Milan has raised its profile as a leader in the thermal spa sector with the opening of De Montel Terme di Milano in early April.

The new property, Italy’s largest urban thermal and wellness complex, was first reported in Spa Business back in Q3 2024 and is being managed by Terme & Spa Italia, which runs Tuscany's Terme di Saturnia.

De Montel Terme di Milano accommodates 700 guests and features 10 thermal pools supplied by a geothermal spring located nearly 400m underground, including vitality and plunge pools and a zero-gravity salt pool, with the pools spread across indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as a 15-treatment-room spa.

A bistro, cafeteria, lounge bar and garden bar complete the offering.

In total, the facility covers 16,000sq m, with 10,000sq m dedicated to outdoor space.

Guests can book traditional day spa packages and enhance their experience with a range of treatments, including mud wraps, massages, facials and scrubs.

Inspired by Italy’s rich ethnobotanical traditions, signature therapies include olive oil and basil massages, honey and mud scrubs and grape seed wraps.

A standard three-hour day spa package costs €60 (US$66, £51) per person and provides access to all wet and thermal facilities, including nine relaxation zones, a steam bath, a tepidarium, a large hammam and four saunas. These include a panoramic indoor sauna, a Russian banya, a Swiss pine sauna and a halotherapy sauna.

"With the relaunch of the De Montel stables, we are not only reviving a jewel of Milan's past, but also inaugurating a new era for urban wellness," said Aldo Sansone, managing director.

"De Montel Terme di Milano represents a commitment to promoting accessible and sustainable wellness, offering an oasis of tranquility in the heart of the city."

The new urban wellness development is housed in the restored Scuderie De Montel, formerly one of Italy's most renowned horse stables.

Designed in 1920 by architect Vietti Violi in the Art Nouveau style, the stables were built for the De Montel banking family and served as quarters for thoroughbreds and the horses of the Royal Cavalry regiments. However, the building was abandoned in the 1970s.

The restoration was led by Studio Marzorati, with input from the Archaeological Superintendence of Fine Arts and Landscape, while industry suppliers Myrtha Wellness, Starpool and bbspa_group have contributed to bringing the project to fruition.

The project has been funded through a €50 million (US$54 million, £42.5 million) investment by Infrastructures for Growth – ESG (IPC) fund of Azimut Libera Impresa SGR (Azimut Group) in partnership with Terme & Spa Italia.

Conceived over a decade ago in 2007, the project gained momentum with the Municipality of Milan's inclusion of the De Montel stables in the‘Reinventing Cities’ competition, an initiative launched in 2017 in collaboration with green metropolis network C40C40.

The project emphasises sustainability and respect for nature, aiming to reduce energy and water consumption through onsite energy production, including solar panels, and a rainwater recovery system. The goal is to create an energy-efficient operation with minimal CO2 emissions.

Footnote

Thanks to co-author, Megan Whitby.

Milan’s new De Montel Terme di Milano spa opening in April, featuring geothermal pools and olive oil massages

Terme di Saturnia operator to manage sprawling new thermal oasis in Milan: De Montel Terme di Milano

FEATURE: First person – To the source