Terme di Casteldoria

What to expect

Terme di Casteldoria is a thermal site on the Coghinas river in the Anglona area of north-western Sardinia, just outside the small town of Santa Maria Coghinas in the province of Sassari. Hot water rises at the mouth of a narrow rocky gorge, almost at river level, where the river bends at the foot of a granite hill. Sardinia’s tourism board says the springs have been known for their water since Roman times. Above them, on the hill called Monti di lu Casteddu, stand the ruins of the Doria castle that gives the place its name.

The water is a salt-bromine-iodine type. The Comune of Santa Maria Coghinas says it comes out at about 158°F70°C and that the springs, which range from 104-158°F40°C to 70°C, line up along fractures in the rock near outcrops of lava. Wikipedia’s entry on the Coghinas puts the main source at 169°F76°C. These are source temperatures, far too hot to sit in.

The important thing to know before you go: the spa building appears to be closed. The Province of Sassari built a modern thermal establishment and hotel here, and at its peak it was a licensed medical spa. But its official website, termecasteldoria.it, now shows only a parked domain page, and the most recent news we found (August 2024) was about how to reopen it. If you are planning a stay for mud or bath treatments, do not count on the spa being open.

That leaves the river. The hot water reaches the Coghinas right beside the complex, and an Italian holiday site describes the river here as one you can swim in. We found no official rules, no facilities and no water testing for bathing on the bank, so think of it as a riverside stop on a drive through the Anglona, not a planned soak.

History and the current situation

The Comune’s page on the spa sets out the recent history:

• The Province of Sassari spent about €15 million to restart the whole complex.
• In September 2009 a partnership of Hotel Taloro and San Consulting signed a contract with the Province to manage the spa.
• In October 2010 the regional health department authorised the Casteldoria thermal rehabilitation centre and accredited it for 700 thermal treatments a day and 30 intensive outpatient rehabilitation sessions a day.

On August 9, 2024, L’Unione Sarda reported a meeting at the Province’s offices in Sassari between the mayor of Santa Maria Coghinas, the Province’s extraordinary administrator and the president of the Unione dell’Anglona e Bassa Valle del Coghinas. The aim was to find a way to reopen the spa. The union had agreed to the Comune’s request to take over the “Casteldoria Terme” complex on loan from the Province, which owns the building and holds the mining concession for the water until 2029. The article noted that an earlier attempt, in 2019, had stalled because the union would have had to take on the existing management contract with Casteldoria Terme Srl and the cost of upgrading the building.

We found no later announcement of a reopening. If that changes, the Comune of Santa Maria Coghinas is the place most likely to post it.

Getting there

Santa Maria Coghinas lies about 50 km (31 miles) from Sassari and 5 km (3 miles) from the sea, according to Sardinia’s tourism board, a few minutes inland from the Gulf of Asinara. The thermal complex is a short way from the town on Via Terme di Casteldoria, at the river bend below the castle hill. Upstream, the Coghinas is dammed to form the Lago di Casteldoria.

There is no useful public transport to the springs, so plan on a car. The coast around Valledoria, at the river’s mouth, and the town of Castelsardo are the nearest bigger places.

When to go

With the spa shut, there is no season to plan around. For time by the river, late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable: Sardinian summers are hot and the water at the springs is hotter still. After heavy rain the river runs higher and faster, and the reservoir upstream can change flows, so pick a calm, dry spell.

What you can do now

• See the springs and the river. Walk along the bank where steam and warm water meet the Coghinas. Test any pool with your hand first.
• Paddle the river. Wikipedia notes that you can canoe or kayak the whole lower river from the Casteldoria terme down to the mouth near Valledoria.
• Climb to the castle. The tourism board describes the remains of the Doria fortress: stretches of wall, a chapel, a large cistern and a well-preserved pentagonal tower about 20 m (66 ft) high, built of granite blocks. The castle dates from around the 12th century, and the Nobel-winning writer Grazia Deledda retold local legends about its tunnels in her 1894 Racconti sardi.

For a working thermal spa in Sardinia, look at Terme di Fordongianus in the centre of the island or Terme di Sardara further south.

Where to stay nearby

Santa Maria Coghinas is a farming town of about 1,400 people, known for its artichokes and vineyards, with a few places to stay and eat. The beaches and holiday rentals of Valledoria and the Gulf of Asinara are a short drive away, and Castelsardo has more hotels. Sassari, about 50 km away, has the full range of services.

Safety notes

• Scalding water: the springs come out at 158°F70°C or more. Never put a hand or foot into water at an outlet, and keep children well back.
• Unmanaged river: there are no lifeguards, signs or facilities on the bank. Check depth and current before getting in.
• Water quality: no testing information is published for the river or spring outflows. Keep your head above the water.
• Closed buildings: do not enter the spa grounds or buildings while they are shut.