Candlelit “spa nights” with music and refreshments in the baths until midnight. A bar featuring drinks created in homage to rock ‘n’ roll lyrics from the bands at a nearby music festival. An immersive dinner-theater evening based on the life of Mary Shelley, the author of “Frankenstein,” who probably fleshed out the idea for her monster while relaxing with a local doctor on the same cushy sofa where you are sitting now. A broad menu of excursions to local heritage sites as well as luxury outlet malls, from organic wine-tastings to dirt-biking.
Bagni di Pisa offers everything you would expect from one of the oldest and most renowned luxury spas in Italy: cool and elegant surroundings, bespoke treatments organized around taking the waters, healthy and delicious food, and a chance to reboot and restore. But Bagni di Pisa also understands that for wellness to work, it has to be sustainable – especially amid the joyful temptations of everyday life. “We want guests to feel that their stay here is just a part of the journey,” says Dr. Laura Bettarini, director of nutrition and a key member of Bagni di Pisa’s team. “It is up to every guest to find their balance.”
We want guests to feel that their stay here is just a part of the journey.
Bagni di Pisa’s guiding philosophy is Equilibrium: body and mind, action and contemplation, harmony with oneself and the environment. The heart of the experience is “salus per aquam,” or health though water: a huge range of innovative programs based on the complex’s beautiful ancient thermal springs, customized for each guest by the experts on staff. The Equilibrium philosophy also takes in daily physical activity, mindful nutrition, and relaxation techniques. Bagni di Pisa’s hillside grounds are the perfect place for a brisk hike, a stretching session, or an afternoon with a good book. The hotel’s dining terrace is the site of casual buffet breakfasts and light al fresco lunches, featuring produce from the surrounding gardens.
Though guests come to Bagni di Pisa to work on their fitness, they need not sacrifice creature comforts in the process. Built in a late-18th century palace that was the summer home of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Bagni di Pisa’s guest rooms and public spaces are still fit for nobility, with frescoed ceilings, velvet upholstery and polished mosaic floors. The hotel’s thermal areas are a feast for all the senses, and an invitation to explore new aquatherapies in settings that summon the baths and grottoes of ancient Rome. Dinners in the jewel-like Dei Lorena restaurant often start with choosing the perfect Tuscan wine from an encyclopedic list, and end with imploring chef Umberto Toscano for his luscious and health-conscious recipes for tiramisù and stuffed tortelli pasta with rabbit sauce (he is delighted to oblige).