Less than 60 km south of Siena, in the charming Val d’Orcia, lies the thermal spring Bagni San FIlippo. Here you can bathe in beautiful sinter terraces in 25 degree warm sulfur water. The natural hot springs Bagni San FIlippo is no longer an insider tip, but well worth a visit. What you can expect in Bagni San Filipo and whether you should rather go to the close thermal spring Saturnia, we tell you now in our travel report.
Hi Guys!
We are Sabrina and Andreas, two adventurous travelers who never miss an opportunity to discover the world. Whether by plane to distant countries or with our campervan Bruno, we just love to travel. We hope to give you helpful tips for your next trip on our blog.
Sabrina & Andreas Globetrotters, Travelers, Adventurers
Bagni San Filippo Hot Springs
Legend has it that the hot springs of Bagni di San Filippo are the oldest thermal springs in the world used by man and were already used by the ancient Etruscans. Nowadays, the thermal spring is a popular bathing option in the south of Tuscany and, unfortunately, has long ceased to be an insider’s tip.
The sleepy village of San Filippo, where the thermal spring is located, is really very small and the only major road leads directly past the hot springs. After you have parked on one of the paid parking lots, you walk down a small path to the springs, which are located in a small valley. After about 400 meters it smells very sulfurous and you realize that you have arrived.
The White Whale
You are now walking through a small forest and next to you the Fosso Bianco stream flows through the middle of the green landscape. After a few meters you will see on your left the biggest highlight of the Bagni San Filippo Hot Springs. Next to you is a large limestone hill called the White Whale (Balena bianca).
Nearly 20 meters high, the limestone deposits have piled up over time to form an imposing structure. Directly under this hill there are many natural pools where you can swim.
The water is about 25 degrees and contains many minerals with health benefits such as calcium and sulfur. At the bottom of the pools there is also a lot of mud, which many visitors use to rub themselves with. Some believe that it has a positive effect on the skin.
At about 200 meters here are many opportunities to go into the water, but most places are rather shallow, so you have to sit to get really wet.
The Area is unfortunately a bit run down
The further course of the creek is closed off with a fence. This fence was torn down by tourists a long time ago, so that you can also get into the water in the further course. Unfortunately, we did not like the whole atmosphere of the hot spring very much. Everything looks pretty run down and there is some garbage lying around and also the torn fence does the rest for the negative overall picture. Compared to the hot spring of Saturnia (Cascate del Mulino), which is not far away, the Bagni San Filipo is much less inviting and in our opinion not worth it if you want to go to Saturnia anyway.
Important Tips about the Bagni San Filippo Hot Springs
Opening Hours and Entrance Fees
Like the hot springs in Saturnia, no entrance fee is charged at the Bagni San Filipo hot springs. So there are also no opening hours, but you can take a bath in the hot springs 365 days a year and at any time of the day or night.
Toilets & Changing Rooms
Since the hot springs are completely free, there are no amenities here either. There are no changing rooms and no toilets. You will have to change with a towel around your waist and go to the toilet in the hotel or in the neighboring restaurant.
Parking at Bagni San Filippo
Parking at the Bagni San Filipo is relatively easy, because there is only a one-way street that leads through the small town. Directly at the entrance to the thermal spring you will find many paid parking spaces. These cost 1.50 € per hour for a car and 7.50 € for a camper. But if you drive a few hundred meters further along the road you will also find some free parking.
- You can find the paid parking & the access to the thermal bath here here
- You can find the free parking here.
Overnight Stay close to Bagni di San Filippo
La casa nel Dentro
– perfectly equipped vacation home with everything you need
– situated in a beautiful valley in the green
– furnished with a lot of wood in tuscan style
Saturnia or Bagni di San Filippo?
We have often been asked whether it is better to go to the Saturnia hot spring or to Bagni di San Filipo. We’ve been to both hot springs in Tuscany, so we can say that Saturnia is much nicer and that the hot springs at Bagni San Filipo look almost run down in contrast. There is a lot of garbage lying around and also the natural limestone pools are not as beautiful and impressive as in Saturnia.
Our Tip: If you only have time for one hot spring, then you should choose Saturnia.