If hope springs eternal (oh how we need a lot of that these days), so, too, do the enchanting thermal springs of Bagni San Filippo. These temperate mineral waters have warmed the bones of many a person for more than two thousand years, and they continue to run strong and clear today, tempting those in the know with a long, hot soak in the healing waters.

Unlike Bagni San Filippo’s more famous cousin, the thermal pools of Saturnia, these mineral rich waters are practically hidden; one doesn’t just stumble upon them but must seek out the secretive path through hazelnut woods leading to the pools. Fortunately, the namesake town of Bagni San Filippo is found on maps, and once there, the rest isn’t too hard to navigate.