The Waterfall That Will Heal All Ails
Bathing like an Etruscan in the heart of Tuscany
There are so many hidden jewels in Italy that it is always worth trailing off the main road. The drive from Rome to Val d’Orcia in Tuscany is one of the most scenic routes you could ever wish for. From the colourful hills, to the majestic cypresses, to the deep blue sky, Tuscany never disappoints. One step in Val D’Orcia is a step in the canvas of some Renaissance painter. It would almost seem unnecessairy to take a turn to the right towards the tiny waterfall that will heal all your ails. Surely, it would be asking for too much.
And yet, nested inside the greenery of Val d’Orcia are the Hot Springs of Bagni San Filippo, a warm water stream bouncing off white concretions of calcium carbonate that create tiny waterfalls for the mind and for the body. This location was already widely known to the Ancient Romans and to the Etruscans before them who used it for its curative properties.
Ancient Romans famously visited hot springs on a regular basis as a place for hygiene, relaxation and business conversations. On many of these sites, they built entire structures to make the experience more complete, often prescribing a clear path from cold to hot water. Etruscans, from their part, revealed these natural pools as sacred spaces, where the divine manifestation of nature could be eaily felt. Both of these populations soon realised the benefits of thermal water to treat several trying conditions, from rheumatism to arthritis, all the way to respiratory difficulties.
This area of Tuscany is quite rich in hot springs, but Bagni San Filippo has the particularity of being free and easily accessible from the main road. You just need to park your car and take a short walk down the path to take a restorative break in your busy schedule. The temperature of the water always stable around 48°C or 118°F makes it for a perfect experience in every season. So, a dip in the tiny pools is a good idea even in the winter.
The colour of the water changes all year around picking elements and shades from the surrounding environment, rain, foliage, residues and so on. We went in autumn and the water retained a bright light blue colour. At the bottom of the pools, you can also find organic thermal mud for an on-the go facial or body treatment. When you leave, you may take with you a slight hint of sulfur, but that’s a small price to pay for free relaxation.
If you end up going, it might be worth doing a little prep work and carry a bathing suit, flip flops and towels to make the experience easier and more enjoyable. Then, just crouch in the pool and let the water from the fall bounce off your back while admiring the surrounding Tuscan lanscape.
This story is a late entry for the Globetrotter’s March monthly challenge on Waterfalls. This prompt really produced asonishing pictures from all around the world. I loved learning about waterfalls across all continents and admiring their majestic tall falls or multiple sequential tiny jumps.
I especially enjoyed the below stories:
Rhonda Carrier took a different spin and showed us the tallest indoor fall in Singapore, a marvel of engineering and internal design.
And Melissa Rock who had so much to show us along Lake Superior, an area of the US that is on top of my US travel bucket list!
Thanks Globetrotters for this writing prompt and really looking forward to next month :))
