Italian operator Terme & Spa Italia is preparing to launch a large new day spa in Milan on 1 April, slated to become Italy’s biggest urban thermal and wellness complex.

Called De Montel Terme di Milano, the 16,000sq m urban retreat will feature 10 geothermal pools, a 15-treatment-room spa, extensive wet and thermal facilities and 10,000sq m of outdoor space, including a tree-lined mindfulness park.

The spa has been designed as a sanctuary in the heart of the city and will accommodate up to 700 guests at a time.

The facility is housed in the carefully restored Scuderie De Montel, one of Italy’s most renowned former horse stables.

The Art Nouveau structure, built in 1920 by architect Vietti Violi, was originally home to thoroughbreds and royal cavalry. Once owned by the affluent De Montel banking family, the site fell into disrepair after WWII and was abandoned in the 1970s.

Now, after five decades, Scuderie De Montel is being transformed into a luxury urban wellness hub thanks to a €50 million (US$55 million, £43 million) investment from Azimut Libera Impresa SGR, in partnership with Terme & Spa Italia.

Industry suppliers Myrtha Wellness, Starpool and bbspa_group have all contributed to bringing the project to fruition.

Programming and facilities

Ahead of opening, 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.

The spa’s 10 geothermal pools will be spread across indoor and outdoor areas and range from vitality and plunge pools to a zero-gravity salt pool.

Guests will be able to round out their visit with refreshments at the bistro, cafeteria, lounge bar and garden bar.

The visionLed by Studio Marzorati and supported by the Archaeological Superintendence of Fine Arts and Landscape, the project emphasises sustainability. Energy efficiency is a key focus, with onsite solar panels, a rainwater recovery system and eco-conscious operational strategies designed to minimise CO2 emissions.