# Piazza Bagni **At a glance:** Piazza Bagni is the historic spa heart of Casamicciola Terme, a short distance from the harbour on the lower slopes of Epomeo. Here the waters of the Gurgitello and Cotto basins rise to the surface and the historic Belliazzi and Manzi baths stand. It is the ideal place to discover a quieter Casamicciola, steeped in the village's memories. ## Useful information - **Type:** Key places - **Area:** [Piazza Bagni and the Spa Quarter](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/areas/piazza-bagni-spa-quarter/) - **Address:** Piazza Bagni, 80074 Casamicciola Terme NA - **Coordinates:** 40.743600, 13.908200 - **Where:** Piazza Bagni (Piazza Bagni di Gurgitello), Casamicciola Terme - **Area:** Piazza Bagni spa quarter - **Don't miss:** Gurgitello basin, Belliazzi baths, Manzi baths - **Distance from the harbour:** Less than 1 km, uphill on foot ## The spa heart of Casamicciola In the heart of the historic part of Casamicciola Terme, Piazza Bagni (literally “Baths Square”) holds one of the area's deepest identities: the one bound up with its springs and centuries-old spa tradition. It was here, around the [Gurgitello basin](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/gurgitello-thermal-basin/), that a large part of the town's spa history unfolded. Over the centuries the properties of the waters drew scholars, travellers and visitors, helping to make Casamicciola one of the best-known spa resorts on the island of Ischia. Strolling through Piazza Bagni today means getting to know a different Casamicciola from the one on the seafront: quieter, steeped in the village's memories and in the events that built its reputation over time. Here, taking the waters is not just a wellness experience but a fundamental part of the town's very identity. ## A history born of water The history of Piazza Bagni is inseparable from that of its springs. On the eastern side of the square, at the foot of the Ombrasco hill, lies the Gurgitello basin, with seven springs and waters between 60 and 65 °C, which in the 16th century the physician Giulio Iasolino called the “queen” of the island's thermal mineral waters. On the western side is the [Cotto and Sinigallia basin](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/cotto-and-sinigallia-thermal-basin/). Around the springs grew facilities devoted to treatment and hospitality: the old hospice of the [Pio Monte della Misericordia](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/pio-monte-della-misericordia-complex/), which in the 19th century occupied much of the present-day square, and establishments such as the [Antiche Terme Belliazzi](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/belliazzi-historic-thermal-spa/) and the [Antiche Terme Manzi](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/manzi-historic-thermal-spa/). ## The historic face of Casamicciola Before the centre of town life shifted towards the coast, Piazza Bagni was one of the most important hubs of the town. In 1864 [Giuseppe Garibaldi](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/giuseppe-garibaldi/) arrived here, staying for a day at Villa Manzi before moving to the Sentinella; in 1952 [Angelo Rizzoli](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/angelo-rizzoli/) began the rebuilding of the Manzi baths and hotel. The changes of the late 19th century, when the town renewed itself facing the sea, profoundly altered this part of the area, but its link with spa history remains its defining feature. Find out more in [The birth of spa tourism](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/birth-of-spa-tourism/) and [History of the Gurgitello](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/history-of-the-gurgitello/). Today Piazza Bagni is at the centre of the town's regeneration projects. ## What to see - The Gurgitello thermal basin, one of the landmark sites of Casamicciola's spa tradition. - The historic Belliazzi and Manzi baths and, on Via Ombrasco, the [Antiche Terme Fiola](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/fiola-historic-thermal-spa/). - The streets that climb to the upper town, including the [Piazza Bagni – Via Tommaso Morgera walk](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/piazza-bagni-via-tommaso-morgera-walk/). ## How to get there Piazza Bagni is less than a kilometre from the harbour and [Piazza Marina](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-marina/): you can walk there by heading uphill into the town. From here you can continue towards the [Sentinella](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/la-sentinella/) and [Piazza Maio](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-maio/). Some areas may be affected by building work: please follow the signs. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why is Piazza Bagni famous? It is the historic heart of Casamicciola's spa tradition, which grew up around the springs of the Gurgitello and Cotto basins. Historic establishments such as the Belliazzi and Manzi baths are here. ### How do you get to Piazza Bagni from the harbour? Walk up from the harbour and Piazza Marina into the town, for less than a kilometre. The route climbs gently. ### Did Garibaldi stay in Piazza Bagni? Yes, in June 1864 Garibaldi stayed for a day at Villa Manzi, next to the spa establishment. He took a cure with the waters of the Occhio and Gurgitello springs. ### What is there to see near Piazza Bagni? The Sentinella hill with the Geophysical Observatory, Piazza Maio and the upper part of town. Heading down to the sea you reach Piazza Marina and the seafront. ## Also worth seeing - [Piazza Bagni and the Spa Quarter](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/areas/piazza-bagni-spa-quarter/) - [Gurgitello Thermal Basin](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/gurgitello-thermal-basin/) - [Cotto and Sinigallia Thermal Basin](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/cotto-and-sinigallia-thermal-basin/) - [Gurgitello Spring](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/gurgitello-spring/) - [Antiche Terme Belliazzi](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/belliazzi-historic-thermal-spa/) - [Antiche Terme Manzi](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/manzi-historic-thermal-spa/) - [Antiche Terme Fiola](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/fiola-historic-thermal-spa/) - [Pio Monte della Misericordia Complex](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/thermal-spas/pio-monte-della-misericordia-complex/) - [Piazza Bagni – Via Tommaso Morgera Walk](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/nature/piazza-bagni-via-tommaso-morgera-walk/) - [Giuseppe Garibaldi in Casamicciola](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/giuseppe-garibaldi/) - [Angelo Rizzoli and the Manzi Baths](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/angelo-rizzoli/) - [The Birth of Spa Tourism](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/birth-of-spa-tourism/) - [History of the Gurgitello](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/history-of-the-gurgitello/) - [La Sentinella](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/history/la-sentinella/) - [Piazza Maio](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-maio/) - [Piazza Marina](https://visitcasamicciola.com/en/key-places/piazza-marina/) ## Sources and further reading - [Ischia: i bacini idrotermali di Casamicciola – Hotel La Maggioressa](https://www.hotellamaggioressa.com/it/ischia/) - [Ospizio del Pio Monte della Misericordia a Casamicciola Terme – Italia Nostra](https://www.italianostra.org/beni-culturali/ospizio-del-pio-monte-della-misericordia-a-casamicciola-terme-na/) - [Ischia cambia volto, il piano strategico di Fuksas – MeteoWeb](https://www.meteoweb.eu/2024/06/ischia-cambia-volto-piano-strategico-fuksas/1001508052/) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)