Terme dei Papi

What it is and who runs it

Terme dei Papi is Viterbo's great spa, beside the Viterbo Terme exit of the Orte–Viterbo dual carriageway, a few kilometres from the historic centre. It is run by the company Terme dei Papi, of the Sensi family: in 1989 the Viterbo businessman Socrate Sensi began renovating the old municipal thermal centre and since 1993 the company has operated it, now run by his children and grandchildren. The thermal cures have the Italian classification of Prima Categoria Super.

The water comes from the Bullicame spring, the same one cited in the city's medieval chronicles and which gives its name to Viterbo's thermal area. It gushes out at 58 °C and is sulphurous, sulphated and bicarbonated; the spa uses it for respiratory, joint, skin and circulation problems.

The pool, the grotto and the spa

The main feature is the monumental pool, open-air, of about 2,000 m², filled only with spring water, cooled as it falls through stone mouths towards the centre. It is open every day except Tuesdays, when it closes for maintenance (if Tuesday is a public holiday, the closure moves). The normal hours are from 9:00 to 19:00, on Fridays until 20:00, and on Saturday nights there is bathing under the stars, from 21:00 to 1:00. It is also closed on 9 December and 7 January, and on 24 and 31 December it closes at 18:00.

Beside the pool is the Grotta Naturale, a cave dug into the rock that works as a natural steam bath, between 45 and 48 °C and with humidity close to 100%. There is also a spa with facial, body and thermal-mud treatments, a private spa, vascular circuits, thermal cures with a medical prescription and day packages. The house also sells its line of cosmetics with thermal water and mud.

Inside the complex are the Hotel Niccolò V, a superior four-star, and the restaurant, with seasonal cooking and local produce. There are changing rooms, showers and a bar.

Tickets and booking

The day entry to the pool costs €18 for adults and €8 for children, which the pool page defines as 2 to 12 years; the night one, €20. Under-2s do not pay. During the Christmas holidays, from 25 December to 6 January, public-holiday rates apply. Tickets are bought in the online shop, which closes at 15:00 the same day, or at the ticket office. Outside food may not be brought in. Cancellations are requested by email up to 13:00 the day before. The website is in Italian and English.