I’ve been working a lot lately. Tours, travel, book proposals, updating my apps and, of course, this blog (which is difficult to think of as work). So last week I decided to take a few days off, and headed out to the country with my friend Jane.
Although we were staying in our house in Todi, which we always do, this trip was different. First of all it was in the middle of the week (how indulgent!) and secondly, there were no husbands involved. Yes, it was just us girls, free and easy, doing whatever we wanted to do, whenever we wanted to do it.
When we go up on weekends, somehow we barely ever leave the house. So this time we decided to be real wild and crazy and take a road trip. Which, since this was girl time, naturally involved a spa.
We drove just over the Tuscan border to San Casciano dei Bagni. Although I’d been there many times before, I somehow had never managed to dunk myself in the warm springs that give the town its name. Although there are a few public baths, and several natural pools in the surrounding fields, Jane and I opted for the more luxurious Fonteverde Spa. Newly spruced up about 8 years ago, the spa has a huge thermal pool perfect for lazing around.
We checked in, donned our fluffy white robes (included in the entrance fee) and spent a glorious three hours lazing, dunking and just enjoying the perfect combination of weirdly cool weather and the hot waters.
The waters, which contain all sorts of things like sulphur, calcium and flourides are supposed to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. We certainly felt very relaxed and pretty painless by the end.
We were also starved.
So we headed into the center of town to Daniela’s, the kind of restaurant you hope to find in all Tuscan medieval villages. Perched on one side of the main square, Jane and I had breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside while pretty much stuffing ourselves. I had a liver pate with honey and apples to start, followed by plump pigeon-stuffed ravioli bathed in sage butter. Jane had a lovely salad, of chopped cabbage and lettuces, with pecorino cheese, followed by a tangle of home made pici with asparagus.
We somehow resisted desert, and opted instead to walk off our lunch, wandering the alleys of the small town. In the end we got a bit lazy, and didn’t head all the way down to visit the stone basins that form the public baths at the bottom of the hill. I was just looking at them online, and they look amazing.
I guess we’ll just have to plan another girl’s trip as soon as the weather turns cool again.
Fonteverde Spa
+39,0578.57241
Daniela’s
Piazza Matteotti, 6
+39.0578 58234
This site has a map to help you find your way to the various public springs:
Public Springs
And if you are further north in Tuscany here’s another thermal springs and food day Sophie and I enjoyed last year.
Elizabeth, you do work hard and so I can’t be jealous as you most certainly deserve your getaway and yet…just as I wrote nearly two years ago…Holy Cow!
Ah…Fonteverde followed by Daniela’s. These are two of my favorites – even though this is a risk to admit when Umbria (and Tuscany) offer so many options for beauty and peace and a good meal. Thank you for taking me there one more time.
Sadly it appears Daniela’s has closed. I post for the information of those surfing for likely lunch spots in the area. As I am!