Properties

The Etruscans and the Romans were the first to enjoy the beneficial properties of the hot springs that flowed all around Saturnia. In fact, the Romans were so besotted with this natural wonder that they made Saturnia one of the jewels in the crown that was their empire, building baths in the centre of town which can still be seen today.

The waters that eventually rush into the Cascate del Mulino arrive after a long journey that begins at Monte Amiata. Monte Amiata was once an ancient volcano, which although now dormant, still possesses the power to pump more than 800 litres of water a second out from below its crater and into the rivers around it.

The Terme di Saturnia Spa Complex has made its name cultivating the curative properties in these waters, shaping their treatments around the ancient cultures and therapeutic traditions of the area, which they believe can cure health problems and extend a person’s life.

But the water you find at the spa is almost exactly the same as that which flow into the beautiful oases that are the Cascate del Mulino.

For the science boffins out there, Saturnia’s hot springs contain a mix of sulfur-carbon-sulphate-bicarbonate-alkaline and their beneficial properties are said to be determined by the presence of hydrogen sulfide, certain minerals, carbon dioxide and one particular element known as Thermal Plankton.

People who suffer from respiratory, cardiovascular, muscle, joint, digestion or blood pressure problems are said to benefit most from the water’s various minerals. But you don’t have to sick to enjoy a trip to the Cascate del Mulino, the waters are also a natural exfoliate, not mention the perfect pampering treatment to relax your body and mind.