Swimming, Hot Springs & Thermal Baths
Where to cool off, soak and swim around the Umbria–Tuscany border
Swimming, Hot Springs & Thermal Baths
When the Italian summer gets properly hot, there are plenty of places to cool off within easy reach of Villa Gioiella. Swim in Lake Trasimeno, spend the day at an outdoor pool or water park, or head into Tuscany for its naturally warm thermal waters.
For families, there are pools, slides and easy days by the water; for something quieter, you can swim from the lakeside beaches or soak in natural hot springs. And if your idea of getting wet involves a robe, a lounger and very little effort, there are excellent thermal spas nearby too.
Here are some of my favourite options, from simple local swimming spots to places worth making a day of.
LAKE SWIMMING
Lake Trasimeno
📍 From Villa Gioiella: approx. 15 minutes by car
For a proper summer swim, Lake Trasimeno is the obvious place to start. The lake has several beaches and lidos where you can swim, hire a lounger and settle in for a few hours, with cafés and bars close enough for the important business of lunch and aperitivo.
Castiglione del Lago is an easy choice, particularly if you want to combine swimming with wandering around the historic centre afterwards. The beach near Caffè Il Pescatore / Praia is one of my favourites for an uncomplicated day by the water.
For a change of scene, Tuoro sul Trasimeno also has lakeside swimming and lidos, and works well if you want to make a day of it with lunch beside the lake.
GOOD TO KNOW
Trasimeno is a shallow lake, so the water can be wonderfully warm in summer. Water levels and swimming conditions can vary, so it’s always worth checking locally before choosing your spot for the day.
PAUSE FOR
Stay until late afternoon if you can. The lake is particularly lovely when the heat drops, the day-trippers begin to disappear and everyone starts thinking about an aperitivo.
POOLS & WATER PARKS
If you prefer your swimming with clear blue water, sun loungers and the occasional waterslide, there are several good outdoor pools within easy reach of Villa Gioiella.
Piscine di Sarteano
📍 From Villa Gioiella: approx. 25 minutes by car
A lovely option for a relaxed summer day, with outdoor pools surrounded by greenery and plenty of space to settle in. Sarteano itself is worth exploring too, so you can easily combine a swim with lunch or a wander through town.
Acquapark Tavernelle
📍 From Villa Gioiella: approx. 30 minutes by car
The one to choose when the children, (or energetic adults), want more action. There are swimming pools, slides and plenty of space for a full day out. It’s particularly useful for families looking for something beyond sightseeing during the hottest part of summer.
GOOD TO KNOW
Outdoor pools and water parks are generally seasonal, and opening days and hours can change. Check before setting off, particularly outside July and August.
Bring a swimming cap. Many Italian public pools require a cuffia in the water, so don’t be surprised when everyone suddenly appears poolside in one. If you forget yours, they can often be bought at reception. Tavernelle has specifically confirmed that caps are required, and visitors report that swimming accessories, including caps, are sold at the entrance.
Pack flip-flops and a towel too. Italian pools tend to take poolside hygiene rather seriously: showering before entering the water and wearing suitable poolside footwear are common requirements, while loungers and umbrellas may cost extra rather than being included with admission
BEST FOR
Sarteano for a slower pool day.
Tavernelle when slides, splashing and wearing everyone out are higher on the agenda.
HOT SPRINGS & THERMAL BATHS
One of the great pleasures of being this close to Tuscany is having its thermal waters within easy reach. Some are wonderfully natural, where warm water bubbles straight from the earth, while others offer the full spa experience.
Bagni San Filippo
📍 From Villa Gioiella: approx. 50 minutes by car
For the wild version, head to Bagni San Filippo, where thermal water flows through woodland into natural pools. The extraordinary white limestone formations make this feel much more like an adventure than a conventional spa. Access to the natural pools is free.
Bagno Vignoni
📍 From Villa Gioiella: approx. 45 minutes by car
One of Tuscany’s most unusual villages, built around an enormous Renaissance-era thermal pool in the main square. You can’t swim in the historic pool itself, but there are free thermal pools nearby (with parking) and natural warm-water channels and a waterfall below the village. It’s worth visiting even if nobody intends to get into a swimsuit.
San Casciano dei Bagni
📍 From Villa Gioiella: approx. 30 minutes by car
For something wonderfully simple, head below the medieval village of San Casciano dei Bagni to the bagni liberi, historic stone pools fed by the area’s natural thermal springs. There are several accessible pools at the foot of the hill, including the distinctive triangular stone bath, with a tradition of bathing here stretching back to Roman times.
The thermal waters here have been drawing people for more than two thousand years. Excavations at Bagno Grande have uncovered an extraordinary Etruscan and Roman sanctuary, including bronze statues, votive offerings, coins and inscriptions in both Etruscan and Latin. The finds show that these hot springs were not simply used for bathing: the waters were considered sacred and associated with healing
Park at the entrance to the village and walk down to the baths. The route is steep, so sensible shoes are a good idea, particularly for the climb back up.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Have a thermal soak, walk and drive back up into San Casciano for lunch or a wander, or choose Fonteverde for the polished alternative. Its thermal water emerges naturally at 42°C, making San Casciano rather brilliantly capable of doing both wild bathing and robe-and-lounger
Theia Thermal Pools, Chianciano Terme
📍 From Villa Gioiella: approx. 30 minutes by car
For something altogether more civilised, Theia has indoor and outdoor thermal pools fed by naturally warm mineral water, with jets and hydrotherapy areas. This is the choice for a proper soak-and-do-very-little afternoon.
GOOD TO KNOW
Natural hot springs are quite a different experience from managed thermal spas. Bring sensible shoes and a towel for the wild ones, and check current access and conditions before setting out.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Bagno Vignoni and Bagni San Filippo both sit in the Val d’Orcia, so either can be combined with lunch, a village stop or a drive through one of Tuscany’s most beautiful landscapes.
WHICH ONE?
For an easy lake day
Lake Trasimeno. Swim, have lunch by the water and stay for aperitivo.
With children
Acquapark Tavernelle for slides and maximum splashing.
For a relaxed pool day
Piscine di Sarteano.
For a proper thermal spa
Theia at Chianciano Terme.
For wild thermal water
Bagni San Filippo.
For thermal waters with a beautiful Tuscan detour
Bagno Vignoni.
For a Tuscan village + free thermal dip: San Casciano dei Bagni.
Don’t assume a hot day means you need to stay beside the lake. Some of our best summer days start with a swim and end somewhere completely different: lunch in a hill town, a drive through the Val d’Orcia or an aperitivo on the way home.