Source of salty-bromine-iodine water that flows naturally at a temperature of 74°C with a remarkable flow rate of 560 liters per minute. A local legend reports the custom of immersing newborn children for a few moments in the Bollente spring: according to the famous story, those who survive are named "sgaientò," i.e., scalded... #tuttitaly
Nestled in the rolling hills of Alto Monferrato, Acqui Terme is known for its thermal baths and local cuisine.
The thermal economy developed from the twentieth century onwards with the construction of numerous centers and baths where it was possible to enjoy the beneficial properties of the waters.
Acqui Terme is famous for the Piazza della Bollente, where there is an octagonal marble aedicule surrounding a thermal spring from which boiling and curative water gushes: 560 l per minute at 74.5 °C of sulfurous-salt-bromine water.
According to an ancient tradition, newborn children were taken to the spring to be immersed there for a moment: if they came out alive, they deserved the nickname of sgaientò, meaning scalded.
A few meters further, we find a fountain with three spouts in a niche in the wall. Drinking water here is a natural healthy touch.
The Civic Tower overlooks Piazza della Bollente, which served as the city's civic clock from the end of the eighteenth century.
Not far from the Bollente, we find the Church of San Francesco. The building stands out for its monumental façade and preserves inside a canvas by Guglielmo Caccia Moncalvo.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built starting in the 10th century, is worth a visit. It is a Romanesque building with a Latin cross plan with five naves. It is possible to admire the triptych of the Madonna of Monserrat by the Catalan painter Bartolomeo Bermejo (end of the 15th century).
Another symbol of the spa town is the Fountain of the Water Lilies, which with its white marble and the majesty of the stairway of the step-baths, allows spectacular access to the city center.
Gastronomy
When you visit Acqui Terme, don't miss the opportunity to taste the typical chickpea flour, the formaggetta, a soft goat's milk cheese, or the kissed fillet.
And when it comes time for dessert, remember to toast with a glass of excellent local wine, such as the sparkling red Braghetto DOC or the sparkling white Moscato DOC.
The rum aquese is also famous, a bar of chocolate made with dark cocoa filled with rum and melted chocolate.
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