La Rita Thermal Basin

What is the La Rita basin?

The La Rita hydrothermal basin lies in the upper part of Casamicciola Terme, on the western side of the municipality. Its waters rise at the bottom of a deep ravine, the Cava La Rita (also called Cava Grande di La Rita), on the slopes of Monte Epomeo and at the foot of the small Cesa hill. Popular sources give it an area of around 4,000 square metres.

The main spring is the La Rita spring, which for more than a century supplied the Antiche Terme La Rita, one of the island's best-known establishments for mud treatments.

A geothermal landscape

The valley is a place where the island's deep volcanic activity shows itself at the surface. Hot water and gases rise along faults and fractures in the ground, and there are also fumaroles in the area. Italy's Civil Protection Department notes that intense hydrothermal activity, with hot water and gas emissions, is one of the signs that Ischia is an active volcanic area, currently dormant.

The character of the waters

La Rita's waters are among the hottest in Casamicciola: sources give temperatures of roughly 60 to 72 °C, varying from vein to vein. They are clear and salty-tasting, oily to the touch and fizzy when shaken. They are classified as bicarbonate-sulphate-sodium waters, with a considerable amount of sodium chloride. Traditionally, the basin's fame rests above all on its muds.

A note on health. Information on the properties of the waters is of historical and general interest only and is not medical advice: thermal treatments should be taken only at licensed establishments and on a doctor's recommendation.

History and name

Early writers called the spring “dello Rete” or Fons retis; according to an explanation given by local sources, the name derives from “creta”, clay, which in local speech became “reta” and then “rita”. In 1588 Giulio Iasolino described a clear, warm, sweet water that the people of Casamicciola and Lacco used to drink.

In the 19th century the basin became a destination for foreign travellers: the Danish writer Vilhelm Bergsøe, a friend of Henrik Ibsen, recounted arriving in Casamicciola in 1867 and treating an arm with La Rita's muds. The scholar Paul Buchner identified the Terme Rita as the first establishment on Ischia where mud treatments were practised. In 1912 the establishment's waters and muds were awarded a gold medal at the International Exhibition in Paris.

Current status and how to get there

The La Rita valley lies in the area of upper Casamicciola, reached from the centre by climbing towards the Maio. According to the island's spa portal, the spring and the establishment are not currently accessible. It is advisable to check the status of the site before setting out.

What to see nearby

• The La Rita spring and the Antiche Terme La Rita.
• The trails of Monte Cito and the Monte Cito solfatara, in the western hills.
• The district of upper Casamicciola, with Piazza Maio and the Sentinella.