Terme di Saturnia

The most famous thermal springs in Tuscany are about 55 km south-east of Grosseto, near the village of Saturnia. Sulphurous water at a constant 37.5°C pours from a volcanic source and flows down a limestone slope, forming a series of natural travertine pools — the Cascate del Mulino — where you can soak for free at any hour of the day or night.

The pools have become popular in recent years and can be crowded at weekends and in summer. Early mornings and weekdays are quieter. The paid spa complex nearby (Terme di Saturnia SpA) offers more formal bathing, treatments, and a golf course, but the free cascades are what most people come for.

things to do sight swimming
A story
The hot springs at Saturnia have been in use since at least Roman times — the legions bathed here, and Roman-era pipes and channels have been found in the area. The water comes from a volcanic source at 37.5°C and flows at 500 litres per second, carving a series of cascading natural pools in the limestone rock. The pools are free to use and never close, which means you can bathe under a full moon in January if the mood takes you.