# Free hot springs of Bagni San Filippo and the White Whale Free hot springs · Short walk through the woods · Free · All year Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/tuscany/val-d-orcia/things-to-do/bagni-san-filippo-white-whale · Revisado: 2026-11-11 Dónde: Val d'Orcia It is the opposite of a spa: nobody charges, there are no changing rooms and the water comes out as it pleases. That is why people like it, and why you should go carefully: slippery stone and pools that change with the rain. ## What it is Bagni San Filippo is a hamlet of Castiglione d'Orcia, at about 520 metres altitude, on the slope of Monte Amiata. Its name comes from the little church dedicated to St Philip Benizi, who according to tradition stopped here in 1269. Next to the village sulphurous hot springs well up and flow down a ravine in the woods, the Fosso Bianco, and as they run they leave calcium carbonate. Over the centuries that lime has formed waterfalls, stepped pools and a great white mass that people call the Balena Bianca, the white whale. There is a spa hotel in the village, but what attracts almost everyone is the free part: the pools in the woods, where anyone can bathe without paying. ## Who it suits and who it doesn't It suits those looking for a hot bath in the open air, with no hours or tickets, who don't need facilities. Families love it, with children who move well and water shoes: the walk is short and the lower pools are shallow. It doesn't suit those who want comfort: there are no changing rooms, showers or bar in the ravine, and you change among the trees. Nor those looking for solitude on an August Saturday. With a pushchair you cannot reach the pools: the path is earth, roots and stone. ## Getting there The practical way is to go by car: Bagni San Filippo is a short distance from the Via Cassia, between San Quirico d'Orcia and Radicofani, in the southern part of the Val d'Orcia. Public transport in this area is scarce. If you walk the Via Francigena, stage 36, from San Quirico d'Orcia to Radicofani, it allows a detour here. ## When to go You can go all year, and winter has its charm: the hot water steams in the cold air and there are far fewer people. In spring and autumn the temperatures are ideal for changing outdoors. July, August and weekends are the times with the most visitors. To be quiet, go first thing in the morning or on a weekday. ## What it costs Nothing. The pools in the woods are free and open to all. The cost is petrol and whatever you have afterwards in the village. ## How to bathe without spoiling it The lime concretions are fragile and take years to form. Don't climb on the thin edges of the pools or break off pieces of lime. Don't use soap or shampoo in the water and take all your rubbish with you. These are common-sense rules that keep the place as it is. ## If it rains In heavy rain, the ravine carries more water, the pools change and the stone is even more slippery: better to leave it for another day. As an alternative, Bagno Vignoni, in the same Val d'Orcia, has its famous square occupied by a pool of hot spring water, which looks good even in bad weather. ## Paso a paso ### Arrival · Bagni San Filippo A small village on the slopes of the Amiata, in the municipality of Castiglione d'Orcia. From there you enter the woods on foot. ### Walk · The woods A short walk among trees. The first pools are not very hot. ### Higher up · The Fosso Bianco The ravine turns white with lime. The waterfalls have formed hotter pools. ### The Balena Bianca The great limestone formation that gives the place its name, like the back of a whale. ### Return · To the village The same way. Dry off and change before leaving the woods, especially in winter. ## Qué llevar - Swimsuit and towel - Water shoes or strapped sandals: it is slippery - Old or dark clothes: the lime stains - A bag to take your rubbish with you - Dry, warm clothes for after the bath - Drinking water ## Consejos ### Go early or in winter First thing in the morning and in winter there are fewer people. ### Combine it with Bagno Vignoni Both are on the same stage of the Via Francigena: wild water here, tamed water in the square at Bagno Vignoni. ### Take everything with you There are no facilities in the ravine: what comes in with you goes out with you. ### Take off rings and bracelets Sulphurous water darkens silver. ### Don't stay too long in the hottest pools Get out from time to time, drink water and don't bathe on a full stomach. ## Aviso ### Wet stone and lime are very slippery. Walk slowly, in water shoes, and don't jump between pools. In heavy rain, the ravine rises and it is best not to go in. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Do you have to pay? No. They are free hot springs in the woods. ### Is the water hot? The first pools are only slightly hot; those of the Fosso Bianco, more so. ### Can you go with children? Yes, with water shoes and supervision: wet stone is slippery. ### Is it open in winter? It is a natural area open all year. In heavy rain, better to wait. ### Are there changing rooms or showers? Not in the woods. You change among the trees and shower when you return to your accommodation. ### What is the Balena Bianca? The great white formation of calcium carbonate left by the hot spring water in the Fosso Bianco, shaped like the back of a whale.