Rio Foino - Bobbio's Acqua Salata

About Rio Foino - Bobbio's Acqua Salata

Rio Foino, also called Acqua Salata (salty water), is a small public thermal spring on the bank of the Trebbia, right opposite Bobbio, in the province of Piacenza. It's one of the very few free thermal springs in Emilia-Romagna, and it has a very long history: in Roman and then Lombard times salt was extracted from this water, and for centuries local people have used it to heal and to get together.

The water is salt-iodine and sulphurous and, according to FAI (the Italian National Trust), it comes from a depth of about 1,500 metres at a constant temperature of around 20 °C. So it isn't a hot soak, but lukewarm, refreshing mineral water, perfect on summer days. A small masonry and stone basin, built recently, collects the spring water and lets anyone bathe for free; just below, before reaching the river, the water forms a natural pool rich in thermal mud.

Getting there is very easy: from the centre of Bobbio, walk across the famous Ponte Gobbo, also called the Devil's Bridge, and on the right bank you reach the little Rio Foino park in a few minutes, about 300 metres from the bridge. The Bobbio tourist office describes the spring as always accessible, with bathing possible during the summer season.

The basin is small and the water is shallow and not hot, so the place also suits families, always keeping an eye on children near the river. There are no changing rooms or showers: arrive with your swimsuit on and a towel. The Trebbia next to it is a real river, with currents that can become strong after rain: it's best not to go into the riverbed when the water is high.

Rio Foino has been nominated several times among FAI's "Places of the Heart", a sign of how much it is loved by the people of the valley. Treat it with respect: no soap, no rubbish and don't take mud away from the natural pool.

The visit goes perfectly with a day in Bobbio, one of the most beautiful villages of the Val Trebbia, with the Abbey of San Colombano, the Malaspina dal Verme castle and the gravel beaches along the river. In summer you can alternate a dip in the cool waters of the Trebbia with a stop at the spring's salty water.