Water Therapy Is Fueling The Next Big Travel Trend

At Forte Village, a luxury resort in Sardinia, I found myself waist-deep in a murky brown, oily bath. The water was so salty I grabbed an inflatable pillow from the side of the pool to keep my head above the surface, but still, I had to brace my core to stay upright. Once I adjusted to my newfound buoyancy, I let the viscous water engulf me, feeling my muscles relax.

This was the first of a circuit of six seawater pools within the resort that I rotated through, each set to a different temperature with varying properties. The first bath was silken with magnesium, while the last two were fizzy from pressurized jets. The progression is intentional; it follows a formula that Dr. Angelo Cerina, head doctor at Acquaforte Thalasso Spa and The Forte Lab medical and diagnostic center, designed in 1990 and fine-tuned based on ancient salt pan techniques and the unique characteristics of the Gulf of Santa Margherita di Pula, whose unusually salty waters are naturally rich in minerals.

Thalassotherapy, the ritual of submerging in seawater, has long been a draw for Italians seeking improved skin health, reduced inflammation, and stress relief. This practice dates back to ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Grecian civilizations and, unlike many other wellness trends, never really disappeared. In parts of Europe, water therapy still falls under the umbrella of medicine. In Italy, balneotherapy — bathing in thermal, mineral waters — is partially covered by the national health care system and can be prescribed to treat conditions like osteoarthritis, says Dr. Michele Antonelli, M.D., preventative medicine physician and thalassotherapy researcher in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Now, thalassotherapy and other forms of hydrotherapy (using water as medicine) are seeing a resurgence in Mediterranean resorts. The ripple effect has reached as far as the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States. According to the American Spa 2025 Trend Report, Jacqueline Berry, director of spa and well-being at Miraval Resorts, says that the demand for these treatments rose 26% last year.

And there’s real science behind the soak. Antonelli says thalassotherapy has been shown to ease psoriasis and joint pain from rheumatic disorders like fibromyalgia. Other studies suggest that it can speed up muscle recovery and relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. Cerina says that because of the high mineral concentration, these pools have an “osmosis effect,” helping to improve fluid retention and circulation. Many people report feeling lighter post-treatment.

At Forte Village, I met a visitor who has returned for three decades, faithfully completing the seawater circuit every day of her trip. This repeated exposure — at least five days — is what promotes long-lasting effects that you’ll feel for weeks, says Antonelli.

Here are a few places around the world where water therapy runs deep — each using its local environment to shape the experience.

Forte Village: Sardinia, Italy

Set along Sardinia’s southern coast, Forte Village’s Acquaforte Thalasso & Spa is one of Europe’s most robust thalassotherapy centers. As soon as you step foot on the boardwalk that leads to the pool area, you feel like you’re entering a different world. The circuit includes six seawater pools, each designed for a specific purpose, as conveyed on helpful placards.

The first pool, rich in magnesium, feels almost syrupy and leaves your skin coated in a light film of salt. The next pool takes the salinity down a notch but adds aloe and mint. The latter pools aren’t nearly as salty, but have jets and waterfalls to target pressure points, like your feet or stomach. (It sounds strange, but I can attest to their effectiveness) As you move through the sequence, you can feel your body relax. My mind also settled as I enjoyed some much-needed phone-free time. The full circuit takes about an hour, and guests are encouraged to repeat it daily to see the full benefits for muscle recovery and relaxation. Some people float in silence, while others use it as an excuse to socialize with fellow guests.

Gurney’s Resort: Montauk, New York

Gurney’s Resort in Montauk is one of the only destinations in the U.S. offering a full thalassotherapy experience, drawing seawater directly from its own well beneath the resort. The treatment is modeled after the Mediterranean versions, right down to the heated salt pools that mimic the density of the ocean. Michael Nenner, COO and president of Gurney’s Resorts, says the property also features indoor-outdoor treatment rooms with seawater soaking tubs, where therapists perform seaweed wraps and scrubs.

Palazzo Fiuggi: Rome, Italy

An hour outside Rome, Palazzo Fiuggi draws on the region’s famous spring water, aptly named Fiuggi water, long believed to have detoxifying effects. The whole property is palatial and extravagant, and the thalassotherapy pools sit in a dimly-lit room with a window view of the lavender gardens outside. You spend 15 minutes in each of the two large pools, and then dunk in a cold plunge — which isn’t nearly as icy as cold plunges in the U.S.

But the spa also offers plenty of other water-based treatments. I tried the three-step hydrotherapy, starting with a long soak in a warm salt bath. Then, I was coated in mud, wrapped in plastic, and covered with a blanket on a heated, cocoon-like waterbed. The therapist mercifully left my arms free so I didn’t get claustrophobic. The treatment ended as I was sprayed down with what looked like a mini fire hose. My therapist worked methodically, sweeping from my ankles to my shoulders and forming circles on my stomach, explaining how the movements helped with circulation and digestion.

Castle Hot Springs: Phoenix, Arizona

You don’t need to be by the coast to get the benefits of mineral waters. Castle Hot Springs, about an hour outside Phoenix, channels geothermal springs into a circuit of natural pools surrounded by desert cliffs and saguaro cactuses in the Bradshaw Mountains. The water is rich in magnesium, lithium, and bicarbonates — minerals that relax muscles and calm the nervous system. Guests start at the hot upper pools (106°F) and then make their way to cooler lower basins (still a comfortable 86°F), following a similar format as Forte Village’s thalasso circuit.

Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita: Riviera Maya, Mexico

One of the Caribbean’s only thalasso centers, Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita has a beachfront seawater pool. While many thalasso circuits are inside a calming yet sterile spa environment, this one is outside, open to the breeze from the nearby ocean. Antonelli says that the entire seaside environment, including the coastal air and sunlight, plays a role in thalasso’s benefits, so the design may very well be more than just an aesthetic choice. It’s one pool, so it’s not as substantial as other resorts, but it’s one of the most relaxing places for a salty soak.