Acqui Terme

Acqui Terme is the historic spa town of the Alto Monferrato, built among vineyards where steaming mineral water still rises in the middle of town. Roman baths and an aqueduct, a Romanesque cathedral, a Paleologi castle, Art Nouveau thermal establishments and a deep wine culture give this small Piedmontese city an unusually full deck of reasons to linger.

Why visit

The heart of Acqui is an event you can watch from a café table: La Bollente, the “boiling one”, where sulphurous water at up to 75 degrees rises beneath a small nineteenth-century pavilion, wreathed in steam on cold mornings. Around it folds a compact historic centre carrying two thousand years of wellness tourism — Roman vaults and a hot pool under porticoes, medieval towers, the cathedral, and grand thermal buildings still in use. The surrounding hills are UNESCO-listed vineyard country, and the local Brachetto d’Acqui, a sweet sparkling red, gives the wine route its own identity. Between spa afternoons, archaeology, food and cycling routes along the Bormida, Acqui works as both a stop and a base.

Character and history

The town began as the centre of the Statielli, a Celto-Ligurian people conquered by Rome in 173 BC. As Aquae Statiellae it grew into a genuine Roman spa, complete with an aqueduct whose arches still stand near the Bormida, public fountains, a forum and a theatre. The Middle Ages brought episcopal rule from the late tenth century, an independent commune, then absorption into the Marquisate of Montferrat, whose Paleologi dynasty left the castle that now anchors one side of town; the House of Savoy followed. The cathedral, consecrated in 1067, remains the city’s spiritual landmark, its Romanesque interior holding a triptych by the Spanish master Bartolomé Bermejo. Spa culture renewed itself in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with the grand establishments near the springs, and a small Jewish quarter, with its synagogue and cemetery, recalls a community present since the fifteenth century. Today Acqui balances its double identity as an unhurried Piedmontese town and a working thermal destination.

What to see

Begin in the centre at La Bollente Thermal Fountain, then step inside the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta on Piazza Duomo, where the bishop’s palace and seminary complete a handsome ensemble. The Paleologi Castle – Civic Archaeological Museum presents prehistoric, Roman and later collections, and the adjacent Diocesan Museum of Acqui Terme covers the cathedral’s artistic inheritance. Roman Acqui is remarkably accessible: the Roman Pool (calidarium) on Corso Bagni lies under the arcades, the Roman Aqueduct of Acqui Terme lines the Bormida’s course, and the Roman Theatre of Acqui Terme sits near the town centre. For the spa tradition itself, the Nuove Terme (new thermal baths) keep the historic establishments working, and on the hills above town Villa Ottolenghi pairs a monumental villa with a park and sweeping vineyard views. The Synagogue of Acqui Terme and the former ghetto streets round out the Jewish heritage itinerary.

How to experience

Structure a stay around water. Book a thermal circuit or treatment in one of the spa establishments — the waters’ properties and current offerings are detailed on the official tourism site — then balance the indoors with walking: the archaeological route through Roman remains takes an hour or two, and the historic centre is best explored slowly, tower by tower. Wine lovers should call in at the Terme & Vino regional cellar in Palazzo Robellini to taste Brachetto d’Acqui and the area’s other labels. Cyclists do well here: riverside paths and hill loops through the vineyards are a local staple, and e-bike rental is easy to arrange. Around town, truffle outings, “giant bench” photo stops and alpaca-farm walks give the surrounding Monferrato hills some playful texture.

Practical planning

Acqui Terme lies about 35 kilometres southwest of Alessandria, with rail connections toward Alessandria, Genoa and Asti, and is easy by car from the Ligurian coast. The historic centre is walkable, though it rises on a gentle slope; the spa quarter stretches along Corso Bagni to the west. Book thermal treatments ahead in high season, and check the tourism portal turismo.comuneacqui.it — or the tourist office on Viale Don Tornato — for current spa programmes, museum hours and events. Spring and autumn are ideal: the town is lively, the hills green or golden, and the steam of La Bollente photographs best in cool air. Summer brings heat and fuller spa calendars; winter has its own charm with misty mornings.

Nearby places

Within the province, Alessandria offers the great star-shaped Cittadella fortress and a fortified-city history worth half a day, while Casale Monferrato — a short drive north across Monferrato — brings its own cathedral, baroque palaces and renowned synagogue. Both sit comfortably within a day’s excursion from Acqui, and the wine roads between them pass some of Piedmont’s most celebrated vineyard country.