Terme di Valdieri: Thermal Springs at Monte Matto

Terme di Valdieri combines a thermal heritage, an alpine landscape, and mountain trails. The complex lies at the foot of Monte Matto, where the Vallone del Valasco and the Gesso della Valletta meet, at an elevation of 1,370 m. The Terme Reali di Valdieri are located in the Parco naturale Alpi Marittime in the Valle Gesso at the same elevation and are considered Italy’s highest thermal bathing facility.

Thermal Water and Parco termale

The water of the Terme Reali di Valdieri belongs to the group of hyperthermal sulphurous sulphate-chloride-sodium waters. It has a temperature of 50 to 75 °C and an alkaline pH value of 9.4. The Grotte Naturali are heated directly by sulphurous springs; the spring water has a temperature of 51 to 58 °C, while the caves reach temperatures of 35 to 46 °C. The Parco termale includes a vascular hydrotherapy course and a foot bath. There is also a 34 °C outdoor thermal pool with jets and cascades overlooking the Maritime Alps, as well as a steam bath considered natural and known as the calidarium.

A distinctive feature of the Terme Reali di Valdieri is its thermal algae, also known as “muffe”. They are cultivated and used extensively for therapeutic purposes. The algae form when sulphurous thermal water at approximately 40 °C flows over stone terraces.

Garden and Alpine Flora

The Giardino Botanico Valderia is named after the endemic Viola valderia. The botanist Carlo Allioni discovered it in 1780 in the bed of the Gesso stream, which runs alongside the garden. The garden contains approximately 500 plant species distributed across 14 habitats. These represent the main ecosystems of the Maritime Alps.

The approximately one-kilometre-long circular Sentiero naturalistico Terme di Valdieri trail runs through the Giardino Botanico Valderia and has 24 numbered stops. The trail begins at the botanical garden of Terme di Valdieri at 1,380 m, takes approximately one hour, has an elevation gain of 60 m, and focuses on flora. For a longer mountain hike, the Valscura circular trail begins in Terme di Valdieri, leads through the Valscura Valley, crosses a rocky spur through a tunnel, and continues towards Rifugio Questa. A hike to Rifugio Morelli documented on 11 July began in Terme di Valdieri at 1,368 m, passed via Lagarot di Lourousa at 1,970 m, and reached Rifugio Morelli at 2,351 m.

Historic Character

The municipality of Valdieri had the first bathing facilities in Terme di Valdieri built in 1588. The foundation stone of today’s Hotel Royal was laid on 10 July 1857 at the instigation of King Vittorio Emanuele II. Hotel Royal is a late-19th-century building and was formerly a residence of the House of Savoy.

Visitor Centre and Orientation

The visitor centre of the Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime in Terme di Valdieri offers exhibitions and information about the protected area’s natural environment, as well as the rules of conduct in the park. The redesign carried out in 2026 added furnishings, informational content, and photographs covering the park’s natural, historical, and cultural aspects. The San Giovanni car park near the visitor centre has a motorhome area.

More Destinations

For further travel planning in Italy, you can also discover Elva, Monesiglio, Pontechianale, Demonte, Annunziata, Neive, Bra and San Chiaffredo.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cuneo.