What is the history of the Calidario of Venturina?

The Calidario of Venturina is an ancient natural hot water pool, which became a modern thermal establishment starting in 1969. The spring is located in the area of Caldananear Venturina, whose name evokes the warmth of the land. The waters were probably used by the Etruscans and the Romans, but this must be qualified: the archaeological traces visible today do not allow us to confirm precisely this use on the Calidario site itself.

In the Middle Ages, the waters continued to be used, then their flow was also exploited for ironworking activities and, later, for a paper mill. The pool, known locally as il Bottaccio, was neglected when Giuseppe D'Onofrio undertook to develop it in 1969. The name "Calidario" comes from the Latin calidarium, which referred to a hot room in Roman baths. Not to be confused with the Bagni Caterina, the first modern thermal establishment of Venturina, opened in 1883 about un kilomètre de là.

Today, the heart of the place remains the pool naturally fed by the spring: it covers more than 3 000 m², and the water gushes out at about 36 °C. The spa and lounge areas are contemporary additions; the Calidario is therefore not a preserved set of ancient baths, but a natural thermal site whose history blends probable ancient uses, local industry and recent tourist development.