Are you touring Tuscany’s hot springs?
Perhaps you’re planning your Tuscan honeymoon and you’re looking for an intimate, romantic village to add to your itinerary.
Or, maybe you’ve finished your hiking trip along the Via Francigena and you’d love to soak your tired feet in thermal waters.
The tiny village of Bagno Vignoni is well worth a visit for those seeking a soak in gorgeous turquoise thermal baths, a picturesque and quiet center, and spectacular countryside views.
While you could easily spend a week or more here in total relaxation, you could make a quick stop to dip your toes in the thermal waters before continuing on your Tuscan road trip.
Kids and adults love this unique Tuscan hamlet in the Val d’Orcia – its main piazza is actually a large ancient Roman thermal bath!
Fun Fact: Bagno Vignoni is on the Via Francigena, a historic pilgrimage route connecting England to Italy (and eventually, Jerusalem).
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Table of Contents
Who Should Visit Bagno Vignoni
Bagno Vignoni is perfect for you if you’re looking for:
- A quiet, tiny village. Bagno Vignoni is smaller and less developed than many of Tuscany’s other hot springs towns.
- Beautiful outdoor areas, charming cafes, and local shops.
- Gorgeous natural hot springs. Bagno Vignoni has free hot springs for public use, and you can use hotel hot springs as a hotel guest or day visitor.
- A relaxing time in nature in the UNESCO World Heritage Val d’Orcia.
- Delicious local dishes like pici pasta, pecorino cheese, tartufi, and drink local wines.
Who Should Skip Bagno Vignoni
You may want to consider another destination if:
- You’re traveling as a family and have small, active kids. Bagno Vignoni is a tiny, quiet village. While there is a playground, there’s not a ton for kids to do. Keep in mind that the hot springs are quiet, tranquil spaces, and
- You are looking for nightlife and wild nights out. Bagno Vignoni is a tiny, tranquil village with no nightlife.
- You don’t have your own transportation. There are plenty of other hot springs in Tuscany that you can reach without a car.
Where is Bagno Vignoni?
Bagno Vignoni is a small village with ancient Roman thermal baths in the gorgeous Val d’Orcia (Orcia Valley) in Southern Tuscany.
It’s not far from some of the area’s more well-known villages like Pienza, Montepulciano, San Quirico d’Orcia, and Montalcino.
Best Things to Do in Bagno Vignoni
Dip Your Feet in the Parco dei Mulini Hot Springs
The Parco dei Mulini (Park of the Mills) is at the southern edge of Bagno Vignoni. It contains hot springs streams on their way down the hill, winding their way through the ruins of an old mill complex.
It’s free, convenient, and the easiest way to check out the town’s thermal waters if you’re just stopping in for a quick visit.
It’s also the best way to experience the waters if you’re visiting with little kids and can’t make it down to the main baths for a full-body soak.
Important: Don’t go past the fencing at the edge of the Parco dei Mulini. There are steep drop-offs, the mineral deposits can be slippery, and you can easily damage the site.
Soak in the Ancient Roman Thermal Baths
The turquoise thermal pools you’ve seen in postcards are below the town, just under the Parco dei Mulini. They’re free, beautiful, and sometimes surprisingly empty. I just visited with my family on a sunny December day, and we were the only people there!
To reach them from town, walk down the path to the left of the Parco dei Mulini ruins. It’s a combination of stairs and gravel.
Or, drive to the pools. On the way up the main hill to the town, take the first left (200 meters from the main road) onto the gravel road and drive for 300 meters until you reach the gravel parking lot on the left.
The baths are a beautiful turquoise and contrast with the white mineral deposits on the hillside and the green plants and grasses make for a picturesque soaking setting.
Good To Know: The free pools below town are often not warm enough to soak in during winter months. If you want to soak your feet, dip them in the warm thermal streams in the Parco dei Mulini. Otherwise, for a full-body soak, visit one of the hotel thermal pools.
Good To Know: The temperature of the thermal water gets cooler the further from town (and closer to the river) you get.
Fun Fact: Bagno Vignoni has had many famous visitors, including Pope Pius II, Saint Catherine of Siena, and Lorenzo de’ Medici.
Check Out the Thermal Pool in Bagno Vignoni’s Main Piazza
One of the best views in Bagno Vignoni doesn’t include the stunning countryside. It’s the view of the main thermal pool from the Santa Caterina loggia (covered stone gallery). Instead of a cobblestone piazza, Bagno Vignoni has the Piazza delle Sorgenti (Square of the Springs) – a large, rectangular ancient Roman thermal bath.
Good To Know: Enjoy it with your eyes because it’s not open for swimming.
Get a Treatment at a Bagno Vignoni Hotel Spa
There are three hotel spas in Bagno Vignoni – Hotel Posta Marcucci, Albergo Le Terme, and ADLER Spa Resort THERMAE. You can enter as a daily visitor and use the baths at Hotel Posta Marcucci and Albergo Le Terme, but to use the ADLER’s thermal baths, you must purchase a day pass and a spa treatment.
The outdoor pools at Posta Marcucci and the ADLER are beautiful by day, and especially magical under the stars on a chilly winter evening.
Helpful Tip: Book your day pass in advance, especially if you’re visiting in the busy cooler months. The hotels will limit day entries.
Have a Drink at a Café
Whether you prefer Aperol Spritz or chamomile tea, you’ll find a charming café in Bagno Vignoni. The small hamlet is sprinkled with quiet places to enjoy a drink after a dip in the thermal waters, aperitivo before dinner, or a digestivo following your meal.
We love the platters of local meats and cheeses and wines at La Bottega di Cacio.
Sample Wines at the Enoteca in the Main Piazza
The Val d’Orcia is home to world-famous wines – Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (both red wines). You can also sip the valley’s Orcia DOC wines (reds and whites).
Try them all at the enoteca on Bagno Vignoni’s main square (you can see ‘enoteca’ written on the terrace’s overhead shade.
Fun Fact: Part of Bagno Vignoni’s name – Vignoni – comes from the Italian word for vine – vigna.
Walk or Cycle Part of the Via Francigena
Hikers and cyclists can tackle one of the legs of the Via Francigena, the pilgrimage route that led (and leads) pilgrims from England to Jerusalem. See the official Via Francigena site for information on the San Quirico to Radicofani section.
Good To Know: This part of the route is challenging for both hikers and cyclists, so make sure you’re in good shape!
Hike the Anello Rocca d’Orcia (Orcia Fortress Ring)
This two to three hour walk includes part of the Via Francigena, and loops you through some hilly Val d’Orcia countryside. The 8-kilometer (5-mile) loop has about 250 meters of elevation gain. Bring comfy shoes, a hat and sunscreen, water, and a snack!
Where to Stay in Bagno Vignoni
Albergo Le Terme – 3-star hotel, on the main piazza, only indoor pools; a variety of spa treatments; day passes available
Albergo Posta Marcucci – 4-star hotel, in the village, indoor and outdoor pools with gorgeous views; spa treatments; day passes available
ADLER Spa Resort THERMAE – 5-star resort, just outside the village center, large indoor and outdoor pools with beautiful views; spa treatments; day passes available (but you must also purchase a spa treatment); children’s program
Relais Osteria dell’Orcia – 4-star hotel located in the countryside below the town, on the other side of the river; about a 20-minute walk to the center of Bagno Vignoni; swimming pool; partnered with Bagno Vignoni hotel spas; serene, romantic setting
How to Get to Bagno Vignoni
Car
The best way to reach Bagno Vignoni is with your own car. The village is about 30 minutes from Montepulciano, about 2 hours from Florence, and about 2.5 hours from Rome. You can take the Autostrada from Florence and Rome, but you’ll need to exit and take smaller roads to reach the Val d’Orcia.
You may want to read
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Bus
It is possible to reach Bagno Vignoni by bus, and the bus stop is at the main traffic circle in town (so you don’t have to do any walking). But, buses aren’t frequent, and you will need to change buses multiple times from most destinations. If you’re just planning on visiting Bagno Vignoni for an afternoon or day, you’ll waste too much time on the bus.
Private Driver
If you don’t want to rent a car, but you’d like to visit from Florence, Siena, or another nearby town or city, you could hire a private driver (NCC – noleggio con conducente) for the day. It’s a pricey option, but you can relax and enjoy the views of the Val d’Orcia.
Plane
The most convenient airports for Bagno Vignoni are Florence Peretola (FLR), Pisa Galileo Galilei (PSA), and Rome Fiumicino (FCO). You can also check flights into Rome Ciampino (CIA) and Perugia San Francesco d’Assisi (PEG).
Train
You can’t reach Bagno Vignoni by train. You can take a train to a nearby town in the Val d’Orcia and then take a bus. For example, you could take a train to Siena or Chiusi and then take bus(es) to Bagno Vignoni. Like taking the bus, it’s not a great way to travel to Bagno Vignoni. Read more about Train Travel in Italy.
Bicycle
Southern Tuscany and the Val d’Orcia are delights for cyclists. There are both hilly and valley rides in the area, and routes for road cyclists and mountain bikers. Many cyclists take a well-deserved break in Bagno Vignoni.
Foot
Bagno Vignoni is along the Via Francigena, and if you’re walking the route, the hamlet makes for a perfect stop either overnight, or for a quick soak in the thermal baths.
Parking in Bagno Vignoni
Hotels in Bagno Vignoni have private parking.
There is also pay and display parking (pay for your parking in the machine and display the small ticket on your vehicle’s dashboard) at the main (only) roundabout in Bagno Vignoni. When you’re driving up the hill to the town, you’ll arrive at the roundabout and if you look to the left, you’ll see the parking area with blue lines marked on the ground.
You can find free parking below the town in the small gravel lot near the free public thermal baths.
There is a free gravel lot above the town. Turn right toward Via Francigena Nord (brown sign) just before you get to the traffic circle in town.
Helpful Tip: The free parking lots can get crowded. Do not leave any valuables in your car.
Read more about Parking in Italy
Getting Around Bagno Vignoni
You can move around Bagno Vignoni by foot – it’s tiny. The center of town is car-free.
Bagno Vignoni with Kids
I don’t recommend Bagno Vignoni for overnight stays with younger kids. It’s a really quiet and tranquil village and the spa hotels are not very kid-friendly (except for the ADLER, which is a luxury hotel, with luxury prices). The hotel spas and thermal baths are quiet and the temperatures of the thermal water can be too hot for small children.
However, I do highly recommend Bagno Vignoni for a day trip or a quick stop on a Tuscan road trip. The town center is small and easy to wander around with kids. They’ll love checking out the main ‘piazza’ – which is actually a huge thermal bath.
Bagno Vignoni’s outdoor cafes serve kid-friendly meat and cheese platters, pastas, and other simple dishes.
And, best of all, kids love checking out the Parco dei Mulini ruins and dipping their feet in the thermal streams.
Read my complete guide to Bagno Vignoni with Kids
Explore 70+ Things to Do in Tuscany with Kids
Things to See & Do Near Bagno Vignoni
Pienza – home of pecorino (sheep’s) cheese; Pope Pius II’s utopian town
Montepulciano – Vino Rosso & Vino Nobile di Montepulciano; Piazza Grande; one of our favorite Christmas markets
Montalcino – Brunello di Montalcino; climb the tower; see the nearby Sant’Antimo Abbey
San Quirico d’Orcia – beautiful medieval village; perfect for shopping and strolling
Monticchiello – your place if you want a tiny, quiet medieval village with great dining options and views
Photography – photographer favorites include Vitaleta Chapel, San Quirico d’Orcia cypress trees, small hilltop villages, sunflowers in summer, poppies in the spring
Read more about Visiting the Val d’Orcia
Bagno Vignoni FAQ
The temperature of the waters can vary, but usually ranges around 50° Celsius in the main bath in Piazza delle Sorgenti, and gets cooler as it flows down the hillside to the Orcia River.
I’ve never noticed a sulfur smell around town, or down at the free thermal baths.
