In 1607, near the Terme di San Casciano, a member of the Medici family commissioned a stone portico next to the Ficoncella spring which now feeds the thermal pools at the elegant Fonteverde Tuscan Resort & Spa. The portico is still there today as testimony to the wealth and power of the Medici family and the history of this famous spa hotel which is located half-way between Florence and Rome. Fonteverde Tuscan Resort & Spa offers a quintessential Tuscan spa experience with bucolic views of the area’s famous rolling hills and thermal pools of every size, shape and type. 

We tried out the picturesque hot and cold outdoor pools and revelled in the massage provided by high pressure water spouts and a waterfall that was so large we could sit behind it. There was also a shallow kiddies pool and a thermal pool especially for dogs. Fonteverde is one of the few spa resorts equipped to accommodate pets, so if you are travelling with man’s best friend, this hotel is an especially good choice.

The vast on-site Spa Centre which covers 5,000 square meters and is spread over three levels offered even more pools for an additional charge. These included pools dedicated to treatments such as ‘Thalaquam Massage’ and a ‘Bioaquam’ pool which offered draining and toning plans with numerous jets of water. We didn’t take advantage of these extra pools however I would recommend a massage which was excellent.

Fonteverde has 78 rooms with decor that blends renaissance style with all the modern comforts you would expect at a hotel of this calibre. Ferdinando I, the on-site restaurant which is housed in a grand seventeenth century portico, serves dinner from 8pm each evening. We struggled a little with this somewhat late opening time which seemed to be the norm in Tuscany however it was definitely a case of ‘good things come to those who wait’. Our only disappointment was the service which was briskly efficient rather than warm although this is perhaps a matter of personal taste on our part.

Breakfast is included for guests at Fonteverde Tuscan Resort & Spa and includes a delicious continental selection as well as eggs made to order, free-flowing Prosecco and an all-too-tempting array of house made cakes. The way Italians serve cakes at breakfast only makes me love them even more. Perhaps it was due to the hotel’s focus on organic produce but my omelette was one of the best I have ever tasted. We had our breakfast at La Corte, the casual yet elegant light-filled restaurant which faced a large open courtyard. However, if the weather had been better, we would have definitely paid the extra €10 to have breakfast served on the balcony outside our room overlooking the Tuscan hills.

Disclosure: The writer was a guest of Fonteverde Tuscan Resort & Spa.

If you are passing through Rome while you’re in Italy and looking for things to do, we enjoyed touring the Colosseum and also our food tours around Campo di Fiore and Trasevere. If you want something a little different, check out these Rome hidden secrets.