday: 9 AM – 1 AM Tuesday: closed
Price: €18 for the whole day on weekdays | €25 for the whole day on holidays and pre-holidays
€10 for 3 hours access on weekdays
TIP: During the summer, the temperature of the water in most of the thermal baths in Viterbo is unbearable. I recommend reading this complete guide to the Thermal Baths in Viterbo to find the right one for each season.
2. Therma Oasis
Therma Oasis is the one of the newest thermal baths in Viterbo. This spa is located about 6 km north of the historic center of Viterbo. Therma Oasi is one of the nicest hot springs near Rome, Italy.
The most impressive feature is the large thermal pool, which includes rounded rocks and a waterfall, although they are human-made.
The Oasis thermal spring, which gushes out at 65° and feeds these baths, is natural, microbiologically pure, and rich in beneficial qualities.
There is a sulfur component, so the smell of the water is strong and will linger on you even after showering, but it is worth it.
Oasis water is good for the respiratory tract, is antiviral, improves circulation, is anti-inflammatory, and boosts the immune system. During the bath, the body takes in about 1L of mineral salts.
The facility that houses the thermal pools is new and noticeable. There is a bar and an indoor relaxation area where you can lie down after bathing. You will need it.
This water is wealthy and has a significant impact on the body. I recommend you get out of the water and rest every 10 minutes.
The changing rooms are comfortable and lead into a hallway directly to the pool area.
Sunbeds and umbrellas are charged but not mandatory. You can rent them for a few euros.
The entrance fee is a bit expensive compared to the spa’s services, although the environment is very nice and cozy.
Weekday admission costs €25 (but the ticket has been on promotion for €18 practically forever).
On Saturday evenings, the spa pool is open until midnight. Evening admission costs €20, €45 if you want to have dinner.
Children under 12 are not allowed in the pool.
3. Terme di Orte
The Orte hot springs had the merit of letting me enjoy the thermal water even in the middle of summer.
The town of Orte, one of the most secret places in the Tuscia region in northern Lazio, might look like a boring destination in summer.
But this is not the case, especially if you are eager to take a nice rejuvenating bath.
The Terme di Orte spa center is in a green valley outside town. It is a relaxing oasis where you can get a tan lying on the grass between baths.
There is also the option of renting a sunbed and umbrella, but the shade of large trees will do the trick.
Spa enthusiasts spend the whole day here. Terme di Orte is the only spa with cool thermal water, perfect for bathing in the warmer months.
There is room for everyone in the monumental pool. Finding a water jet to massage your neck and back will also be easy among the many available. If traveling with children, be aware that a shallower pool is reserved for the little ones.
Those are some of the features making Terme di Orte the best terme near Rome in summer.
There are also large lawns for walking, a kiosk to buy drinks and snacks, and a restaurant.
Prices: €12 for the whole day on weekdays. €17 on holidays.
€10 for the afternoon only on weekdays. €14 for afternoon admission on holidays and pre-holidays.
The most convenient way to get here is to use your car. Terme di Orte Spa offers ample parking.
Also, bring your packed lunch because there are many gazebos and tables in the shade that you can use freely.
4. Carletti Pools
The Carletti Pools is a set of 3 pools of different sizes and connected to each other, outdoors, and with free access.
Locals love these pools that are available to everyone, and they come here day and night.
There is a large free parking lot near the pools.
In the larger pool the temperature is about 36°, while in the smaller ones it varies and can reach as high as 39°, a real treat.
If you come here, plan to meet other people. Some people come here alone, but they are usually groups who like to relax and chat.
There are no changing rooms but there are chemical toilets that you can use if needed.
5. Tivoli Thermal Baths – Acque Albule
Ancient Romans were fond of the town of Tivoli for three main reasons:
- the presence of travertine marble quarries, useful (even nowadays) for their monuments
- the exceptional views from the historic center set on a hilltop
- Last but not least: hot springs.
The Acque Albule or Terme di Roma is one of Italy’s most renowned thermal spas. It offers many beauty treatments and features a spa hotel with direct access to thermal baths.
The pools are set in a huge park with palm trees, a lounge, and a restaurant-café. There are pools reserved for children.
The water temperature is about 23°, making it perfect to bathe in the warm months.
How to get to the Tivoli thermal baths from Rome
- (easiest way) Take a train from Roma Tiburtina to Bagni di Tivoli. There are two routes per hour, a ticket costs €2.10, and the train station is only 150 mt away from the pools.
- Take a bus Cotral from Metro Station Ponte Mammolo. There’s a bus every 15 minutes, and it stops in front of the entrance to the thermal center.
6. Ficoncella Thermal Baths
Here are other natural thermal pools you can access at a meager price. The Ficoncella Spa in Civitavecchia is named for the fig tree standing between the pools.
The baths are what remains of the Roman town of Ficoncella, which stands on a limestone rise.
The low price also means the baths are very popular, especially in the evenings and on weekends.
I would advise against coming here if you can’t stand sharing a bath with others who will surely talk animatedly and cheerfully among themselves, as is typical of Italian culture.
The water is hot, perfect for the winter months.
7. Terme di Stigliano
Stigliano Thermal Spa Park is about 70 km northwest of Rome and Fiumicino Airport. On the other hand, the Port of Civitavecchia is less than 40 km away, making this a relaxing day trip from Civitavecchia.
Terme di Stigliano spas are open from March to November. However, I do not recommend visiting them in the summer. All around the spa are woods where cows and calves graze freely. The scenery is lovely but horseflies love the smell of the spa water and are ready to sting you when you come out of the water, which has happened to me several times. So green light for bathing in this beautiful spa in spring and fall.
Here you can access only by staying overnight in the adjacent 4-star Grand Hotel Terme di Stigliano. The hotel’s wellness center offers packages that include Finnish saunas and Turkish bath, massages, and thermal mud packs. Some packages combine with lunch or aperitif at the Ninfeo, the hotel’s restaurant.
A unique feature is the presence of the dog spa, where you can pamper your dogs as they deserve. A spa tub is reserved for dogs, and a large park area where you can let them run free, and showering with high-quality products.
How to get here
I recommend getting here by private car. Or take a train to Manziana-Canale Monterano and then a Cotral Bus to Stigliano.
The cost to enter for non-residents is €3 for half a day (morning or afternoon) and €5 for the full day.
8. The Saturnia hot springs
Here, at last, is the time to talk about one of Italy’s natural wonders: Saturnia’s natural thermal pools. You may have already heard another name for hot springs in Saturnia: Saturnia Falls or Mulino Falls.
The picinas are formed by the flow of a thermal river that fills limestone pools, transforming them into thermal pools.
The pools are many and small, one attached to the other.
That’s one reason I don’t like coming here to relax. It’s not relaxing for someone to thunderously enter your chosen pool and dive into the next one. And it happens punctually because these open-access thermal pools are very, very popular.
Also, there is no place to leave your belongings. I do not recommend leaving them in the car because thefts from vehicles are, unfortunately, widespread.
Near the pools, there is a bar with a 24-hour diner.
However, if you can’t help but come here, I recommend you prepare well to visit the Saturnia hot springs.
The water temperature of the pools is about 30°; some people bathe here in all seasons. I found this water a little too cold in early spring (obviously for my taste!), but I always came in the evening, after sunset. I hoped to find fewer people, but that was not the case.
These are not the only natural thermal pools, and now I will reveal more.
9. Bagni San Filippo hot springs
Bagni San Filippo is a village in southern Tuscany, halfway between Mount Amiata and Val D’Orcia. The place has been popular since ancient times for the presence of hot springs. Over the centuries, thermal water flowing downhill has eroded a limestone wall, giving shape to a fairytale landscape.
Some natural thermal pools are in the forest, just a stone’s throw from the village.
The most beautiful is the one with the name “White Whale.” This pool has a limestone rock wall behind it with a shape resembling the mouth of a whale. Going up the rock (be careful), you find other small pools and a natural thermal shower just “inside the whale’s mouth.”
The environment is wild, so bringing a waterproof bag to keep your clothes while bathing is best. Rock shoes are helpful, too.
MIND: This place is unsuitable for little kids, who could easily slip and injure themselves.
Best time to visit Bagni San Filippo
These hot springs near Rome in Tuscany are pretty busy on weekends, so to have more privacy, visit them on a weekday. In some of the pools, the water is at about 38°, while others are milder, at about 30°.
10. Terme di Fiuggi
Ciociaria is a ‘hilly area extending southeast of Rome on the route from Rome to Frosinone. Fiuggi, a quiet town in Lazio, rises among lush hills here.
Fiuggi has become famous throughout Europe for the properties of its thermal waters, which have been used since ancient times.
From the “Bonifacio 8th” and “Anticolana” hot springs in Fiuggi flows a 12° mineral-poor water, recognized by the National Health System as an adjuvant in treating kidney stones.
Treatments typically last 15 days, during which people drink the thermal water and relax in the unspoiled nature surrounding the hot springs.
There are several hotels in Fiuggi with spas and pools, such as the famous Ambasciatori Place Hotel. This Hotel has gained a great reputation thanks to the Tangerine Spa, which stands out in Fiuggi’s wellness scene.
This spa, which you can access from €29/day, features heated indoor and outdoor pools. The wellness path uses water jets and whirlpools in all declinations wrapped in aromatherapy fragrances.
Worth seeing in Fiuggi is the scenic entrance to the thermal park where the springs’ are located, featuring art nouveau style.
The historic center of Fiuggi stands upstream from the hot springs on the slopes of a hill.
In addition to the many churches from different periods, the town’s attractions are the street murals that have appeared in recent years, infusing new life into the old alleys and houses.
11. Terme di Chianciano thermal baths
In the southwestern part of Tuscany, you’ll find one of Italy’s most famous spas.
The Chianciano Thermal Baths rise in a countryside area halfway between the charming villages of Cetona and Montepulciano, a few kilometers away from the border with Umbria.
The healing water of the “Sillene” hot spring flows in the heart of the large park surrounding the facility.
There are seven thermal pools, indoor and outdoor, all interconnected. One pool is reserved for children.
The price of admission to the pools varies according to your package, from €21 for the 4-hour admission to €44 for the daily admission to €60 for the evening access with dinner.
The water temperature is around 33-36 degrees. At the Terme di Chianciano Sensory Spa, you can enjoy many relaxing and rejuvenating treatments using thermal water and combining Oriental massage and naturopathy.
The “Complete Thermal Spring” treatment, €60, consists of body scrub with honey and nuts, application of thermal mud, thermal hydro-massage, and hydrating massage.
For €25, one can enter the sensory spa restaurant in a bathrobe and enjoy a buffet prepared by chefs combining traditional Tuscan cuisine (including vegetarian and vegan) and naturopathy.
This spa offers many wellness packages for all tastes and wallets and couples, families, and independent visitors.
It is well worth driving the 100 miles to one of the best thermal baths near Rome in Tuscany.
Thermal water here isn’t too hot, so visiting during late spring or autumn is better
The ultimate enjoyment would also be to spend at least one night at the Grand Hotel Terme di Chianciano.
12. Bagno Vignoni
If you feel like taking a two-day trip from Rome to Tuscany and are fond of natural thermal baths, the Val D’Orcia area can provide great satisfaction.
In the village of Bagno Vignoni, there is a hot spring that fills the large pool in the central square of the village at about 49°. This unique setting is a natural monument where you cannot soak.
The spring feeds the thermal pool at Albergo Le Terme Hotel, where the temperature of the pools is 38°, perfect for the winter season. You can do this by purchasing a daily admission for €38, there is also the possibility of purchasing an evening admission also for €38.
Wrap-up | Best Hot Springs and Thermal Baths near Rome Italy
This post should have convinced you to stop looking (futilely) for natural thermal spas in Rome, because they are all located outside the city.
Even if you only have a few days to spare, you can visit at least one. The best time to soak in the hot thermal pools is winter. If I were you, I would start with the thermal pools in Viterbo, which hardly disappoint.
If you are the kind of person who likes thermal pools in the middle of the wilderness, then you will discover the best hot springs in Italy near Rome, namely the Saturnia hot springs. But be aware that Tuscany’s lesser-known Bagni San Filippo hot springs also deserve attention.
I recommend visiting any terme near Rome on weekdays to save on the entrance fee. You will also find less crowded and therefore more relaxing pools.
Whichever place you decide to visit, prepare well and, above all, be sure that the spa you want to go to is open.
How to reap full benefits from a bath at the hot springs near Rome
Here are some tips for enjoying thermal baths and hot springs in Italy to the fullest.
- Always listen to how your body is feeling: keep your towel and slippers nearby the pool so that you can get out quickly if you feel sick. Ideally, you should have a break every 15-20 minutes from the hottest pools.
- If you feel like fainting, exit the water, lie down, and raise your legs.
- Avoid bathing under the direct sun if the day is warm! Choose to have an evening/night bath instead, as some of the places I’ve listed allow night entry.
- Bring one or two bottles of water at room temperature with you to the pools.
- If you visit during late July, August, or September, be careful, because then is not the best season to take a thermal bath.
- This is your chance to find out the real reason why Italians are “hot”: it’s because of these priceless natural hot springs that influence our mood and life.
