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  Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi in primavera| Ph. Fabrizio Giardi via Shutterstock

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  Santa Sofia (FC), Cascata dello Zerbale | Ph. Nicola Andrucci via pagina Facebook Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi

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  Parco Nazionale dell Foreste Casentinesi | Ph. Riccardo Raimondi

Situated between the provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Arezzo and Florence, the Casentinesi Forests, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park has always been an unspoilt and almost mystical place, which over the centuries has inspired both artists and saints, from Dante to Saint Francis. In 2017 the Sasso Fratino Nature Reserve and the park’s century-old beech woods were included in Unesco’s World Heritage list.

Whether on foot, by mountain bike or along one of its trails, here are 6 ideas to explore the park.

The Hotel delle Terme Santa Agnese uses a thermal spring that was already known in Roman times, which the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopold II, made ‘public and accessible’.

Inside the spa centre, you can experience the benefits of the waters in natural caves and thermal pools equipped with hydromassage and balneotherapy, or by taking advantage of the vascular treatments. There are also many treatments available to try after returning from a hike, such as energising and anti-stress massages. The facility is open seasonally.

Bagno di Romagna (FC), Ròseo Euroterme Wellness Resort | Ph. euroterme.com

To help you appreciate its hyper-thermal water (natural temperature at the source above 45°C), the Ròseo Euroterme Wellness Resort boasts an indoor and outdoor swimming pool with waterfalls, as well as a new wellness centre where you can experience the beneficial properties of its waters.

At the end of an excursion, there is nothing better than enjoying a little R&R with a massage to ease muscle tension. You should also plan an evening dip in the pool for a perfect moment of relaxation after a tiring day.

Located between the territories of Parma and Piacenza, this park was created from the union of two elements: the river habitat of the Stirone and the geological area of the Piacenzano. This translates into extreme naturalistic variety, ranging from the riverbed to the agricultural landscape, from the first Apennine hills to badlands.

A legacy of the times when the entire Po Valley was submerged by the sea, the park is rich in fossil finds, especially marine molluscs and gastropods dating back to the Upper Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene periods. It is a place to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, observing the fossil outcrops or treating yourself to a picnic of local products, but also embarking on a challenging hike.

The municipalities located within the park include Salsomaggiore Terme and its hamlet Tabiano Terme.

The Tabiano Thermal Baths, also known as the ‘breathing baths’, are recognised as among the best in Europe thanks to their sulphurous waters.

The T-SPATIUM Spa offers exclusive treatments based on thermal water and mud, as well as numerous spa programmes. The opening hours of the Thermal Baths and Wellness Centre vary depending on the time of year.

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  Parco Delta del Po, Valli di Comacchio | Ph. francesco de marco via shutterstock

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  Comacchio, a cavallo nel Parco del Delta del Po

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  Argine degli Angeli Bike Route

Covering over 50,000 hectares between the provinces of Ferrara and Ravenna, the Po Delta Park is the largest in the region. Populated by numerous animal species, especially birds, this natural area is a favourite destination for naturalists, biologists, tourists and birdwatchers. One of the most important wetlands in Europe, it offers not only naturalistic attractions but also historical and cultural ones, such as the art cities of Ferrara and Ravenna.

A park shaped by water, representing an extraordinary example of biodiversity thanks to its valleys, canals, reed beds and pine forests. There are many ways to get to know the many faces of water (fresh, salt or brackish) – the absolute protagonist of the park – including excursions on foot, by boat, bicycle, motorbike or horseback.

The only spa centre in the province of Ferrara, Thermae Oasis is a true family-friendly oasis of fun and relaxation for families in contact with nature.
Inside, you will find the Wellness Gardens, an outdoor thermal hydrotherapy circuit surrounded by a picturesque rocky setting, inspired by ancient Roman baths. To complete your relaxation, the spa also offers a range of treatments and rituals.
Seasonal opening.

At Terme di Cervia, spa relaxation blends with the peacefulness of the seaside and the shade of the centuries-old pine forest. Cervia’s salsobromoiodic water, sourced from the salt pans, and its mud rich in beneficial properties are the basis for the many treatments offered by the centre, including salt peeling and thermal mud rituals. The spa also includes an area dedicated to children. Seasonal opening.

Between thermal baths and wellness treatments, you can also relax at the Terme del Mare spa.

The Punta Marina Thermal Baths, located right on the seafront, offer another opportunity to unwind. They are unique for their salsobromoiodic-calcium-magnesium mineral water. Here you can experience a world of wellness based on thermal water, with many treatments and special SPA programmes. The facility is open seasonally and closed on Sundays.

The Bolognese Gypsum and the Abbadessa Badlands Park is the largest karst park in Emilia Romagna, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the foothills of Bologna, it includes chalk outcrops, the picturesque Calanchi dell’Abbadessa (badlands) – with sinkholes, plateaus, blind valleys and cliffs – and over 100 accessible caves, including the famous Farneto and Spipola caves. The park’s natural cavities are home to underground fauna of great scientific interest, such as certain species of bats and various invertebrates that have evolved and specialised in living in the dark.

The park extends over the lower slopes of the hills south-east of Bologna, between the Savena, Zena, Idice and Quaderna streams.

The Terme Felsinee spa offers three pools of different shapes, sizes and depths, where you can enjoy the properties of sulphurous and bicarbonate-sulphate waters. There is also a sauna, hammam, vascular circuit and crenotherapy in water at 37°C, as well as a number of specific packages, all including access to the gym. Not forgetting the opportunity to treat yourself to a lovely massage!

The bicarbonate-sulphate-calcium water rich in 18 trace elements at Terme San Luca is  ready to provide relief and help you regain your energy after a long hike. There are many wellness options dedicated to solo visitors or couples: anti-stress treatments, pure wellness and exclusive relaxation to refresh the body and clear the mind.

The Gypsum Vein of Romagna Regional Park offers a spectacular silver-grey ridge, which abruptly interrupts the rolling hills of Romagna, giving the landscape a unique appearance. This outcrop, the longest and most impressive chalk formation in Italy, stretches for 25 km between four Apennine streams: Santerno, Senio, Sintria and Lamone.

This area is also characterised by karstic morphology, including sinkholes, blind valleys and numerous caves, such as Tanaccia and Re Tiberio, which have earned the park its UNESCO World Heritage status. A caving excursion is recommended.

The villages of Brisighella and Riolo Terme are also located within the park.

In this charming village, the properties of the sulphurous bicarbonate-sulphate-alkaline-earthy waters of the Riolo Thermal Baths will give you an experience of total wellbeing.

The spa, surrounded by the greenery of a vast centuries-old park, offers ancient beauty rituals, mental and physical wellbeing, as well as precious natural remedies. Various treatments can be tried at the Wellness Centre with its thermarium, thermal pool, vascular circuit, fitness room and outdoor solarium. The centre specialises in treatments and services dedicated to children.

The wellness centre is open all year round, while the spa is open seasonally.