The Stufe di Nerone, a thermal park in the Campi Flegrei.

About this activity

"Qui se ipsum amat, in hunc locum venit," meaning "He who loves himself cannot help but frequent this beautiful corner of paradise."

Le Stoves of Nero are the thermal park of the Phlegraean Fields, here gardens and meadows constitute a small paradise on earth.

Don't spread the word too much-it is better to be few in number.

Why visit the Stoves of Nero

Set in the beautiful scenery of the Phlegraean Fields, Nero's Baths in Campania have been known since ancient times. Baia's rise coincided with the last period of the social wars, but its baths were already known in the 2nd century BC, when consul Gnaeus Cornelius went there to cure his arthritis.

Thermal baths, thanks to the therapeutic power of the waters and the charm of the environment, attracted worldly and elegant society since ancient Rome. The Stufe di Nerone complex, equipped with swimming pools and a wellness center, is located near Lucrino, on the border between the municipalities of Bacoli and Pozzuoli, and is open in both winter and summer.

The Stoves of Nero and the Romans

As early as the second century B.C. in Bay spas began to be built; it is said that hot springs were invented right here. In a short time it became an elite resort. The blue sky, the transparent sea, the pleasant climate, the warm water of the spa: everything seemed to be made to stimulate laziness and pleasure. The beauty of the place and the richness of the landscapes were such as to inspire people like Horace, who said that no gulf in the world shines brighter than the pleasant Bay.

Distinguished men such as Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great, Mark Anthony, Lucullus and Cicero They owned their own vacation residences here. To the deities, as a manifestation of their presence, was attributed the healing efficacy of these abundant and miraculous waters. It was to the Nymphs, in fact, who personified the springs, that cults were raised and to them people turned to implore healing. Pliny the Elder stated that nowhere on earth was there greater abundance and variety of waters as in the Gulf of Bay.

With the decline of the Empire in the 5th century AD came the end of Baia as well, first because of bradyseism that submerged the entire coastline, then also because of barbarian invasions. In the 18th century Baia again became known for its renowned thermal waters and grand Roman remains, which led to its inclusion on the Grand Tour of European travelers. In the last decades of the 19th century Baia, with the establishment of shipyards and improved communications, finally emerged from its isolation, exchanging more and more ideas and products with the nearby Naples.

The Stoves of Nero in our time

In the 1960s, the Colutta brothers reinvented Baian thermalism with the rediscovery of the spa: with the help of their wives, they began to use the mud baths and unearth the establishment half-hidden by debris and weeds. So in 1973 they built the thermal pool and renovated the site, creating the first hint of what is now the spa area. Filippo and Pasquale Colutta transformed the facility from "Circolo Nuoto Lucrino" into Nero's Stoves Club. The facility, thanks to the foresight of the owners, has continued to grow by obtaining ministerial awards, expanding to its present size.

Today it includes a natural sauna, an indoor thermal pool with whirlpools and jets, thermal showers, an outdoor semi-Olympic thermal pool, indoor hot and semi-hot rooms, and a thermal park with springs.

The most important things to know about Nero's Stoves

Within the spa park, everyone is free to create their own path to achieve relaxation and personal mental and physical balance.

Immersion in the thermal pool is particularly recommended after physical exertion as the high water temperature promotes the reduction of muscle contractures. For those who practice sports, it is recommended to rest until heart rates regularize before using the spa facilities. Staying in the spa bath is a pleasure, but too prolonged stays should be avoided: soaking for more than 5-6 minutes can become exhausting. It is best not to use soaps at the end of the treatment: the dilation of the pores would result in the absorption of artificial substances through the skin.