Historical Spas in Emilia-Romagna

Spas, as you know, are places where you go to take care of yourself, to take a break from the daily routine, immersing yourself in moments of pure well-being.
But in Emilia Romagna there are some establishments that, in addition to this, also offer an experience of immersion in art and history: these are the Historical Baths, buildings that for their architecture and decorations, can tell (better than any history of art book), an artistic movement.

Here are 5 Spas of Emilia-Romagna housed in historic buildings.

Terme di Salsomaggiore

We’re in front of one of the most famous spas in Italy.
If the name of Salsomaggiore Terme, a town in the Parma hinterland, has been synonymous with thermal waters since Roman time, it’s by crossing the threshold of the fascinating Liberty-style building of the Terme Berzieri, dating back to 1923, that a real journey in art begins, thanks to Galileo Chini and his decorations realized according to the elegant stylistic features of Art Nouveau, mixing them with oriental influences.

Info: termedisalsomaggiore.it/terme-berzieri

Terme di Sant'Andrea

The Terme di Sant’Andrea are located in Medesano, half an hour’s drive from Parma, in the atmosphere of an elegant Liberty-style building surrounded by the rolling hills of Parma.

This establishment was born in the late nineteenth century thanks to the accidental discovery of local thermal water springs. Although the birth of these spas is therefore more recent than other spas known since ancient times, its waters have 7 different chemical-physical compositions, for as many therapeutic effects.

Terme di Sant’Andrea, Medesano (PR)

Info: medicalthermae.it

Terme della Salvarola

Immersed in the green hills of Modena, the Terme della Salvarola are located inside an elegant Liberty-style building dating back to 1910.
The benefits of its waters were already known in medieval times: it is said that even Matilde di Canossa went there to enjoy the therapeutic properties of these waters, even defined as “divine” by the Sassolese doctor Giambattista Moreali in the eighteenth century.

Info: termesalvarola.it

Terme di Riolo

The thermal bath in Riolo Terme, a small village located on the hills between Imola and Faenza, dates back to 1877 but the benefits of its waters have been known since the Renaissance period.
Even before the birth of the spa as we can admire it today, Riolo was a destination chosen for the healing power of its waters even by illustrious personalities such as Lord Byron, Gioacchino Murat, the Bonaparte princes, Pellegrino Artusi and Giosué Carducci.

Today the spa complex, with its elegant Liberty-style pavilions, is housed within a scenic centuries-old park and consists of two accommodation facilities: the Grand Hotel Terme and the Hotel Villa delle Fonti.

Riolo Terme (RA) | Ph. Luca Rontini

Info: termediriolo.it

Terme di Castrocaro

The village of Castrocaro Terme lies on the Forlì hills, not far from this city of Romagna.
The discovery of the benefic local thermal waters dates back to 1838 and immediately acquired a growing fame, so much so that in a few years, in 1844, a first small thermal establishment was built.

In the early years of the twentieth century new springs were discovered and the establishment was expanded, which led to the inauguration of the “Stabilimento Termale Demaniale” (State Spa) in 1938.
The complex of Castrocaro – and in particular the Grand Hotel Terme di Castrocaro – was built in the typical Rationalist style of the period, characterized by essential lines and functionality of the spaces.
In addition to the Grand Hotel, which is the main spa, the complex also includes two other pavilions, including the Padiglione delle Feste, a Liberty-style masterpiece.