Ombrasco Spring

The hill that guards the Gurgitello

The Ombrasco is the hill that encloses Piazza Bagni to the east, in Casamicciola Terme. At its foot lies the Gurgitello hydrothermal basin, and 19th-century writers placed the source of the Gurgitello spring itself on its southern slopes. The Ombrasco spring – referred to in some descriptions as the “cala dell'Ombrasco” – is one of the veins of water that flow into this basin.

The hill's name also survives in the local street names: on Via Ombrasco stand the Antiche Terme Fiola, one of the historic establishments of the Bagni quarter.

The waters

The sources consulted include the Ombrasco spring in the list of the Gurgitello's sources, without giving specific data. The basin's waters are described as clear and saline-bicarbonate-alkaline, with temperatures of around 60–65 °C. No recent analyses are available for the Ombrasco spring alone.

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.

A place in spa history

The area between the Ombrasco and Piazza Bagni is where Casamicciola's spa tradition took shape. Here, in 1604, the Neapolitan noblemen of the Pio Monte della Misericordia chose to open their treatment house for the poor beside the abundant waters of the Gurgitello; here, in the 19th century, the establishment commissioned by Ferdinand II of Bourbon (today's Antiche Terme Belliazzi) was built, along with many other private baths, hotels and guesthouses for spa guests. In his 1847 memoir, Venanzio Marone described the water flowing from the slopes of the Ombrasco, to the left of the road from Ischia.

Where it is and how to get there

The Ombrasco area is on the eastern side of Piazza Bagni, in the upper part of the centre of Casamicciola. You can walk there from the harbour and Piazza Marina by heading inland and uphill for less than a kilometre, or take the island's public buses. The spring is not a sight in its own right nor a bathing spot: to experience the basin's waters, go to the licensed establishments in the area.

What to see nearby

• The Antiche Terme Fiola, on Via Ombrasco.
• The Oro, Argento and Ferro springs, in the same basin.
• The Gurgitello spring and the Antiche Terme Belliazzi.