Remodelled

Weather was inclemental, so on a spur of the moment we decided to drive a short distance from the city of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna) up to Porretta Terme, expecting at the least some kind of thermal experience. 

But it must be said, my prior research was touchy, as was the signal for my phone. So at the very least, we could be surprised, pleasantly hopefully.

Once passing the extensive railway neighbourhood of Porretta Terme (it was once where the rail systems of northern Italy met those of central Italy and passengers were required to change trains), one crosses the bridge over the Reno river and arrives, quite suddenly, in what looks like a very pleasant town. 

Park the car and wander around on foot. Drink an espresso, wander some more, decide to head up to the picturesque hamlet of Madognana through chestnut forests. Return, dodge the odd heavy deluge, have a lunch, then head over the terme itself.

At the terme building, it doesn't look very open, but some cars are parked in front, so it probably is open for business. 

It looks like it doubles up as a medical center: along the side of the building are people sitting around in what looks like a waiting room. Not really inviting. 

There's a green park to the rear, but it doesn't reveal anything. I also had expected that the source itself might be able to be visited, but the underground sources are only to be visited on Saturday mornings, if reserved on forehand. A description of such an underground visit to be had from DiscoverAltoRenoTerme. They also refer to as the temperature being hottest 29°C.

This terme building is part of the Terme di Porretta which is the institute that manages the terme and its waters. Concerning the waters:

'The salso-bromo-iodine waters

They emerge from the soil in the upper side of the country, under the hotel Terme, in the same area where archaeological finds of the Roman baths were re-discovered. These waters have reminiscent of the sea water in their composition'.

Despite not enjoying a self-experience there is this (from Hot springs in Tuscany), some what dated experience (2011): 

'The building where the thermal baths are located is a depressing 1970's structure, badly in need of some remodelling. It has obviously be given little care in the past few years. However, I understand that the property has changed hands, and some work is being done. For now, it looks like this:

...

The temperature of the water in the pool is a warm 36°C/96.8°F, and the room is kept at 31°C/87°F. The water contains salt, bromine, and iodine. The lifeguard told me that it is similar to sea water. They treat this pool with clorine'.

Despite there being renovations since, it doesn't seem too much positives to note: 

• Tripadvisor gives the terme 3 stars (from 44 reviews, all Italian sourced). Mentioned: poor renovation, little usage, not always friendly service, sometimes closed during weekend.
• Google (479 reviews) is a lot more positive: 4.3 stars. Though it looks like some persons confused the terme with the town. All relevant reviews in Italian likewise, with a bias for persons who took a "treatment". What stuck was one reviewer who said it looks like an old-fashioned local swimming pool (see below photo). Another reviewer felt Tripadvisor reviews were more akin to her experience!

stefanobonaccini at the Terme di Porretta terme during the post-Corona restart:

INSIEME PER IL TERRITORIO, RIPARTONO LE TERME DI PORRETTA ⛲️

Inaugurato questa mattina il nuovo stabilimento delle Terme Basse, via libera che sancisce la ripartenza delle Terme di Porretta, storica struttura dell’Appennino bolognese.

Ancora una volta, un grande gioco di squadra, col progetto di rilancio del Gruppo Salute Più e il lavoro di Regione Emilia-Romagna, Governo, Inail e di tutto il territorio.

Taglio del nastro col nostro assessore Corsini e il sindaco di Alto Reno Terme, Nanni.

Da lunedì prossimo operativa la parte servizi e cure nelle Terme Basse, entro l’estate l'apertura del parco termale e della spa benessere.

Turismo e salute in un luogo straordinario. Per il lavoro e per promuovere la nostra montagna e l’Appennino Tosco-Emiliano in tutto il Paese.

Finding precious little to stem our soaking curiosity we continue onwards to Chiesa della Madonna del Ponte where we can take shelter from the next rain shower. The Chiesa protects amongst others basketball players ...

Apex

A bit more history from the same Terme di Porretta website:

'The thermal baths of Porretta have over 2000 years, and legend says it was thanks to a sick ox, unable to hold the plow and set free by his owner, that the properties of the waters were discovered: the ox quenched his thirst at the thermal spring – which was later called Polecat – during one of his wanderings, and got its strength back. Since then, the healed ox is the emblem of the Baths of Porretta'.

It also mentions Roman and Etruscan finds

After rail construction in the late nineteenth century:

'The baths were frequented by a selected audience, represented by the ruling class of the time, the bourgeois society that saw in the thermal town a place of leisure and recreation, besides an opportunity for treatment. This century represented the apex for the Baths of Porretta, with an inflow of bathers never materialized in the past'.

Instagram (location: Porretta terme) has very few photo's of the terme itself, maybe Instagrammers and potential terme users are differing audiences.

The terme building has not always been in this location. In earlier times the building was just on the edge of the town just before the gorge on the Maggiore river. Fondoambiente (translated): 

'Currently it is not possible to visit the area, but the SOS Terme Alte Committee has been fighting for years to return this property to the population'.

Great pictures of the interior of the building. More info on the building can be found here as the building is slowly being brought back to it's pervious elongance.

If seeking soaking solace it might be better to check in to the private Hotel Helvetia Thermal Spa which lies centrally in town and has  a thermal pool and small wellness area built into a WWII air raid shelter.

• Tripadvisor rates it with 4.5 stars (2082 reviews) most reviewers of Italian descendancy, very little to complain about it seems.
• Google 4.6 stars (1114 reviews), the only recent minus being a remark that the spa needs to be reserved on forehand.

Blending

Though the terme visitation wasn't what it could have been, Poretta Terme and its surroundings have considerable charm.

Other nearby worthwhile visits:

* Rocchetta Mattei. Wikipedia:

'Rocchetta Mattei is a fortress located on the Northern Apennine Mountains , on a hill which is 407 meters above sea level, in the locality of Savignano in the municipality of Grizzana Morandi , on the Strada Statale 64 Porrettana, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna.

Built in the second half of nineteenth century, it blends various eclectic styles, from Medieval to Moorish'.

* Parco Storico di Monte Sole. EmilioRomagnaTurisimo: 

'The park is an impressive natural area. It is home to about 936 species of flora, almost one-third of the diversity of vegetation of the entire Emilia-Romagna region.

The fauna is also abundant and diverse. Visitors will often spot red deer, roe deer, wild boar and squirrels, but also birds, such as the small shrike, the Western Bonelli’s warbler, the common whitethroat warbler, the green woodpecker, the Eurasian nuthatch, the kingfisher and many more'.

* The village of La Scola and surroundings have some good walks in the rolling countryside.

* The village of Grizzana Morandi, which was the mountain refuge of painter Giorgio Morandi.

Further afield there are other terme's in the neighbourhood (source) to be enjoyed. Another good web source is that of gogoterme which lists 18 termes, no less, in Emilia Romagna alone. Most though are commercially run with distinct health attributes. 

Their entry on Porretta emulates all shared information already, though they have more natural discoveries to be made in the Appennines.

Monterenzio (85 km from Porretta, 2(!) hours drive) has an Agrotourisimo which has access to its own thermal baths. It seems a lot better than most commercially run establishments, as they cater more to tourists but on a smaller scale. Also organizes naturist evenings, quite unique in Italy.

More Italian hot springs to be had from hotspringsworldwide.info.