Imagine feeling relaxed and enjoying rejuvenated skin after soaking in thermal waters while on a Mediterranean cruise. Add an ancient setting with legendary history and your clients have arrived at Thermal Baths of the Popes tour in Rome, Italy, the site of one of Oceania Cruises’ new Wellness Tours Inspired by Canyon Ranch.In the ancient city of Viterbo, thermal springs have been celebrated for their healing properties since the time of the Etruscans and Romans. Named after those that first discovered the springs, they were designated the “Terme Etrusche,” or the Etruscan Thermal Baths, until the end of the Roman Empire.However, later in the 15th century, Terme dei Papi, or the “Thermal Baths of the Popes,” was built. It received its current name when Pope Nicholas V, being so impressed by the curative effects of the waters, had a grand palace developed on the site so he could stay there whenever he needed treatment.The baths, fed by the Bullicame spring – one of the most highly treasured in Hydrological Medicine for its many therapeutic claims – have inspired artists and poets for centuries. Dante references the spring in The Divine Comedy, and Michelangelo sketched two drawings in pen of the beautiful landscape, housed today in the Vicar de Lille Museum in France.The mineral-rich waters are forced through a miles-long fracture in the earth’s crust by the pressure of carbonic gases. The spring contains sulfate-sulfur alkali-iron fluoride waters and has a temperature of 58°C, which has been highly appreciated for its therapeutic properties, including the treatment of respiratory ailments, bone and joint pain, and skin conditions.On the estate of Terme dei Papi, the outdoor pool stretches over 20,000 square feet. Here, the warm waters and soothing vapours provide the ultimate relaxation, relieving muscle tension, easing stress and nourishing the skin. The natural cave, heated by falls of spring water, saturate the space with healthy vapours.Experience Oceania’s new wellness tour in Rome on these remarkable voyages:Mediterranean Havens – Athens to Barcelona – 1 September 2017 Riviera
Cosmopolitan Collage – Monte Carlo to Barcelona – 17 October 2017 Riviera
Bridges to Basilicas – Barcelona to Venice – 25 October 2017 Riviera
