Grotta Giusti Terme

Grotta Giusti Terme is a thermal spa resort in Monsummano Terme, in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany. It is built around a natural thermal grotto that, according to the resort, remained secret for millennia and was discovered only in 1849 by a group of labourers working in a quarry on a hill overlooking Monsummano. Inside the cavity they found stalactites and stalagmites, underground corridors and rooms, and a lake of clear, warm water that filled the chambers with steam. The resort describes the cave as the largest natural thermal grotto in Europe.

The thermal grotto

The grotto extends for over two hundred metres beneath the resort and is divided into three zones named after Dante's Divine Comedy: Paradise, Purgatory and Hell, with temperatures ranging from 28°C to 34°C. At the deepest point lies the Limbo, described as a crystalline lake of warm thermal waters with a constant temperature of 36°C. Among the rock vaults, stalactites and stalagmites, the natural steam released is described as beneficial and therapeutic, and visitors can pause for a natural steam bath at around 34°C.

Stated benefits

The resort states that time spent in the thermal grotto helps release muscular tension, has an anti-inflammatory effect on the joints and respiratory system, relieves stress and has a detoxifying effect on the whole organism.

Pools and wellness

The resort has an outdoor thermal pool, open daily from 10:00 to 19:00 (closing at 18:00 on Wednesdays) through 1 November 2026. The Bioaquam Pavilion provides a covered relaxation area of 310 square metres with tempered-glass walls, sliding panels and a retractable ceiling. Wellness facilities include a sauna and steam bath, cryotherapy offered as The Longevity Suite, treatments using the resort's thermal mud, and a range of massages and spa rituals.

History

After the 1849 discovery the beneficial effect of the steam attracted the interest of doctors, and the Giusti family developed the site into a spa. The Royal Hotel (Albergo Reale) was built in 1880. Giuseppe Garibaldi underwent thermal therapy at the grotto and thanked the owners in a letter, and Giuseppe Verdi called the cave the eighth wonder of the world. In recent years the resort has received World Spa Awards (2022 and 2023) and an ESPA Innovation Award (2015).

Visiting

The resort is located at Via Grotta Giusti 1411, 51015 Monsummano Terme (PT), and offers hotel accommodation, a restaurant and the Bioaquam Café for light meals and beverages.