Telese Spa: relaxation in the Benevento area

The Telese Spa has very ancient origins: an earthquake in 1349 caused water to gush out from sulphur springs, and once people began making use of it, its beneficial effects on the skin, digestive system, respiratory system and for the treatment of rheumatism soon became apparent.

The frantic pace of everyday life, with all its routine, often makes a short holiday necessary or, at the very least, a period of relaxation away from daily stress.

What better place than the Telese Spa? Easy to reach, it is situated in the heart of the Valle Telesina (Telesina Valley), 30 km from Benevento, in the town of the same name, Telese Terme, and its waters are sulphurous.

History

In 1856, the pools of sulphur water were finally reclaimed and a small establishment was built, thanks to the contribution of the province of Terra del Lavoro (also known as Campania Felix — “Fertile Campania” — which included Campania, Lazio and Molise). After Telese passed to the province of Benevento in 1877, following various managements that had not improved the complex all that much, Ing. Eduardo Minieri (Engineer Eduardo Minieri) began developing the small facility, extending it and equipping it, until it reached the height of its splendour. The first “Goccioloni” (“Big Drops”) establishment was followed by a much larger complex, today equipped for aerosol therapy, water-drinking cures and other types of treatment.

The first scientific account of the beneficial properties of Telese's water dates back to 1734, the year in which Tommaso Bruni wrote “De acidulis telesinis dissertatio” (“Dissertation on the acidulous waters of Telese”), followed in 1819 by “Memorie sull'indole e sull'uso delle acque minerali di Telese” (“Notes on the nature and use of the mineral waters of Telese”) by Pietro Paolo Perugini, and in 1857 by “Guida medica per l'uso delle acque minerali di Telese” (“Medical guide to the use of the mineral waters of Telese”) by Liberio Marrone.

What makes Telese's waters so unique is the presence, in suspension, of divalent sulphur, a substance also found, among other things, within our own bodies. Being rich in carbon dioxide, moreover, it is particularly recommended for reactivating cardio-circulatory function, as it promotes peripheral blood flow by stimulating capillary vasodilation.

Classified as a sulphurous bicarbonate-calcium-magnesium water, it is also good to drink, besides having clear beneficial effects in the fields of vascular health, bones and joints and, above all, dermatology. The large pools of the Telese complex are, in fact, especially frequented by people suffering from conditions such as psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis.

There are five pools available, two cold and three warm; the possibility of moving from one to the other, making use of the hot-cold effect, is precisely the mechanism behind the benefits to blood circulation.

How to reach Telese

By car - for those arriving from the Tyrrhenian coast (whether from Rome, Naples or Calabria), it is advisable to use the motorway. Those coming from the south should continue on and exit at the Caserta toll booth, then join, near Maddaloni, the state road that leads directly to Telese. Those coming from the north should instead exit at the Caianello toll booth, near Teano, joining the SS158 state road, which reaches Telese in under forty kilometres. For those coming from the Adriatic regions, the A16 is recommended, which runs from Canosa di Puglia to Benevento, from where you can then join the road that connects directly to Telese.

By train - you can use the Telese-Cerreto Sannio station, which is on the Caserta-Benevento railway line.