Italy is a hot-spot for thermal baths and spas scattered all throughout the country. Considering the copious amounts of walking and exploring you’re likely doing on your Italian holiday, you may want to eventually kick your feet up and pamper yourself. If you’re located in Northern Italy, I have just the trick: a visit to the thermal spas in Lake Garda.
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Lago di Garda should already be on your Northern Italian itinerary. If it isn’t, add it! It is the largest lake in Italy and offers a little bit of everything: wine tasting to adventure water sports to boat rides to olive oil tastings…I could keep going.
It also offers the gift of ~total relaxation~. For my fellow anxiety-prone readers, you know how difficult this can be to find! Keep reading to learn how to visit the thermal spas in Lake Garda.
We are heading to Sirmione. Sirmione is the small, skinny peninsula that jets out of Lake Garda’s southern coast. The tiny town has almost no cars, which means many of the streets are pedestrian-filled, so you can enjoy nature and the lake life as much as possible. Take some time to explore the little town as there are so many great photo ops.
If you will be here for a full day and want to better visit Sirmione, consider booking this boat and walking tour. For 3.5 hours your guide will walk you through the town, you’ll visit the Grotte di Catullo, and you’ll have a boat ride! It’s one of the best options to see the town if you’re only here for a short period.
Terme Sirmione is the thermal spa I recommend for your visit, mainly due to its priceless location directly on the lakefront. Seriously, it is hard to do anything but relax here.
The terme near Lake Garda are well-known for the amounts of sulfur found in the water. There are sooo many benefits from sulfur! It can rejuvenate your skin, reduce inflammation, promote detoxification, etc etc etc. Sounds good to me!
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Plan in Advance
On a nice day, the Terme Sirmione on Lake Garda books up fast. If you want to guarantee your time slot, be sure to book and reserve ahead of time using their website.
Prices vary based on whether you are coming during the week or weekend, how long you plan to stay at the thermal spas, and if you are adding any additional experiences. For example, if you want to come just for a couple hours during the week you might pay €25, but if you want to pay for a massage and a 3 hour spa entrance it may be €110.
I recommend booking at least 2 hours given there is so much to explore.
Arriving at the Thermal Spa
Check-in during your reserved time slot and then the front desk will provide a key fob and confirm the type of booking you created. The key fob grants you entrance into the spa but is also used as your locker room key. Once in the changing room, you’ll receive your robe, towel, and swim cap.
Note: Bring your own shoes (sandals or flip-flops). If you have been to the competitor QC Terme spa, these are provided. Unfortunately, not here… If forget them you will have to purchase a pair for €20.
Enjoy Lake Garda’s Thermal Spa
Once inside the spa there are a variety of thermal baths to try, both outdoor and indoor. The outdoor thermal baths have incredible views overlooking the western side of Lake Garda. Plus, it isn’t just the thermal baths with great views. All of the saunas also overlook the lake.
Once you’ve sufficiently heated up, make sure to spend some time also exploring the relaxation rooms upstairs. Depending on how much time you have remaining, I suggest popping in one to the next. Granted, this may take away from the goal of sitting and relaxing, but if you’re nosy like me, you want to see all the rooms (and in my mind get my money’s worth).
I was eager to see the salt room as I’ve experienced Himalayan salt rooms before. I must admit, this one left more to be desired. Upon entering the room, there is a basketball-sized chunk of salt on a sort of pedestal. As I glanced around the room at people sprawled out facing the salt chunk, it looked like we were paying tribute to some sort of demigod in the form of a salt block. Let’s just say after 5 minutes I made my way to the next room.
I wandered down the hall into the “Music Room.” Now THIS is the type of relaxation room I can enjoy. I cozied into a reclining chair overlooking the lake, tea in hand, with calming music gently playing through the speakers. Bliss.
Snack Break
Working up an appetite exploring Lake Garda’s thermal spa? There is an on-site cafeteria where you can purchase drinks and food.
Don’t worry about needing your card or cash in the moment as your fob can also be utilized to charge items to your bill and then you can pay any charges at the end of your visit. Clever, yet dangerous.
That wraps it up! Upon approaching your check out time, you can head back up to the locker room and use your locker room fob. You simply drop it off on your way out.
But wait! Are you staying later or even overnight nearby? You may want to book a sunset wine and boat cruise! This actually gives you the best vantage points of the Sirmione peninsula and the rest of southern Lake Garda.
That completes my guide on how to visit the thermal baths in Sirmione. I hope you’re feeling as recharged as I am!
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