Thermal Spas on Ischia

Ischia, the largest island in the Gulf of Naples and the eighth largest in Italy, is part of the Phlegraean Fields, a massive volcanic system that has produced a number of the most important features on the island. Mount Epomeo, the fumaroles that rise from the seabed, dark volcanic-sand beaches, and thermal springs that have made the island of Ischia a popular spa retreat for millennia are all products of the area’s geothermal activity.

Ischia's thermal waters are believed to be beneficial for a number of physical conditions, including arthritis, skin disorders, and respiratory problems. Additionally, the warm waters can help relax muscles and relieve tension headaches. Ischia is also home to thermal mud baths that are said to detoxify the body and aid the complexion.

With more than 30 luxurious spa resorts, free public hot springs, and parks with thermal-water swimming pools, beaches, and steam caves, Ischia offers spa- and hot-springs enthusiasts an endless variety of choices for relaxing and rejuvenating in natural thermal water.

The History of Ischia’s Natural Hot Springs

Ischia’s thermal baths have been a draw to the island since the time of the ancient Greeks, who lauded the beneficial properties of Ischia's hot springs. As far back as the 8th century BC, the Euboeans who had founded Pithecusa on Ischia - the oldest Greek colony in Italy - knew of the therapeutic properties of the island’s thermal springs, which were even used to heal battle wounds.

Later, the ancient Romans founded public thermae, fed by the Nitrodi spring in Barano d'Ischia and other natural mineral water springs present on the island, further increasing Ischia’s popularity as a spa destination.

After the spas and springs were abandoned in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance ushered in a renewed interest in spa treatments and the popularity of bathing in thermal waters was revived. For decades, however, spa treatments were reserved exclusively for aristocrats and the wealthy bourgeoisie. It was only at the beginning of the 1600s that a group of Neapolitan aristocrats and philanthropists founded the Pio Monte della Misericordia near Casamicciola, the largest thermal establishment of the time which guaranteed free access to spa treatments for Campania’s poorest residents.

The turning point for tourism didn’t come until the 1960s, however, when spas, hotels with wellness centers and thermal baths, inhalation clinics, and beauty and mud treatments sprang up across the island. It was during this time that the famous thermal parks were built on Ischia, which still attract tourists from across the globe.

Ischia’s international fame of Ischia as a first-rate spa destination has remained unchanged for centuries and over time the island has hosted celebrities, politicians, and screen stars from Garibaldi to Angela Merkel.