Hive Mind Travels

Best...Hot Springs...Ever!

What's usually wrong with hot springs? Lots! Par example:

• Crowded
• Pools to shallow, you have to contort yourself to actually submerge
• Water flow inadequate, stagnates with the slough of a hundred people's acne and eczema
• Stench of rotten eggs
• Creepy guy wearing only dreamcatcher necklace offers to give all the girls back rubs

What's right about Terme di Saturnia, a couple hours north of Rome? Lots! Par example:

• Tons of room
• Some pools deep enough that you can do the stroke
• Pounding waterfall of hot water
• Mild aroma of sulfur
• No creepy guys, no dreamcatchers

Seriously awesome. Just down the road from the Terme di Saturnia resort and spa ($20 / day, herbal perfumed four hand massage, probably something with cucumbers) is the free Saturnia hot springs, in use since the Roman times.

Who needs to pay for a massage when the beating of the hot waterfall on your back is enough to knock you down the river?

It wasn't perfect of course: the water was pleasantly warm, but not really hot (about 98°), there were mysterious clumps of toilet paper on the far bank and the aforementioned sulfur smell stuck with us for literally days, surviving multiple showers, but it was mild and not unpleasant. And really, what a nice reminder to smell Michelle's hair and think "ah, Saturnia!"