If there’s one thing that can get me off the wine trail, it’s ancient, hot sulpher springs. I love them, and you can find them all over Italy. On my way to vineyard visits, I stopped yesterday at the Lago del Sorgente (Lake of the Springs) Spa in the tiny town of Acqui Terme where water comes out of the ground at 165 degrees F. These springs have been written about since Roman times. You cannot swim in this central pool (photo above–note the natural formations where springs bubble up) but it feeds the two swimming pools inside (below).
Both are large and indoors with water at 93-95 degrees F. The modern facility, which opened in 2010, also offers a Finnish sauna, a unique turkish bath (completely natural with vapors from the spring), and a meditation/resting room with waterfall. This smaller outdoor pool is an actual spring with water bubbling up from the earth at 104 degrees. The real thing. My favorite.
There is also a bar/cafe resting area on this outdoor deck…
And the possibility of spa treatments or massage.
This new facility takes the place of the once grand and enormous facility on this poster.
To go, check opening times, prices and make a reservation before arriving. A limited number of people is allowed in. (Spa Website)
