Salice Terme: Greenway, spa park and Fonte Sales

Salice Terme is a spa town situated at an altitude of about 167 metres on the first foothills of the Apennines. The town stretches between the hills of San Bartolomeo and Nazzano, on the left bank of the Staffora. Specific points of interest for your stay include a cycling and walking route, the historic spa park, Fonte Sales and several reminders of the town’s history.

Greenway and route characteristics

The Voghera–Varzi Greenway is a combined cycling and walking path. Its flat section connects Voghera with Salice Terme; the hillier section runs through the Staffora Valley to Varzi. The first 14 kilometres of the Voghera–Salice Terme section are mostly flat. The sections described therefore differ mainly in their terrain: the first kilometres towards Salice Terme are mostly flat, while the stretch through the valley to Varzi is hillier.

You can rent e-bikes from SalicEbike all year round by reservation, for half a day, a full day or several days. If you plan to use a bike for a specific period, book in advance and confirm availability. The rental periods listed can help you tailor your plans to the length of your stay, without presupposing a particular route length.

Spa park and outdoor activities

The historic spa park features old trees and shady avenues. It offers space to relax, go for a walk and exercise. The park thus combines several uses in one place: you can plan a break or a stroll in the green space, while the Greenway offers a separate option for cycling and walking tours.

The poet Ada Negri is also associated with Salice Terme. She spent several seasons in the town and wrote some of her finest verses in the park beneath the oak tree named after her. The tree is still standing. This links a visit to the park with a specific literary memory, rather than limiting the history to a building or church alone.

The Parco Avventura Salice Terme offers a different activity: its UP 2 TREE attraction lets visitors climb trees up to 16 metres above the ground. Tree climbing offers a different focus from the town’s paths and spa park.

Fonte Sales and the thermal facilities

Fonte Sales is in the heart of Salice Terme and is easy to reach. Its sulphurous water is usually about 10 to 14 °C, regardless of the weather outside. Only when outdoor temperatures remain below freezing for a prolonged period in January or February does the water temperature fall to about 8 °C. The spring is also said to have been the first in Italy whose water was found to contain iodine, and the first mineral water to be officially used in medicine.

Terme di Salice has a thermal pool with a vascular path, waterfalls and hydromassage facilities. The thermal facilities are currently being renovated. If you are planning to visit the pool, check its current availability before travelling.

Churches and local history

Historical records of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary date back to around the year 1000. The church was initially served by Benedictine monks and later by Dominicans.

The church dedicated to Cristo Re was built in 1939. Salice Terme became an independent parish in the same year. Cristo Re is the town’s patron saint; the associated feast day is 8 September. Together, the two churches provide different points of reference in the town’s history: records of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary date back roughly a thousand years, while Cristo Re is linked to the establishment of the parish in 1939.

Getting oriented locally

The Salice Terme Infopoint provides tourist information and assistance, guidance to help you find your way, and printed information and promotional materials. If you are looking for information about your stay while in town, you can find several forms of guidance in one place.

Discover more destinations: Ceranova, Cilavegna, Ruino, Cervesina, Casteggio, Menconico, Montecalvo Versiggia, Sannazzaro De' Burgondi

For the broader travel overview: Pavia.