I Went to the Oldest Spa in the World

When I hopped in the van that morning and was told we were going to a spa that opened in 1 B.C. I thought: “Surely that date is missing a few zeros”. But as we wound our way through the narrow streets of Ischia, our guide let us know that we were about to participate in a piece of history. The waters of this spring have remained untouched, still bubbling up from the same artisan source uncovered by Greek settlers over two thousand years ago.

Throughout its life, the spring has welcomed countless visitors seeking its healing effects. Here’s what it did for me.

A Day at Nitrodi Ninfe Park

Like the rest of Ischia, Nitrodi Ninfe Park is built into the side of a hill. As we made our way up the wide stone steps to the entrance of the spa, I had no idea what to expect. Growing up in the unforgiving climate of New England, thermal springs did not feature heavily in my typical self-care routine.

Immediately upon entering, we were greeted with an open air water fountain next to a stack of empty bottles. Spa guests are encouraged to drink the pure, unfiltered water drawn up from the mineral springs and even help themselves to a bottle to take home. That was my first sign that we were in for a truly unique experience.

The waters at Nitrodi are naturally purified by the boiling temperature of the bedrock above which the groundwaters flow. It's this very bedrock that infuses the springs with the beneficial minerals like sodium, calcium, potassium, sulfur, and carbon that give the waters their fabled skin and digestive benefits. These benefits are so noticeable that the ancient Greeks believed the waters to be blessed by Apollo, said to make men stronger and women more beautiful.

While some may write off the powers of the Nitrodi water as superstition, its beneficial properties are not just the stuff of myth. Studies conducted by La Sapienza University in Rome have backed the water's healing properties, highlighting its anti-inflammatory benefits for both the skin and gastrointestinal system.

After dropping off our personal items at the lounge area—a balcony patio lined with chairs and privy to a stunning vista of the surrounding island—we were shepherded to the main spa. Multiple stone shower stalls opened up onto a damp patio, a clear splash zone for the ever-running water. I thought our host was joking when he let us know that the first touch of the 82°F water would be a shock, but I was quickly humbled by how chilly it felt compared to the steamy weather. I followed the expert advice we were given, breathing deep and fast as I adjusted to the temperature, letting the water hit the crown of my head and envisioning it entering my body.

For the optimal experience, guests are advised to stand in the showers for ten minutes. I was surprised by the self discipline it took to ride out the full time period. Standing with an unoccupied mind was a refreshing challenge and, as I focused on my breathing, both the stillness and the temperature became easier to bear.

After drying off in the sun—guests are encouraged to forgo towels to allow the full skin benefits of the water to set in—we moved onto a second aquatic treatment, using hoses to perform a self lymphatic massage. Although I ended up with more water up my nose than anything else, it was undoubtedly a unique experience and one my skin will hopefully thank me for later.

Wrapped cozily in our towels and sporting a freshly applied mineral mud mask, my group climbed more of the winding steps leading to the second area of the spa. The paths here are lined with fragrant herbs and flowers like thyme and lavender. The intent of this aromatic landscaping is for guests to run their hands through the foliage and apply the fragrant oils to their hair and skin in the tradition of the original Greek and Roman spa-goers.

Halfway up the hillside, tucked away in a small overgrown patio, a coffee bar awaits to provide guests with a rejuvenating espresso or aloe juice prepared with the mineral water. We paused there, enjoying our refreshments and letting our skin treatment sink in as we breathed in the aroma of the garden and looked out over the distant ocean waves. After one last rinse in the waters to remove the mask, our journey at the spa was complete.

Conclusions

To feel the full effects of the waters, you must use the facilities for at least ten days. However, the impact can be felt to some degree after the first visit. My skin definitely felt softer, in the way that it does after a particularly good sheet mask or lotion. I can see how, with time, it would change the quality of its texture in a more significant way. As for my digestive health, the findings are inconclusive, but I have been craving that particular aloe juice ever since.

What hit home for me, far beyond the physical benefits, was the tangible history of the place. We were going through the same motions as the ancient Greeks, a modern mirror image of the stone tableaus that lined the spa’s walls. We sought the same cures that visitors to the spring have been seeking for millennia, sipping the same water and hoping for the same outcomes. In the peaceful herbal gardens of Nitrodi, time overlaps itself in a truly cyclical way, like the rain that feeds the groundwater of the eternal springs.