Terme di Chianciano

I have been in Tuscany now for 7 weeks and I am really enjoying my spa visits to the natural spring Termes. Recently I visited the terme in Chianciano which is located about an hour from Siena toward Rome. As I drove into the property for Terme Sensoriali at Terme Di Chianciano, I realized this is not just one building...but it is a large area which covers a couple of blocks. It's nothing too fancy, but it includes the offices for doctors as well. The Termes in Italy afterall are about healing, not just pampering. Many people will visit the doctor there, get a "prescription" of the water they should take and how often they should take it and then the visitor goes to the thermal pools.Upon arriving I met the spa director Barbara Rossi, a very nice woman who explained the Terme Sensoriali (the pampering spa part of the whole operation) was new...just opened this past October. The spa offers 20 different types of treatments organized by naturopathy experts; the treatments include: energizing and relaxing aromatherapy, turkish bath, chromotherapy, musictherapy, cave of the spring, etruscan sauna, salt bath, and a handful more!A word about the waters...(and each Terme has a different type of healing water)The different spa waters of Terme di Chianciano affect the body according to the varying ways in which they are used for treatment: the Acqua Santa and Acqua Fucoli come directly from the springs in the long-established parks and are beneficial to the liver and gastrointestinal apparatus. Acqua Santissima is utilized for inhalations, aerosol and insufflations, for all age groups, to treat problems of the upper respiratory tract while Acqua Sillene is used for mud baths, thermal baths and cosmetics.Actually it's a little confusing, until you just go and visit one of these amazing places. I had a great experience. I took only a bathing suite...slippers and a robe are provided for each visitor. I put the rest of my things in a locker and then started my little adventure. I followed the guide of directions for "detoxifying" and these are the steps it said to take: First I walked through a path barefoot with soft rocks and alternating hot/cold shower water to help increase my circulation. Then, I went into a sulphur pool, which was very warm and relaxing. After about 30 minutes, I went into the chromotherapy warm pool, with neon color lights, which was very relaxing, then I went into a bagno turco (steam room) . My guide then said to rest in the relaxing area which is an egg shaped area that simulates being in the womb. I walked in and thought it was nothing special, but the sound in the egg was relaxing and interesting. So I sat down and no kidding, 2 minutes later I passed out! I woke up 20 minutes later and was so surprised how the "womb" had such an effect on my. Then I went to the mud room where everyone in there looked like little green people everywhere...we all slathering healing mud all over our bodies and faces...I got a big chunk of mud in my hair that just wouldn't come out...oh well. Everybody else is there with a companion...but there I sat by my green self, waiting for the 10 minutes to be over so I can wash off. Then I had a lovely spa treatment scheduled up stairs from the pools, but I was running a bit late because I couldn't wash all of the mud off...so I ran up stairs to meet Esperanza -- a little Spanish woman in her 50's, there to give me a sugar body scrub and massage. Esperanza gave me a great sugar body scrub made with ingredients from the waters. The scrub was relaxing, then while I wait and lay there, Esperanza filled a big bath tub and then asked me to get up and get in...then she poured some honey-like texture into the bathtub and watched me lounge there, pretty much lost in the bubbles at this point. After 10 minutes, I got out and then she gave me a massage with a body butter. Between the healing waters, then the exfoliation and hydration...my skin felt so good after the treatment. I look forward to experiencing the healing waters of other Termes soon in Tuscany!

Dreamy Hotel & Spa in Positano

It has been a whirlwind of spa visits here in Italy. My plan was to visit spas in Tuscany only, but I splurged and drove south on the A1 highway to Positano. While in dreamy Positano, I stayed at the Albergo le Sirenuse, ...this was truly one of the best and most beautiful and whimsical places I have ever stayed. The hotel, which is still privately owned by the Marchesi Sersale Family, is a combination of quaint and charming with exquisite style; it is no wonder why Le Sirenuse has been awarded and recognized as being one of the best places to stay and experience. The staff Mauro, Giuseppe, Andrea and Roberto were all so professional, helpful and delightfully friendly. I stayed in a Sea View room (Tirreno Sea) and heard the church bells ring while standing on my balcony looking at the cliffs. The view, smell of Jasmine and lemon blossoms floating in the air brought enough solitude to last for days and make up for the somewhat anxiety-filled, 6 hour drive to Positano from Tuscany. And of course I was there to visit their spa in the hotel; it is an Aveda concept --something very familiar to me as one of my favorite places in Santa Barbara is Walter Claudio Aveda Spa. The spa was not elaborant in size, but rather a simple and fresh feel designed by the famous Italian architect Gae Aulenti. Sylvia Bizzi, the spa manager, gave me a mini tour of the spa. She was so warm and friendly and told me of her spa visit in Thailand. Then, I enjoyed the sauna and bagno turco (steam room), but best of all was the Elemental Nature Body Massage by Stefano. Stefano Imbimbo, a massage therapist who worked previously in physical therapy, treated me with the best massage I have ever experienced (and I have had many wonderful massages!). He started with the aroma journey, which is where I got to choose an Aveda aroma to mix with the massage oil. Based on the scent I chose, Stefano said that I needed to balance my "air element" which meant that I had "too much input in my brain and I was trying to sort out many things"...yes indeed, I thought! His technique, a combination of massage and physical therapy -- stretches and manipulating my spine and neck was so healing and effective. His approach was not shy or hesitant; he was confident in his knowledge and knew where tension lay stagnant in my body. The best part of the massage...Stefano poured hot oil on my scalp, massaged my scalp and then brushed my hair...it was incredible. I would say hop on a plane to Positano just for that part of the massage! Truly though, after his work on my neck, using a technique with a towel to stretch and cradle my neck, I felt lighter, and more "open"...my breathing was even clearer. I stayed in Positano for only 2 days, but I truly enjoyed walking through the small streets, practicing my Italian, meeting a nice baker named Carmene and indulging in the ammenities of my room. I know that I will return to this uniquely mystical place called Le Sirenuse.