The itinerary begins on the slopes of Mount Pisano, precisely in San Giuliano Terme, which houses the Bagni di Pisa spa, built at the time of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany in the late eighteenth century. Its current appearance is due to a recent renovation that has brought the building back to the splendor of the past when it was the summer residence of the Grand Duke Francis of Lorraine and was the social hub of the European nobility. Of particular interest are also the interiors, the same suites each dedicated to one of the famous people whose lives are intertwined with the history of the spa resort.
SAN GIULIANO TERME
Bagni di Pisa is the ideal place not only for those seeking the therapeutic effects of water for the treatment of rheumatic or respiratory diseases, but also for those who want to spend a relaxing stay, in San Giuliano Terme, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The wellness offer is divided in different experiences that can satisfy the most varied needs. In addition to massages, treatments and baths in the thermal pools, the possibility of a stop in the Hamman of the Grand Dukes, a small natural cave where the thermal water flows from a waterfall, or a quiet walk in the Zen Garden up to the Kaffee Haus from which you can dominate the plain up to Pisa, with behind the Mount of Dante’s memory “for which the Pisans cannot see Lucca”.
ULIVETO TERME
Along the road of Monte Pisano, not far from the medieval hamlet of Vicopisano, the thermal establishment of Uliveto Terme is under renovation and not open to visits. Inside the park, the small Romanesque church of San Martino al Bagno, weddings and ceremonies location. The water of Uliveto, known as Water of Health thanks to a well-known commercial, is ideal for the hydropinic treatment because it acts on the digestion of fats and intestinal absorption. Inside the park, the swimming pool (not thermal) open only in the summertime.
CASCIANA TERME
The itinerary continues to the Terme di Casciana, in the green natural scenery of the Pisan Hills. The small welcoming town of Casciana Terme has been enclosing its beneficial thermal waters for centuries. It has an avant-garde care and rehabilitation center, a wellness center that overlooks the large balneotherapy pool at 36° of temperature, ideal place for the amusement of adults and children alike, thanks to the water games and hydromassage points, waterfalls and jets. Crossing the road, the Terme di Villa Borri, an 18th-century farm transformed into an elegant wellness center and accommodation facility.
Legend has it that the discovery of their curative power is due to a sick blackbird that Matilde di Canossa saw fluttering again after plunging into a pool of hot water. Not by chance, to the countess was dedicated the name of the thermal waters, that is Mathelda. The first swimming pool was built back in 1311, while the first thermal establishment dates back to the mid-19th century by will of Grand Duke Ferdinand of Lorraine. Of the original structure remain the elegant facade, the Gran Caffè with frescoes and the Casino.
Itinerary: San Giuliano Terme, Uliveto Terme and Casciana Terme
Total: 40 km
Accessibility: by car, camper, scooter / Vespa
