Occhio Spring

The “cool bath” of Piazza Bagni

The Occhio spring is one of the sources of the Cotto and Sinigallia hydrothermal basin, in the Piazza Bagni area of Casamicciola Terme. 19th-century writers placed it a short distance to the west of the Cappone water, in the same area where the private establishments of the Occhio bath and the Gurgitello once stood. The sources also call it the “bagno fresco” (cool bath) and, in earlier times, the “acqua del Loto” or “delle Cajonche”.

Where the name comes from

According to the physician Venanzio Marone, who wrote about it in 1847, the name “Occhio” (eye) came from the inhabitants' old habit of bathing their eyes here; Marone also believed that the older name, “Cotto” (cooked), referred to the use of the water to cleanse burns. He preferred this practical explanation to the more learned one of those who saw in it a symbol linked to Aesculapius. Other descriptions, however, treat the Cotto and the Occhio as two separate springs of the same basin: on this point the historical sources do not agree.

The waters

The Occhio water was already used by local people in ancient times. Popular sources describe the basin it belongs to as alkaline, with a predominance of sodium bicarbonate, and with temperatures of roughly 50 to 60 °C; the name “cool bath” suggests that this spring was felt to be less hot than its neighbours, but no specific measurements are available. Next to the Occhio there also flowed the “iron” water, now remembered among the Oro, Argento and Ferro springs.

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.

The Occhio and the spas of Piazza Bagni

In the 19th century the Occhio area was one of the centres of private spa activity in Casamicciola, alongside the Gurgitello establishment. The Occhio area also has a historical connection with the Antiche Terme Manzi, a leading name in the era when Casamicciola was a spa resort visited by guests from all over Europe.

Where it is and how to get there

The spring is in the Piazza Bagni area, in the upper part of the centre of Casamicciola. You can reach it on foot from the harbour and Piazza Marina by walking inland, or by the island's public transport. It is neither a visitor attraction in its own right nor a bathing spot: to experience the thermal waters of the area, go to the licensed establishments.

What to see nearby

• The Antiche Terme Manzi and the Antiche Terme Belliazzi.
• The Tamburo spring and the Spelonca spring, in the same basin.
• The Gurgitello basin, on the eastern side of the square.