Ancient baths at altitude
At the head of the Valtellina, at about 1,200 metres, Bormio is one of the best-known mountain resorts in the Alps, surrounded by the peaks of the Stelvio National Park. Its medieval centre, with stone houses, frescoed churches and the Kuerc, the old covered square where justice was administered, recalls the time when the "Magnifica Terra" of Bormio controlled the trade routes between Italy and the north.
Bormio has been famous since Roman times for its hot springs: Pliny the Elder mentioned them, and Leonardo da Vinci described them in the Codex Atlanticus. Waters at about 37 to 43 degrees gush from the dolomite rock and feed three spa centres: the Bagni Vecchi, the old baths, carved into the rock with an outdoor infinity pool over the valley and the Roman baths in a cave; the Bagni Nuovi, in a Belle Époque grand hotel with a park; and the Bormio Terme in town. In winter the resort offers skiing on the Stelvio slope, one of the most demanding in the World Cup, which hosted the men's alpine races of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Tip: bathing in the outdoor pools of the Bagni Vecchi with snow all around is an unforgettable experience; in summer the Stelvio Pass road starts here.
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