Venetian thermal baths: natural remedies for personal well-being
Veneto is a region of Italy with more than 2,000 years of tradition when it comes to well-being and personal care.
Most of its spas are located in the lush green setting of the Euganean Hills, which, with 240 thermal springs, represents the largest concentration of thermal springs in Europe. The mud and water are unique to this area and cannot be found elsewhere.
From its source in the Lessini Mountains, the thermal waters permeate at depths of up to 3,000 metres below the ground, traveling 80km over a period of 25 – 30 years and enriching itself with precious mineral substances along the way. Eventually it surfaces at a temperature of 87°C, as saline-bromo-iodic thermal water.
This is the water used in the spas of the Euganean region, whether in the thermal baths themselves or as part of their kinesiotherapy programs. Bathing in ozone-enriched thermal water pools is particularly beneficial for the joints: it relaxes muscle spasms and helps dilate blood vessels, helping to improve mobility and neutralise physical pain.
In hydro kinesiotherapy the physico-chemical characteristics of the thermal water are used for therapeutic purposes: when submerged in this water, a person’s body weight is reduced by about 90%, which facilitates accelerated muscle recovery and helps to mitigate fatigue.
The thermal water of the Euganean Hills is also one of the principal ingredients used in mud therapy, which is widely available in all thermal hotels in the Abano and Montegrotto region, and in the nearby thermal centres of Galzignano, Battaglia and Teolo.
Mud bath therapy in the Euganean spas is a step-by-step process: First, the mud is applied generously to the body at a temperature of 38 – 42°C. Then, after approximately 15 minutes, it is removed under a shower of thermal water. This is followed by a 10 – 15-minute bath in ozone-enriched thermal water. Finally, the treatment is finished off with a massage to help further stimulate blood circulation.
In addition to the more therapeutic sense of well-being, this procedure contributes substantially to the treatment of rheumatic diseases and arthritis, helping to abate the chronic pain associated with these conditions.
There are other highly-recommended thermal centres, such as: Bibione Thermae (Venice), Palatine Terme (Venice), Recoaro (Vicenza), Villa dos Cedros (Verona), Pescantina – Aquardens (Verona) and Colli Asolo (Treviso). In addition to the treatments on offer, visitors are spoiled by natural landscapes of rare and outstanding beauty, the best of authentic Italian cuisine, and a cultural heritage that spreads from the Venetian villages to the famous monuments of Verona, Padua, Vicenza and Venice.
For a complete list of spas visit: www.veneto.eu
