Treat yourself to one of Italy’s oldest traditions: taking the waters at a spa. That’s SPA, as in Salus Per Aqum = Health Through Water. Spa, as in AH…that feels soooo good. If any “I’m in Italy, I should be at a museum” thoughts come up, shut them down. You’re having a valuable cultural experience.

Every region of Italy has curative thermal springs gurgling below. The Ancient Romans, experts at enjoying sensual pleasures, built elaborate bath houses around these waters. They were social centers where spirits were lifted; aches and pains soaked away.

Today, these places are taken seriously by Italy’s health care system. So say you’re Italian and you have arthritis or some other ailment. Instead of popping pills, a doctor will write a prescription for you to spend time at a spa, where you’ll go through a supervised program of soaking and massage.

Italians and visitors from all over Europe and Russia flock to these places. Many of them are grand old hotels. And there’s a growing number (especially in Tuscany) of spas that are closer to the American model, offering yoga classes and acupuncture. American travelers haven’t caught on to them yet, even though there are bargains to be had, especially in the early spring and fall off season. Hotel packages that include treatments cost a fraction of what you’d pay for the same thing in America. Well, not exactly the same thing: think Italian food and wine. Plus, there’s a gentler philosophy here—rarely are there hard core gyms or punishing diet offerings on the menu. And don’t be surprised if you see a few folks smoking.

For the best bargains, head to the country and seek out Italy’s wild spas—free places where you just walk in and soak with the locals.

Wherever you end up taking the waters, you’ll come out rejuvenated in body and spirit, just as the Romans did. So relax, slow down, enjoy…