When one is planning a vacation during the winter months, there are really two ways that you can choose to go: embrace the cold by planning a ski break or try and fight the cold by going to a warm destination or a place where you can get warm readily. In the latter case, the naturally-occurring thermal springs located all around Italy mean that even if temperatures outside are not that high, the soothing, therapeutic, relaxing mineral-rich waters in these hot springs are sure to warm you up, right down to your bones!
So, if you're someone who is always trying to fight the cold and you are looking to enjoy a relaxing spa getaway this winter, we highly recommend heading to one of these destinations. Plus, if you want to combine a bit of both ways of coping with the cold – embracing it and enjoying winter activities and soaking in thermal waters to warm up afterwards – many of the same towns where thermal springs are found also have ski facilities themselves or ski resorts located close by. Here are our picks for the top thermal spa destinations to discover on vacation in Italy this winter...
Bormio, Lombardy
Located in Lombardy, in the Italian Alps, the charming resort town of Bormio is exactly the kind of place where you can combine ski break and spa getaway. Boasting some excellent slopes, great local cuisine, and a pretty town, there are already plenty of reasons to visit but Bormio Terme's thermal springs have also ensured that it has been an enduringly popular spa town for centuries. Mentioned for its therapeutic waters by the ancient Romans, the town today offers a wide array of spa, relaxation, and therapeutic services, amenities, and treatments from balneotherapy to physiotherapy, Turkish baths and saunas to swimming pools and water slides, facials and massages to mud therapies. Bormio's gorgeous old spa located on Via Stelvio, just a few minutes from the pretty historic centre of town on foot, looks remarkably like Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel and is relatively inexpensive to visit but there are also plenty of other options for spa days in the area. Warm up post-ski in the waters coming from the Cinglaccia spring at temperatures between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius or simply spend a holiday in Bormio relaxing at the spa!
Ischia, Campania
Heading almost as far away to the south of Italy as is possible and away from the slopes, however, is another key spa destination in Campania. Ischia, an island located off the coast of Naples, has also been a well-known spot for its relaxing and therapeutic thermal waters since the time of the ancient Romans. It is a stunning destination, that is lush and made up of dramatic volcanic rock formations and impossibly blue seas. These cinematic looks have not only attracted movie stars to the resort throughout the decades but are also captured on film famously in Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr Ripley and Cleopatra, starring the iconic Elizabeth Taylor who was, herself, a fan of the vacation spot. With 70 different spas on the island making use of both the natural volcanic springs and the volcanic clay for various treatments for relaxing and therapeutic effects, you are truly spoiled for choice. Plus, the weather here will also be generally milder in the winter months. So, if you want to relax and avoid the serious cold, this gem of a spa destination is a must-see while you are staying in one of our villas in Campania this winter.
Viterbo, Latium
Another town made famous by its thermal springs, Viterbo even gets a mention in Italy's most famous and impossibly influential work of literature, Dante's Commedia. Aside from this iconic name-check by Italy's answer to Shakespeare, the town is highly recommended by its beautiful and well-preserved historic centre that is steeped in history and the endless natural hot springs located in and around the area in which visitors can steep themselves! Pay for more elaborate treatments at a spa or simply go for a dip in one of these springs and soak in the waters – which stay at a toasty 55 degrees Celsius year round – while exploring this charming town for the day. Just find a holiday rental in Latium and pay a visit to this remarkable place.
Endless Choice In Tuscany!
Tuscany as a region, meanwhile, is truly full of incredible spa towns with thermal springs. From grand historical spa buildings, to ultra-modern complexes with an endless list of treatment options, to regularly-photographed cascades of waters, to unassuming little springs that can be visited for a soak in peace and quiet and natural surroundings, there are all sorts of experiences on offer for those who book a vacation rental in Tuscany and come to experience her thermal springs. The most well-known examples include the aforementioned photogenic cascades of Saturnia, the elegant historic spa of Montecatini Terme, and the free ancient bath complex of San Casciano dei Bagni but there are countless others all across the region. Check out this guide to visiting the thermal springs of Tuscany that we wrote last year on our sister site, Tuscany Villas for even more information. Furthermore, this is another option for those who want to ski and then soak as the Apuan Alps and some of the region's most beloved spa destinations are located a convenient distance from each other.
