Terme Antica Querciolaia

What to expect

Rapolano Terme is a small spa town in the Crete Senesi, the bare clay hills south-east of Siena, and Terme Antica Querciolaia is the older of its two thermal spas. The core of the building dates from the second half of the 1800s. It is built in local travertine in a horseshoe shape that wraps around the spring, and the modern spa has been added around it. Giuseppe Garibaldi came here in August 1867 to treat the foot he had injured at Aspromonte and wrote that the baths had helped at once, a quote the spa still uses.

Today it is a large thermal park: the operator speaks of more than 42,000 square metres (about 10 acres) of garden and pools. The water is sulphurous (you will smell it) and very mineral-rich, with calcium, sulphates and bicarbonates. The spa says it is not treated with disinfectants; the algae in the pools are its evidence for that, and the large flow keeps the water changing.

The pools

The spa groups its water into two kinds, each from its own spring:

• Bagni caldi (warm baths): 102-104°F39-40°C. These are the hot-tub temperature pools, the place to be in winter.
• Bagni temperati (temperate baths): 86-93°F30-34°C. Warm enough for a long, slow soak, and the comfortable choice in summer.

There are covered and outdoor pools at varying temperatures, and the operator’s FAQ also mentions cold water among them. A covered entrance means you can reach the outdoor pool without crossing open air in winter, which matters on a cold evening. Which pools are open can depend on the season. Beyond the pools, the spa sells thermal treatments, wellness and beauty services, and has a medical side that offers thermal cures; those are booked and paid for separately.

Prices and booking

2026 pool prices (full day / half day):

Period	Adult	Child under 9
Weekdays	€19 / €15	€14 / €11
Weekends, holidays and eves of holidays	€25 / €21	€16 / €13
Peak periods	€27 / €23	€16 / €13

Children under 2 enter free, and residents pay €15. The Saturday evening ticket (6 p.m. to 1 a.m.) costs €21, or €23 in peak periods.

2026 peak periods are April 3-6, April 24 to May 3, May 30 to June 2, August 13-16, October 30 to November 1, December 5-8, and December 24, 2026 to January 6, 2027.

Entry times: full day from 9 a.m. to closing; morning 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and afternoon 2 p.m. to closing (not on Saturdays); Saturday evening 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. You get a wristband and can leave and come back during the day.

Booking is strongly recommended through bookingtermeaq.it, where you choose your sunbed and umbrella spot. Booking a zone does not tie you to it: you can move around the whole park. Walk-ins buy tickets at the desk and use Zone A, where sunbeds cannot be booked and rotate by half day. Gift vouchers must be booked by email at [email protected].

Rentals: a bathrobe costs €10 to hire. Slippers (€5), towels (€16) and swimsuits (€30) are for sale, not hire, so bring your own towel.

Phone: +39 0577 724091. The spa is at Via Trieste 22, Rapolano Terme.

Getting there

The spa says it sits on the Siena-Perugia motorway link road and is easy to reach from the A1 motorway. Follow signs for Rapolano Terme from the link road; the spa is on Via Trieste in town. The operator gives drive times of about 30 minutes from Arezzo, 1 hour from Florence and Perugia, 2 hours from Rome and 2 hours 30 minutes from Bologna. Siena is closer than any of these.

When to go

The pools are open all year. Winter is the best season for the 102-104°F39-40°C pools, especially at the Saturday night session. In summer the temperate pools and the garden come into their own; the spa runs summer events such as a San Lorenzo night on August 10 and an end-of-summer party in September. Weekdays are cheaper and quieter. Avoid the peak periods listed above unless you have booked.

Rules and etiquette

The house rules are short and enforced:

• Shower first. An outdoor shower before getting in is compulsory.
• No diving and no jumping in from the edges. Use the steps.
• No masks, fins, snorkels, inflatables, balls or armbands in the pools. Sun cream is allowed.
• No outside food or drink, and no packed lunches. Eat at the bar, the bistro or in the marked areas.
• Phones on silent, and no loud games or shouting.
• Do not reserve sunbeds with bags or robes, and take no more than two sunbeds per family.
• Swimsuits are worn throughout. Children are welcome and have their own prices, and the spa asks them not to run.

Where to stay nearby

• Residenze Antica Querciolaia (Il Palazzo), at Via Macinaiola 17 in Rapolano Terme, is run by the same company. Guests get free pool entry and a dedicated locker.
• Partner hotels and agriturismi: the spa lists dozens of hotels, farm stays and B&Bs around Rapolano, Siena and the Crete Senesi that have agreements with it.
• Siena has the widest choice if you want a city base.

Safety notes

• Hot pools. At 102-104°F39-40°C, limit soaks to short sessions, drink water, and get out slowly. Pregnant visitors and people with heart conditions should ask a doctor first.
• Slippery floors. Wet travertine and pool surrounds are slick. Wear slippers between pools.
• Night sessions. Late Saturday soaks after a big dinner or alcohol are when people get light-headed. Pace yourself.
• Sulphur. It tarnishes silver jewellery. Leave it in a locker.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Crete Senesi drive south towards Asciano and the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore makes a good half day before or after a soak. Siena is the obvious city visit. Rapolano’s other spa, Terme San Giovanni, is a separate business if you want to compare.