The Beauty of Maremma, including free outdoor hot springs in Tuscany
The thermal waters, or hot springs, at Saturnia are an enchanting and enticing stop while exploring southern Tuscany and the Maremma area in southern Tuscany. You can take advantage of outdoor, and thus free, hot water springs called "Cascate di Mulino", located less than 6 km outside of the town of Saturnia and a few km from the Terme di Saturnia Resort.
First Stop: The Town
Before you enjoy the hot springs, you may want to stop and take some time to explore Saturnia, the small town in southern Maremma that stands on top of a hill overlooking the famous thermal springs. This buzzing little hamlet is situated close to an Etruscan necropolis along the Roman road "Clodia", located in between the Aurelia and Cassia roads.
Its origins are extremely ancient: a Greek historian from 60BC tells how this area was inhabited by pre-classical populations from Greece! Later came the Etruscans followed by the Romans, as proven by the beautiful Porta Romana, Roman Gates, dating back to the 2nd century B.C.
The town became a hideout for outlaws in the 1300's and, for that, burned to the ground where it remained largely forgotten until the thermal waters came back into vogue. It was a possession of the city of Siena until the 16th century, when it became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Remains of these ancient cultures can be seen at Bagno Santo, the Holy Bath, an antediluvian holy place a few kilometers from the center, and by the medieval walls surrounding the small hamlet which were built by the Aldobrandeschi family. In Saturnia, you can visit the splendid artistic masterpieces at the medieval Church of Santa Maria Maddalena which was restyled in the early 1900's. Later, head on to the Archeological Museum and admire the Aldobrandeschi Fortress (not open to public).
Don't forget to include a walk through Piazza Vittorio Veneto where you will find more Roman artifacts to exam!
Next to the fountain and in front of Via Ciacci, the two main Roman roads: ‘Il Cardo' and ‘Il decumanu massimi' once crossed. In front of the restaurant "I due cippi” are Roman baths not fed by sulphurous waters. The floor of this structure was a mosaic in black and white tiles where you can still make out part of a fish and a seahorse.
Second stop: Relax at the Hot Springs
The famous thermal springs are a must in the area
Saturnia's thermal baths are the bubbling hot spring waters seeping through the Earth's crust in an area that stretches from Mount Amiata to the hills of Albenga and Fiora, to end up near Roselle and Talamone. The waters are rich in mineral deposits, especially sulphur, which gives it a slightly "eggy" smell.
The composition of the deposits, from the scientific point of view, are of "a sulphurous-carbonic, sulphate-bicarbonate-alkaline mineral water, and includes among its peculiarities the presence of two dissolved gases such as hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide". The thermal waters have a temperature of 37.5 °C and therapeutic and relaxing properties.
The warm sulphurous waters of Saturnia were well-known by first the Etruscans and later the Romans. In fact, they believed them to be a gift from the Gods, and made good use of the waters and its healing powers. Though with the passing of the years, local superstitions changed, and they started bathing in them less and less.
Medieval legend was that the springs were born in the exact point where Jupiter's thunderbolt fell in a battle against Saturn; the scars left by the thunderbolt were Portals to Hell, that's why there is steam and smelly water gushing out.
With time, the lure of the waters beckoned locals back, and with time, constructed a well-maintained resort over some of the springs to use them indoors for wellness treatment. In addition to the luxurious, exclusive wellness and spa centers in Saturnia (in the photograph below), there are two free, outdoor waterfalls, the Cascate del Mulino (pictured above and most famous of the two) and the Cascate del Gorello.
The Cascate del Mulino (also in the photograph below) are probably the most famous natural springs in Tuscany. The waterfalls are made of several natural pools of warm thermal water, as well as a relaxing waterfall. They are open to the public and free throughout the entire year.
Saturnia and its thermal hot springs are a gem within the treasures that the Maremma and Tuscany offers. This area remains one of the most natural, where history and nature melds perfectly, making it also the area in Tuscany perfect for your holiday in Italy!
How to Prepare For Your Visit
If you are planning on including these hot springs into your itinerary, there are a few things you really must know:
⇒ There are no public changing rooms, so you may want to come dressed in your bathing suit. Most people come prepared with large towels to make it easier to change into dry clothes after they are finished lounging in the warm waters.
⇒ The hot springs are smelly, so plan on heading back to your accommodation for showering after! That is also the reason why we recommend visiting Saturnia before the hot springs, you really won't want to walk around anywhere wet and smelly.
⇒ Parking is free but limited. There is a lot practically wight by the waterfalls, and happily enough, it is behind the waterwall so not an eyesore as you sit and enjoy the hot springs. There is a second parking lot not too far off in a large field, it is a short walk and well indicated. During high-season, it can be really hard to find a spot in either of these two lots, so don't park along the road without taking notice of all signs: it is very easy to get a parking ticket! Pay attention to where you park.
⇒ The area is unattended by any type of authority which means no lifeguards. If you have kids, make sure you keep a lookout for them, even if the waters are not deep, the rocks can be slippery. There is a "bar" on site with limited bathroom use and typical food stand snacks and food. Everyone is responsible for their own clean-up.
⇒ Footwear: The area around the falls and the pools is surrounded by gravel and sand: it is very hard on unprotected feet. My suggestion would be to arrive with water shoes or flip flops or sneakers you don't mind getting wet.
⇒ Bring a towel and suntan lotion. Don't get fooled into thinking that the waters will protect you from an overdose of sun. There is no shade over the water and, during the summer months, it is easy to get ruby red sunburnt.
⇒ Better yet, come prepared with your own drinks and snacks, since the on-site bar can provide some of the basics, but it really isn't the best representation of delicious Tuscan food.
⇒ Though many places will tell you that these waters are a well kept secret, they really aren't! Many people come to enjoy the waters - so they are very busy. It is fun to find a pool where you can stand under the therapeutic waters that flow down from the source, but if you are looking for a little more privacy, you should follow the water as it leaves the main pools and find more quiet areas.
How to get to Saturnia
By Car
Without a doubt, by car is the best way to get to the thermal waters, especially if you want to incorporate visiting other areas of Maremma, including Montecucco and some other fantastic Maremma sites into your itinerary. You can rely on your GPS or navigation system to take you to the falls, simply insert: Cascate del Mulino, Via della Follonata, 58014 Saturnia, Manciano Grosseto
Coming from the north of Italy, take the A1 and exit at Florence Certosa. Follow the "Florence-Siena" road south towards Siena, continuing along toward Grosseto, then to Scansano, Montemerano until you reach Manciano and Saturnia.
If you're coming from south of Tuscany, take the A12 and exit at Civitavecchia, then get on the "S.S. Aurelia" until you pass Montalto di Castro, then turn toward Vulci until you reach Manciano and Saturnia.
Distances - from Rome: 180 km; from Florence: 200 km; from Orvieto: 75 km.
By Train + Bus
Like many places in southern Tuscany, there is public transport but it is not always very convenient to use. It is not impossible, but not convenient.
The closest train station is Albinia but not all trains stop there so make sure to check ahead of time the train schedules (www.trenitalia.com). The next closest is the station at Orbetello. From either Albinia or Orbettelo, there is a bus to Manciano and from there you need to catch another bus to Saturnia.
These are the bus schedules from Orbetello and Albinia to Manciano: bus line 11/P now run by AT bus.
From Manciano, you'll find connecting buses that take you to Saturnia, about 4-5 each day, so plan very well on getting there as well as back! Here's the schedule: bus line 17/P (you can download a pdf that has schedules to and from Saturnia).
ENJOY your time at the Saturnia hot springs and visiting Maremma, let us know how everythign goes in the comments below!
