Hot, cold, alive
The thermal waters in Campania have always been considered as "nēpenthés pharmakon", or rather "medication against pain and suffering". Their myth and fame continue, even today, to attract millions of tourists from all over the world.
They flow copiously ...
"They flow copiously and without any order in many places; here cold, there hot, there mixed... elsewhere warm and cool. By giving hope for remedies against infirmities and springing only for the benefit of men among all living beings, they increase the number of divinities with various denominations and give rise to cities like Pozzuoli.”
These are the words with which Pliny the Elder described the massive presence of thermal and therapeutic waters in Campania in his “Naturalis Historiae”. Considered actual manifestations of the favour of the divinities, these springs were a very strong incentive for the settlement of the Greeks in the area, and this practice then obviously passed on to the Romans, who were able to give the entire area of the Campi Flegrei the reputation of a place in which to cure all types of illnesses.
A reputation that continues today throughout Campania, which from the Gulf of Naples to the Amalfi Coast, from Cilento to Irpinia, has become a world reference point for those who want to experience the benefits of hydrotherapy and for those who simply wish to relax the body and mind.
From the first Greek settlements to today
The therapeutic use of thermal waters has been attested in Campania since the era of the earliest Greek settlements, but it was then the Romans who systematised its exploitation to the point of making it a real cult linked to sociability and to physical and mental well-being.
This explains both their diffusion and the care with which they were built. The engineering and hydraulic evolution of the imperial age allowed them to develop heating for the water tanks and the construction of underground hotbeds that emitted steam and hot air from the so-called hypocausts, or rather spaces below the suspended flooring of the relative rooms to be heated.
Visiting a spa is therefore in part equivalent to a journey into the past, when indulging in otium (leisure) was an integral part of the life of the wealthiest classes. In Campania, for example, the tradition of thermal baths is still very strong, and its spas are renowned all over the world.
The island of Ischia, for example, boasts one of the oldest and most effective hydrothermal heritage in the world. Sorgeto baths are among the most popular free spas on the island and offer a perfect combination of thermal and sea water. The Fumarole hot springs are perfect for sand bathing thanks to their very high temperatures.
The Telese hydrothermal complex, in the province of Benevento, is instead located within a large park at the foot of Mount Pugliano. The sulphur-rich waters of the area improve various diseases of an inhalation, gynaecological and dermatological nature. The treatment units are located in Piazza Minieri, in a park of secular trees, with two pools of spring thermal water (Goccioloni and Pera). The Grand Hotel Telese also forms part of the tourist complex.
Located not far from Lake Averno, in an area rich in extraordinary archaeological elements, we find the Terme di Pozzuoli, once called Terme di Baia, which were among the favourite meeting places of the Roman aristocracy. Thanks to their toning and anti-inflammatory properties, the salty-bromine-iodine waters that flow from these springs are particularly suitable for treating osteoarthritis, acne, rheumatism and respiratory diseases. Their temperature is around 74°C in the main pools, and between 38 and 58 degrees in the secondary lakes.
Contursi, in the province of Salerno, also boasts important springs, which are divided into thermal and cold water, with the hottest reaching 48° C. The waters in these springs have the highest concentration of carbon dioxide in Europe, which translates into extreme effectiveness against vascular pathologies.
Not far from Naples, we find the Terme di Agnano (Agnano Thermal Baths), which are surrounded by important archaeological remains, including those of the first facility built by Emperor Hadrian between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The pride of the modern facility, which is especially suitable for eliminating toxins, is the so-called "Stufe di San Germano", saunas with natural dry heat, named after the bishop of Capua who went to the Agnano baths in the 17th century to get rid of annoying arthritis.
The ancient thermal baths of San Teodoro, located in the municipality of Villamaina, in the province of Avellino, are among the most well known in Campania. Their waters, rich in carbon dioxide, are perfect for treating dermatological, vascular, rheumatic and respiratory conditions.
Dermo-cosmetics and respiratory care are the specialities of the Terme di Castellammare di Stabia, the jewel in the crown in the Gulf of Naples. Its 28 mineral sources are perfect for clinical and aesthetic treatments.
