The Power of water in the Spas of Valdichiana Senese

CHIANCIANO TERME, MONTEPULCIANO E FONTEVERDE

That’s a matter of fact. Every time you hear the word “spa”, your first thought is a hot tub, which you dives in. However, beyond every hot spring, there is much more than an experience of immersion just for relaxation. We are well aware that the water that envelops us at a spa so warmly is not the same that we use every day to take a shower, and the difference is felt, seen, touched. Already two thousand years ago, the Etruscans and Romans enjoyed the benefits of the waters that flowed over the territory of the Valdichiana, each one with specific virtues.

One of the most famous visitors to the spas was the emperor Augustus, at the suggestion of his personal physician Antonius Musa, who advised him to bathe himself periodically in those “miraculous” waters. Divine intervention? Magic? These were probably the explanations that the ancient peoples of Etruria gave to the beneficial power of the thermal waters. Today, the power of each of these precious waters is perfectly clarified by science, which has demonstrated its therapeutic properties.

However, what are the beneficial and healthy properties of the thermal waters of the Valdichiana Senese? What is the power of the springs that, for thousands of years, have flown naturally and unceasingly on this territory? In this article, you will find all the information and suggestions necessary for choosing the most suitable one for you. Anyway, let’s go step by step, looking first at the most characteristic side of a spa today: that of wellness and relaxation. Here is a bit of useful information to know, choose and enjoy the spas of Valdichiana Senese.

The destinations that in Valdichiana Senese include hot springs among their natural resources are: Chianciano Terme, Montepulciano, and San Casciano dei Bagni.

If you travel the region from north to south, first you meet Montepulciano, with the center of the Terme di Montepulciano, whose sulfurous salt-bromoiodic waters rich in carbon dioxide flow directly from the subsoil of the spa. Here you can have relaxing experiences, such as diving in the hot tub with saline water inside the romantic Grotta Lunare [Moonlight Cave], or wellness treatments based on thermal water or Vino Nobile, including holistic massages and mud baths. To enjoy these moments of relaxation, you need to book at +39 0578 7911, specifying the treatment requested. On the website www.termedimontepulciano.it, you can view an extensive menu of wellness pampering, with specific offers also for a couple. You can view the opening hours of the wellness center here.
Continuing to the south, you find Chianciano Terme: a spa town par excellence, with its four thermal springs that flow naturally in different areas of the town, located inside green parks. At the Sensory Spa of “Parco Acqua Santa”, you can experience 20 wellness experiences, choosing among 5 different paths: purifying, energizing, rebalancing, relaxing, and tasting. Each room has a sensory and relaxing experience, such as a hot tub with internal and external whirlpools, an energy pyramid, a melmarium, an ice crash, two saunas, a Turkish bath, emotional showers, aromatherapy, chromotherapy, music therapy, the Kneipp path, the room of inner silence, and a relaxation room where you can taste herbal teas. If you want to enjoy all this, we suggest you to book in advance your entry ticket; this avoids overcrowding, and allows you to fully enjoy all the services. You just have to call the booking office ( +39 0578 68501, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm every day), and specify the number of people and the preferred entry, to gain access to the treatments. The slots available are: from Monday to Friday, at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm; on Saturdays, at 9:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 6:00 pm; on Sundays, at 9:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. Thursday is the closing day. Each entry is valid for a duration of approximately 4 hours.In Chianciano Terme, at the thermal water spring “Sillene”, you will also find the Thermal Pools “Theia”, with four outdoor and three indoor pools, whose temperature is between 91,4 ° F and 96,8 ° F. The waters are rich in carbon dioxide, calcium carbonate, bicarbonate and sulfates, which determines its typical opacity, and performs an anti-inflammatory action on the musculoskeletal system, as well as on the skin. Thermal Pools “Theia” are the ideal place for a relaxing day with your family; in fact, they have ad-hocservices for your children, such as the shallow pool in a covered area, a playground area, a pool with colored balls, and two spa experiences for children aged six to twelve, such as “La Grotta Secca [The Dry Cave]” and “La Grotta Umida [The Moist Cave]”, with temperatures suitable for them and appealing steams. The restaurant-cafeteria inside the facility features pizza, healthy snacks, and quick meals, even typical Tuscan ones, without having to leave the spa. It is not necessary to book in advance to gain access to the Thermal Pools “Theia”; they are open every day (except on Tuesdays) from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Continuing your journey to the southern border of the Valdichiana Senese, you find San Casciano dei Bagni, with the Fonteverde Natural Spa: it is an exclusive spa in a panoramic position on the Val d’Orcia. The thermal water here springs from the surface at a natural temperature of 107,6 ° F, and is rich in precious minerals, whose anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties help the musculoskeletal system to get muscle tone and the nervous system to relax. In addition to enjoying the thermal water of the pools, the center offers the possibility to undertake the “Etruscan Route” with sauna, heat cave and Turkish bath, or the “Bioaquam Path”, with indoor and outdoor hydro-massage spa overlooking the Val d’Orcia . Your four-legged friends here are welcome; in fact, the center of Fonteverde has a pool entirely dedicated to them, where dogs can splash around freely.

Now that the peculiarities of each spa in Valdichiana Senese are clear enough, let’s focus on their most appealing side, revealing their deepest secret. In reality, more than a secret, it is a real power: the “miraculous” (so Etruscans and Romans would have said) power that each of these thermal waters releases every time you enjoy them for therapeutic purposes, as an alternative to traditional medicine. In fact, if inhaled or drunk, each of these thermal waters performs a beneficial natural action in the treatment of many diseases, with particular regard to the respiratory and digestive system. Inhalations are a valid support to treat and prevent disorders of the upper airways, while their glass-to-glass consumption contributes to a better functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. However, let’s see them more specifically.

First of all, the treatments with the thermal waters, although completely natural, and sometimes alternative to traditional medicine, are always therapies, and require a preventive advice from the family doctor, as well as, sometimes, a precise prescription before you undertake it. Each of the spa centers of the Valdichiana Senese features the treatment of different diseases related to the respiratory, intestinal, musculoskeletal system, and much more; here, we will try to define their main specializations.

> Terme di Montepulciano are especially recommended to take beneficial inhalations for the treatment of the problems of the nose, throat, and ears. In collaboration with the internal medical staff, cycles for the treatment of pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and tonsillitis can be provided as well. Particular attention is paid to the prevention and early treatment of childhood pathologies; in fact, the center has a specific child-friendly department for childhood spa treatments. The Terme di Montepulciano are also a point of reference for physiotherapy and post-operative rehabilitation, featuring cutting-edge treatments in this field.
> The Terme di Chianciano are renowned for the treatment of the liver and intestinal tract. Through cycles of hydroponic treatments, as well as by drinking thermal water, you can get important benefits. The springs of the “Acqua Santa” and “Acqua di Fucoli” are respectively located in the green of the homonymous parks of Chianciano. The “Acqua Santa”, which flows at a temperature of 91,4 ⁰ F, stimulates the metabolism, helps the elimination of the effects of prolonged pharmacological therapies, and is effective for the diseases of the liver and biliary system. You can undertake the treatment also at your home, by buying “Acqua Santa” in bottles, even online. “Acqua di Fucoli”, instead, flows at a temperature of 61.7 ⁰ F; it helps the intestinal regularity, performs an anti-inflammatory action on the intestine, and helps to prevent osteoporosis.
> Finally, at the Natural Spa of Fonteverde, the thermal water can be either drunk, in the form of a drink rich in calcium and electrolytes, both very important elements in the treatment of osteoporosis and in sports, and inhaled. Inhalations with this type of water help to decongest the primary respiratory tract, performing a sedative and anti-inflammatory action of the mucous membrane.

For local people, both adults and children, attending the spas for therapeutic or preventive purposes is common. In fact, spa treatments are a powerful natural medicine, often a sounding board for the beneficial effects of traditional medicine, and sometimes even a valid alternative.

Be it pleasure or necessity, attending the spas of the Valdichiana Senese has an additional advantage: that of being in one of the most beautiful and fascinating areas of Tuscany, where everything seems to be created as a function of wellness, not only of the body, but also of mind and spirit. Tastings of local products such as pici, Chianina meat IGP, or Pecorino cheese from Pienza, as well as of excellent wines such as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, country trails to go on foot, by bicycle or on horseback, and medieval villages rich in art and history perched on the hills, will make your stay in Valdichiana Senese an experience of health and wellness to be enjoyed at its very best.