Tuscany is an excellent destination for those who enjoy holidays full of excitement and activities with endless villas, churches, museums, galleries, vineyards, hiking routes, beaches, parks, gardens, restaurants, cooking schools, boutique shops, pretty town squares, ancient ruins, and much, much more besides to explore and enjoy. However, it is, equally, a perfect place to get away from it all, relax, and unwind. There is, of course, a different pace of life in Tuscany than what many find to be their norm, particularly in sleepy little towns with historic centres that seem almost untouched by the passage of time. Businesses still close for hours in the middle of the day while the owners take a break, few bother opening on Sundays at all unless you are in bigger towns, and meals regularly stretch over hours and are savoured. The picturesque scenery of the countryside and peace and space afforded by our villas in Tuscany, many of which are located in remote and quiet parts of the region, allow those travelling in the region to unplug and leave the stresses and concerns of daily life behind. Wholesome and hearty, the cuisine also further adds to one’s relaxation while on holiday in Tuscany as it is comforting and incredibly satisfying.
In addition to these lifestyle factors and the beauty and tranquillity offered by the pastoral and rural parts of Tuscany, there is also the fact that Tuscany simply boasts a rather extraordinary number of spa towns and thermal spas. In fact, if you look at a map of the region, you’ll see many of the towns have names with the word “Terme,” in them, to indicate the presence (at least at one time) of thermal waters in the area for which they were named. We’ve covered plenty of different spa towns in Tuscany previously, from the most famous examples of the likes of Saturnia and Montecatini to lesser-known gems. Sassetta is another less well-known spa destination that is well worth checking out if you book a villa in Livorno and are looking for the perfect place to go for a soak and/or some beauty or relaxation treatments while on vacation on the Tuscan Coast.
The town of Sassetta itself is a pretty cluster of charming Tuscan buildings built atop a hill overlooking a lush green valley. Steeped in history, Sassetta was once the site of an important castle built for the Pisan Republic that was then demolished in 1503 during its conquest by Florence. Soon after, in 1516, the original lords of the village were exiled from the town. Later in the century, the village came under the control of the Ramirez de Montalvo family of Spanish origin. This family was strongly affiliated with Florentine power and had, in fact, first come to Florence with the court of Eleonora da Toledo, the woman who eventually married Cosimo I de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Now a sleepy and pretty town, one of its main attractions is the thermal spa, known as the Terme di Sassetta.
Located in an area known as La Cerreta, the Terme di Sassetta spa complex is built from river rocks collected in the fields and chestnut woods of the Val di Cornia and perfectly harmonises with its natural surroundings in the dense Mediterranean forest of the Pian delle Vigne valley in Sassetta. Spread over 75 hectares, the spa offers a range of holistic and aesthetic treatments as well as access to the baths and the natural thermal waters of Terme di Sassetta. Rich in sulphates, calcium and essential minerals, naturally emerging from the ground at 49.6 °C, these waters have been known to boast therapeutic effects on the skin, muscles, and respiratory system. On the grounds, there is a thermal bath and three thermal pools at different temperatures with hydromassage to enjoy for relaxation or to ease into for the various therapeutic results offered by the thermal waters.
Those who have found a villa in Livorno and who are planning a day-trip to enjoy the facilities can simply pay a relatively small fee for access to the thermal facilities (plus either an organic yoghurt, light lunch, or dinner at the organic restaurant on the property that serves up an incredible menu of home-grown produce and organic food and wine), with a four hour or three hour option available. Those looking for a more typical spa experience can take advantage of the range of different Western and Eastern treatments as well as some face and body treatments that were inspired by those once used by the Etruscan people, who used to live on these lands and were well-known in the ancient world for their medical knowledge. Some of the treatments on offer include Etuscan massages, sports massages, deep-tissue massages, aromatherapy massages, anti-cellulite treatment, facials, Ayurvedic treatments, Tibetan bells, and foot reflexology. All of these treatments and access to the thermal baths must be booked in advance by contacting the spa at +39 0565 79 43 52. Please take note that you should bring a bathing suit, swimming cap, slippers, towel, and bathrobe with you to enter the spa, though caps and slippers can be purchased and towels and bathrobes can be rented separately or as the complete Spa Kit for €15.00 should you happen to forget to bring anything.
A truly wonderful place to unwind, this gem is a picture of the type of absolute relaxation that can be afforded if you are planning a vacation on the Tuscan Coast or a holiday in Tuscany.
