Fiuggi Hotels - things to do and attractions
Things to Do in Fiuggi, Italy: Fiuggi Hotels travel guide on the best things to do in Fiuggi. We’ve got all the best attractions listed with reviews. Have a look below for more details on Fiuggi Attractions, restaurants, nightlife, bars, clubs, events and shopping.
Don’t forget to check out our other sections for details on Fiuggi Hotels, Getting to and from Fiuggi and around once there, plus candid traveler photos and reviews. Don’t forget to visit this magnificent part of Italy, just an hour from Rome!
Use the search form to review and book hotels in Fiuggi – at up to 70% off.
Top things to do and Attractions in Fiuggi:
If you’re in Rome in the spring or from August to November, you can take a wonderful day off and head for the hills south of the city, to the enchanting medieval town of Fiuggi.
Originally called Anticoli di Campagna, the obscure conglomerate of stone buildings gained renown as early as the 1300s, when Pope Boniface VIII claimed his kidney stones had been healed by the mineral waters that gushed forth from the nearby Fiuggi spring. Two centuries later they relieved Michelangelo of what he called “the only kind of stone I couldn’t love.”
Soon the miraculous acqua di Fiuggi was being sent in bottles to all of Europe’s royalty. Not until the turn of this century did it become fashionable to make pilgrimages to spa towns, and it was around that time that the King of Italy renamed Anticoli in honor of its most celebrated attraction.
Today Fiuggi is a classic Italian hill town, beginning with its layout as two separate towns. Blanketing the slopes at 2500 feet above sea level is the medieval old town, called Fiuggi Città. At its feet is the 20th-century spa town, called Fiuggi Fonte, where you can test the waters for yourself and admire many beautiful façades painted with the delicate Liberty style that was so popular in Italy from 1910 to 1930.
The spa building itself is typical of the large, ornate palaces that were erected all over this mineral-rich country to make the hoi polloi feel like the aristocrats who had always ordered their water to go, thank you very much. If you come here now during holidays, or in June and July, you will rub shoulders with many government employees, whose mandatory health benefits include free spa health treatments.
During other months you will have many of the streets and squares to yourself, especially in Fiuggi Città, which you can enter through the picture perfect Portella, the only remaining gate to the medieval burg. One lucky family has made an immaculate home for themselves inside the creamy ochre structure, which includes a panoramic round tower joined to the main building by a passageway suspended over the arched gateway. No need to worry about noisy traffic: most of the old town is for pedestrians only.
Fiuggi Hotels - things to do and attractions
In olden times, local residents reached their homes by climbing hundreds of stairs, most of which are still intact. Few towns have more steps than Fiuggi, which offers you the option of ascending by following the impeccably cobbled streets around and around the hill top or by clambering straight up. Either way you are liable to encounter friendly natives, whose sweet dispositions and famed hospitality may be at least partially due to their town’s wonderful mild climate.
As you stroll through the lanes, pay a visit to the tiny church of Santa Maria del Colle, and to the church of S. Biagio, which was entirely rebuilt in the 17th century. Ironically, the rather unusual cast iron fountain in Piazza Piave was erected only in 1907, to celebrate the arrival of running water in this town that owes its very existence to the abundant springs running below the hill. At the center of the ancient town is the ornate Palazzo Falconi, surpassed in splendor only by the former Grand Hotel, now the municipal theatre.
Fiuggi Hotels - things to do and attractions
An interesting process is afoot these days in Fiuggi Città. You see, in the centuries between 1500 and 1800, this and many nearby hill towns were part of the Papal States.
Unlike its neighbors, Anticoli di Campagna provided an excellent source of revenue through the sales of its miraculous waters, and so it was often “bestowed” upon noble families in payment for services rendered. Sometimes these ungrateful aristocrats didn’t even bother to visit their tiny fiefdom, but they always sent a delegate to make sure none or few of the profits stayed in town.
These upper-class outsiders slowly covered the original medieval walls with the painted plaster we admire so much in the Eternal City, and so they changed almost the entire appearance of the town. Today a very active group of local residents is slowly restoring the stone façades; every one you see represents a small victory of the locals against their former absentee landlords.
Like all Italian spa towns, Fiuggi has loads of great shopping, and plenty of good restaurants serving hearty local food. The most illustrious hotel in town is the Grand Hotel Palazzo della Fonte, one of Europe’s best-known grand hotels, with over three hundred spacious rooms, a covered and an outdoor pool, a fitness club, tennis courts and a first-rate restaurant.
Once you have visited all the sights of the Eternal City and are looking for some quiet and relaxing place to enjoy the beauty of nature and Italy’s geniune countryside. But still you would not want to go far away outside of Rome, then we highly recommend to take a regional train, which in 40-50 minutes will bring you to Fiuggi. What is this town like? What it is famous for? Here are the precious tips and answers for you!
Fiuggi is a small town of the province of Frosinone, Campania region of Italy. It is very interesting to trace the origin of this town’s name. Famous a time like Anticoli di Campania (Campania was the name of the low Lazio until the 1800’s), acquired in 1911 the actual name, originally reported only to the place where the water gushes out; it would derive from the Latin Fluvius – river; according to another theory it would have origin instead from the name of the fern, plants very abundant in this territory.
The city historical center (Fiuggi City) rises on one hill to the slopes of the Ernici Mounts; to where, encircled from forests of chestnut trees, the modern thermal center of Fiuggi Terme extends. It is thought that a small village, of Felcia name, existed already to the age of the Ernici, the allocated preroman population in this area of the low Lazio. In the 367 a.C. the roman domination had started, and to the roman period they go back the first attestations on the property of local waters of Fons Arilla.
The name still changed in the Middle Ages and had become Anticoli. The castle of the small village was subject to the dominion of the Caetani, Sforza, the Borgia dinasty, and finally of the Column, that they maintained their power on the city until to 1816, when had renounced to the feudalism because of the taxes from Pope Pio. In 1911 the valorization of the curative property of waters left took place, with the inauguration of the Source Bonifacio VIII; in 1913 there was opened the Great Hotel Palace della Fonte, one of most prestigious of Europe, than the successive year the family would have received actually. So, Fiuggi actually became a point of reference for many “notables” of the age who came here also only for a period of svago (relaxation). During the second world war it carried out the hospital function (using the hotel structures) for the allies forces.
Fiuggi’s waters have their high curative and depurative values.
Fiuggi water is a natural, oligomineral water. Its composition comes from the tufaceous ground of the hollows occupied by the Spas. It was chosen as Official water of JUBILEE 2000 and rumored to be the choice at the Vatican.
Fiuggi Hotels - things to do and attractions
To our days the area of Fiuggi has a lot private citizen properties, also after Rome, a greate number of lodges of the Lazio, and is one of the known thermal and spa centers of most of Europe, with a remarkable tourist flow.
Thanks to that are often chosen like center of conferences and political manifestations, accommodated in the Palaterme.
The two sources, Bonifacio VIII and the Anticolana. In the last years problems there has been a decrease of the tourist visits due to evident economic problems, but it seems however that the crisis is fading away.
Fiuggi: at glance: Lazio Region, Frosinone Province (also known Ciociaria). Inhabitants are 8.763 and the surface is about 33 km2, with a density of population about 265 people for km2. Distance: from Rome 62 km, from Florence 271 km and from Venice 411 km.
How to get here
by train: from rome Termini station to Anagni station in 50 minutes ( train Cassino-Fiuggi ) and then connection to Fiuggi by cotral bus in half an hour
by car: take a1 motorway mi-na, exit “ Anagni- Fiuggi terme” and then follow the signs to Fiuggi at approx. 18 km, in 1 hour drive
by plain: Rome airport “Leonardo da Vinci” – Fiumicino is at approx 1 hour drive
by coach ( cotral bus ): from rome Termini station ( Piazza dei cinquecento) to Fiuggi in half an hour
How to get there by Car:
On the Autostrada A1 (Roma-Napoli) and exit at Anagni-Fiuggi, then follow directions to Fiuggi.
Fiuggi waters are especially noted for the treatment of kidney stones and their fame has led to the development of over two hundred and fifty hotels.
Things to do in Fiuggi:
Today Fiuggi is a classic Italian hill town, beginning with its layout as two separate towns.
Blanketing the slopes at 2500 feet above sea level is the medieval old town, called Fiuggi Città. At its feet is the 20th-century spa town, called Fiuggi Terme.
Main attractions include:
- The tiny church of Santa Maria del Colle
- The church of San Biagio, which was entirely rebuilt in the 17th century.
- The cast iron fountain in Piazza Piave, erected in 1907 to celebrate the arrival of running water in this town that owes its very existence to the abundant springs running below the hill.
- The ornate Palazzo Falconi, at the center of the ancient town.
- The former Grand Hotel, now the municipal theatre.
Speaking of the Grand Hotel it’s at: Palazzo della Fonte Via Dei Villini 7 03015 Fiuggi Fonte (FR)
Fiuggi Hotels - things to do and attractions
Located less than an hour from Rome and perched on a hilltop in the tranquil countryside, the 5 star, Grand Hotel Palazzo Della Fonte features one of Italy’s premier health and beauty centres. Everything has been planned to restore the hotel to its turn-of-the-century splendour, combining the elegance of yesteryear with a host of modern comforts.
The comfort and hospitality of this hotel is very similar to that of Hotel Des Artistes in Rome. Today, with its “liberty” façade’s frescos sparkling anew, with the harmony and elegance of its ambiences and the enchantment of its pool, the Grand Hotel Palazzo della Fonte is experiencing of its best seasons ever, enhanced by the most up to date technology in comfort.
Inmersed in the peace and quite of a lush secular park, the hotel makes sure that its 153 rooms and suites receive mother’s nature best: sunlight, clean fresh air and silence.
When Lord Charles Forte, originally from this area himself, bought and restructured the hotel, he did so wanting to evoke the charm of an English country manor: floral designs in soft pastel hues, antique furnishings and huge bathrooms all in Carrara marble. All Palazzo guests can enjoy the splendid views of the medieval fortress, swimming pool, park and surrounding hills. Many rooms and suites have beautiful and romantic canopy beds, others have terraces with lounge chairs and tables where one can enjoy breakfast out in the open. The hotel’s solid culinary tradition proudly boasts the inheritance of world famous chef, Luigi Carnacina, chef of the Palazzo’s kitchens while at the beggining of a magnificent career.
Today, Francesco Marino, the Executive chef at Ristorante Savoia, has carried on with the tradition of high quality cooking, proposing mediterranean specialities with creative expertise and local ingredients. Even more, assisted by the Medical Beauty Center’s experts, Chef Francesco Marino also supervises guest’s personalised diets! Last but not least, the hotel has a wide variety of sports activities, and there is an 18-hole golf course within three minutes of the hotel as well as a children’s playground.
As time went by, use of the experimental method led to an innovative approach in using thermal waters for therapeutic purposes and new treatments being introduced.
Fortunately, society progressed and the amount of available financial resources increased among all sections of the population thus making it possible for everyone to benefit from thermal treatments. The advantages of these treatments are not only linked to the waters’ curative properties but also to the beauty and natural attractions that are a general characteristic of Italian spas. The idea of treatment also being a means of recovering energy and physical well-being is quite rightly connected to the idea of a holiday resort and intelligent use of leisure time.
In this way the ancient tradition of thermal waters was modernised and brought up to date. And today more than ever, the use of new methods has turned it into a fundamental tool of modern medicine. A specialist guide contains descriptions of the main treatments used.
Therefore thermal resorts’ success is linked to the overall quality of life in the spas. Indeed there is no doubt that the environment plays an important role in treatments which involve rest or seasonal cures. And a stay which offers a large range of possibilities both with regard to broadening cultural and artistic knowledge and the climate is extremely advisable.
They say that thermal waters have been used for therapeutic purposes in the Mediterranean region since such a long time as shown in archaeological finds, literary and scientific writings. The treatments have been kept the same over 2 thousand years or so, since the age of the great Greek philosophers use to go there to prove either they exist or not.
The old Hippocrates used to recommend the use of thermal spas and he surely knew about the very thing praising of the properties of mineral waters and hot springs in one of his books. So it has to be truth if he says so!
One point in our modern crazy non stopping way of life (Oh! No more debates about the true nature of love! Who are we! What are we living for! Only taxes and mortgages) is the idea of treatment also for recovering vital energy and used as a balancing in this modern stressed society and physical well-being is quite rightly link with a visit to this kind of resorts.
And why am I saying this? Because Fiuggi is one place no far away from Rome (it’s somewhere between Rome and Naples indeed) where you could go and recharge your self, having fresh air pollution-free and tranquillity everyone needs.
I went for a wedding so a realize that I could stay for a couple of days, hotels are not expensive at all. After that weekend I simply felt my self full of life and peaceful.
If you are planning to get marry first I would advise you to reconsidered it, but if you are completely lost and there is no choice you will have two main advantages: a) The place is perfect, wonderful overviews, peaceful and well connected, Rome is not far at all b)You can save some money, for the same service you have to pay more in a Big Town.
The reception was at Grand Hotel Palazzo della Fonte, Via Dei Villini 7 and it was great. It is located less than an hour from Rome and up there on a hilltop in a lovely countryside, five stars and a premier health and beauty centre.
Ok, there goes my suggestion, so think about your health, remember Hippocrates, have thermal baths and …don’t get marry!
Want to learn more about Fiuggi?
- Things to do and attractions in Fiuggi
- Getting to and from Fiuggi and transport once there
- Need to book a hotel in Fiuggi? Use the search form at the top of the page.
- Contact Us for advice on Fiuggi and to book a hotel
- View / Cancel Fiuggi Hotels Booking.
Payment accepted for all card types: Mastercard, American Express, Visa, Maestro and more.
