Chianciano Terme, one of the most famous spa town in Italy
Chianciano Terme is one of the best known spa resorts in Tuscany and Italy. The city is located in a beautiful position between the Val di Chiana and the Val d’Orcia, in a prominent landscape context and a few kilometers from many other centers of great interest. Chianciano is therefore able to offer a relaxing holiday and, as we will see, also of culture.
The Chianciano area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and the archaeological excavations carried out in the surroundings have brought to light some Etruscan necropolises, such as that of La Foce and that located in the Pedata-Morelli area, which have returned a very large amount of materials. In addition to the necropolises, sanctuaries dedicated to the divinities of the waters and a farm where oil and wine were produced have also been identified. The Etruscans were followed by the Romans who built the thermal baths of Mezzomiglio. The sanctuaries first and the spas then show that the thermal waters of Chianciano were well known and appreciated by both the Etruscans and the Romans.
Hot springs in Chianciano Terme
Known since antiquity, Chianciano Terme in val di Chiana experienced an economic boom in the second half of the 20th century when it became one of the most important spa resorts of Italy. In this area there are many hot springs that led the modern city to a fast growth in the last 50 years. During this period many thermal establishment were created in town. Equipped facilities for complete relaxation and also for those who want to carry out recreational activities.
The waters that made Chianciano famous, are known for their healing properties. Some of these waters are used in thermal baths, while others are destined to bottling or used in the preparation of creams and cosmetics.
Thermal parks, sensory Spa, hydrotherapy, thermal pools and much more… In Chianciano you will find everything you need to take care of your body and for your relax!
What to see in Chianciano Terme
We just talked about the “modern” Chianciano which is for sure the main engine of local tourism with its spas and resorts, now the time has come to speak of the “old” town of Chianciano.
The city is documented since antiquity and offers some ideas for cultural tourism.
Museo Archeologico di Chianciano Terme
The Archaeological Museum of Chianciano Terme is one of the most important museums dedicated to the Etruscan civilization. This interesting museum displays numerous finds from various archaeological sites in the area such as the necropolis of the Foce – Tolle. The extraordinary finds, displayed according to chronological criteria, are enhanced by an accurate information set and enhanced through a very accurate exhibition.
The museum is located in via Dante; for all information on timetables and tickets, I refer you to the official website.
Collegiata di San Giovanni Battista
The Collegiate Church of San Giovanni Battista was built in the first half of the XII century in Romanesque-Gothic forms even though the interior was renovated in neoclassical style in 1817. On the facade you can appreciate a beautiful splayed portal with a corded decoration and capitals with motifs plant. Inside we find an Etruscan urn, reused to preserve the ashes of Blessed Paolo Salimbeni, a sixteenth-century fresco depicting the Nativity scene, a fourteenth-century crucifix and a wooden sculpture with the dead Christ by Giuseppe Paleari.
Museo della Collegiata
Set up inside the Palazzo dell’Arcipretura, the Collegiate Museum is a small gallery of sacred art (4 rooms) which preserves a series of works dated between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries. The heart of the collection is made up of goods from the former Monastery of San Michele Arcangelo. Among the most important are a Crucifix of Segna di Bonaventura, a wooden Madonna from the school of Nicola Pisano and a polyptych Madonna and Saints by the Maestro di Chianciano.
The museum is located in via Solferino; for all information on timetables and tickets, I refer you to the official website.
Chianciano Art Museum
In a sort of chronological tour of the museums of Chianciano, we come to talk about the Chianciano Art Museum. This museum displays a huge collection consisting of about a thousand works ranging from the Neolithic to Asian art and contemporary art. Here the works of various artists such as Tom Nash, Francis Turner, Mario Schifano, Damien Hirst, Magritte, Guttuso, Munch, Durer and Rembrandt are exhibited.
The museum is located in via della Libertà; for all information on timetables and tickets, I refer you to the official website.
Things to do around Chianciano Terme
In the immediate vicinity of Chianciano Terme, I point out the Garden of Villa la Foce, a beautiful formal garden built between 1924 and 1939. The position between the Val d’Orcia and the Val di Chiana made Chianciano an excellent starting point to reach many towns such as Pienza, Montepulciano, Chiusi and Sarteano.
How to get to Chianciano Terme in val di Chiana
Chianciano is about 80 kilometres from Siena and 70 from Arezzo.
By car: from Florence, Arezzo and Siena: highway A1 till the exit for Chiusi/Chianciano, then strada provinciale SP146.
By train and bus: the closest train station is Chiusi Scalo. From there you can get to Chianciano by bus (line FT4 Siena mobilità).
