Fonte delle Ninfe Nitrodi

What to expect

Fonte delle Ninfe Nitrodi is not a hot spring in the bathing sense, and it helps to know that before you go. There is no pool. The spring rises at 82°F28°C in the hamlet of Buonopane, in Barano d’Ischia, in the hilly south-east of the island, and the water is piped to showers, washbasins and small fountains spread across terraced gardens. You stand under the water, step out to dry in the sun, and repeat.

The garden is the other half of the visit. Terraces are planted with olive, pear and fig trees, and with thyme, lavender, rosemary and sage. Across the valley the slopes are thick with green, and from the upper terraces you look over hills toward the sea. A Sole 24 Ore piece describes the spring sitting in front of a sandstone canyon, which is a fair picture of the setting.

The operator classes the water as a hypothermal mineral water, bicarbonate and sulphate, alkaline, and says nothing is added to it. About 12,000 litres flow from the spring every hour. Italy’s Ministry of Health recognised the water’s properties by decree in 2003, and the operator markets it for the skin and for drinking. Those are the operator’s claims. Treat them as marketing, not medical advice.

The operator’s own routine is simple: stay under the shower for at least 10 minutes at first, avoid soap for a few hours afterwards, and let your skin dry in the sun. Herbal tea made with the spring water is served on site, and the massage packages include a clay face mask.

History

This spring has a long written record. The Romans dedicated it to Apollo and the nymphs of Nitrodi in the first century BC, and stone tablets left by grateful visitors survive. Some are now in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, others in the Hermitage in St Petersburg. In the 1500s the Calabrian physician Giulio Iasolino wrote about the spring in his treatise on the natural remedies of Ischia, which the operator calls one of the oldest works on medical hydrology.

Getting there

Nitrodi is on Via Pendio Nitrodi in Barano d’Ischia, inland from the south coast.

• From Ischia Porto: about 7.7 km (4.8 miles) by road, roughly 15 minutes by car or taxi outside peak traffic.
• By bus: take the island’s CD or CS circular line (the two directions of the round-island bus) to the Nitrodi stop. From there, climb the stairs and follow the path from the bridge to the entrance. The operator links to the current EAV timetable, which changes in summer.
• By scooter or car: roads in Barano are narrow and parking is limited. The bus is often easier in high season.

Ferries and hydrofoils from Naples and Pozzuoli land at Ischia Porto and Casamicciola.

The approach from the bus stop involves steps, so pack light.

When to go

The park opens from 10:30am to 5:30pm, according to the operator and Italy’s national tourism site. The operator does not post opening and closing dates, so phone ahead (+39 081 990528) if you are visiting in spring or autumn.

Sunny days are the whole point. The routine depends on drying off in the sun, and a 82°F28°C shower is chilly on a grey, breezy day.

May, June and September are warm enough for the showers without the July and August crowds.

Afternoons are cheaper. The day pass drops from €28 to €24 after 2pm and €18 after 4pm.

Prices and booking

The operator’s price list:

• Basic Day Pass: €28, with an unassigned deckchair or lounger
• Basic Day Pass after 2pm: €24
• Basic Day Pass after 4pm: €18
• Exclusive Day Pass: €40, with access to a separate area of the garden
• Basic Day Pass with a 30-minute massage: €65, including a self-applied face mask and Nitrodi herbal tea
• Exclusive Day Pass with a 60-minute massage: €110
• Exclusive Day Pass with a 60-minute couples massage: €210

The operator does not publish child prices. Ask when you arrive or call ahead. A basic pass does not need booking, but reserve massages and the Exclusive pass in advance.

Wear a swimsuit. Bring a towel, sandals and sunscreen, though the operator suggests letting the water dry on your skin first.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging at the spring.

• Barano d’Ischia has guesthouses and small hotels in the villages around Nitrodi, and is the closest base for Maronti beach.
• Sant’Angelo, on the south coast, is a car-free village with small hotels and boats to Maronti in summer.
• Ischia Porto has the most hotels and the ferry terminal, about 15 minutes away by car.

Many island hotels close from late autumn to spring, so check dates.

Safety notes

• Sun: you are meant to dry in the sun, but midday heat on open terraces is strong. Use shade and drink water.
• Footing: wet stone and steps get slippery. Wear sandals with grip.
• Drinking the water: the operator serves and promotes it. If you have a medical condition, ask a doctor before drinking large amounts of any mineral water.

Nearby stops worth adding

Nitrodi pairs well with a soak somewhere hotter. About a 15-minute drive away, Terme di Cavascura has bathing caves cut into a tuff ravine above Maronti beach. On the north coast, Parco Termale Castiglione has ten pools up to 104°F40°C above the sea. Farther west, Giardini Poseidon at Forio and Negombo at Lacco Ameno are the island’s other large thermal gardens, and Sorgeto Bay is a free hot spring in the sea.