A walk in the middle of nature with the aim of caring for the body and the mind. The Caldanelle baths have been restored and now welcome visitors ready to hike for an hour to enjoy a glass of wine and local products in the warm. Between conviviality and sharing
It would take ten thousand years to come back to us, tumultuous, gushing and hot. Caldanelle water travels underground over the centuries before rising in the open air not far from the village of Vico. This is where it was spotted in Roman times and used to relieve skin problems. Because underground, this water at 34 degrees all year round is loaded with sulfur and develops beneficial bacteria, an element that gives this spring its unique and particular character.
Or rather, to these springs, because the water gushes here in several places and more or less laden with beneficial components.
Forgotten after the war, the site fell into disrepair, as did the hotel for spa guests. They came here to spend about twenty days to treat their pathologies. If the cure is no longer relevant, the place has been found, stripped of its brambles and partly rebuilt to welcome visitors.
The place is not eaten, it is tasted with respect and deserved. Coming to enjoy the waters of Caldanelle is a process of involvement. As during a spiritual retreat, you will have to give of yourself and walk the three kilometers of path to reach the building and its owners, Antonia and Andrea. Throughout the year, they offer an hour of bathing accompanied by an aperitif tasting of local products from short circuits, including the pottery used.
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The reception takes place in the shade of the willows, on a beautiful round table. The Sagone river flows about ten meters away. A song sometimes disturbed by the ringing of the bells and the beauty of the sheep of the owners. They receive at home, on this land loaded with a family history that they try to transmit and share. The exchange begins with the discovery of their olive farm along the path and continues throughout the stay. With a glass of wine in hand, we dive into the bath. The roof has been renovated, the floor restored but the walls have not moved. The single window has not been glazed and lets in all the surrounding sounds.
A stove has been installed at the entrance to the room so that you can enjoy the baths even on the coldest days of the year. On the side of the room, the overflow of water escapes in the direction of the river through a small channel dug in the stone. You can see delicate white filaments forming there, an aggregate of the mysterious substance that makes up this water.
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From the memory of elders, people have always come to take this water to take advantage of its virtues at home. Most often, visitors filled a container directly at the fountain adjoining the building housing the baths. The baths because if today only one pool is accessible, the one which was formerly reserved for women, the second will in turn be quickly rehabilitated.
The Caldanelle baths offer an authentic experience in a place imbued with a rich history that continues thanks to the love of Antonia and Andrea as well as the curiosity of visitors in search of a simple, friendly and intimate moment. We come to discover a piece of heritage, to recharge our batteries and spend a moment outside of a time too inclined to make us forget that the essential is in sharing.
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