A rare warm-spring, quasi-enclave, the drive to Bagni di Craveggia takes almost three hours from Stresa.  With water temperature at a tepid 28 degrees, probably, only worth the effort of visiting this quirky site if you already happen to be in the nearby area.

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Though geographically in Switzerland (in that it is on the Swiss side of a ridgeline), the tiny three-building hamlet of Bagni di Craveggia is actually  located entirely in Italy, and hence not technically an enclave.

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Conventional wisdom has it that national borders follow ridgelines. In reality, in mountainous areas, borders sometimes reflect historic possession and use of land rather than geographical features; this is related to the fact that higher sunny slopes on the other side of a border could be exploited and claimed by farmers from a neighbouring country in spring when the snows melted before farmers from the closer valley bottom could reach them.

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There are just two ways of reaching the warm springs:  either an all-day trek over the mountains from Val Vigezzo or a very circuitous drive into Switzerland. This superb drive will take you  through Val Vigezzo in Italy where, just before  the Swiss border, in the town of Re, you’ll be astonished to see Italy’s largest Byzantine style church – a popular pilgrimage sanctuary.

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The route continues in Switzerland through the glorious Centovalli, playing hide-and-seek with the Domodossola-Locarno mountain railway, a marvel of engineering. Confirming Switzerland’s reputation as the unmatched masters of mountain transport systems, there are also three cable cars to whisk you up to hidden hill-side villages – obviously coordinated with the mountain train. The last stage of the journey takes you through the wild, picturesque Val Onsernone to the village of Spruga. As the road skirts the edge of a precipice, which plunges down steeply to the valley bottom, this is definitely not a place for back-seat drivers. Once in Spruga, park your car and walk for 45 minutes until you reach the invisible border. You are now back in Italy.

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Bagni di Craveggia was first referred to in documents back in 1352 when it previously enjoyed the more enticing name of Acquacalda (Hot water). In 1573 an agreement was signed to award rights of pasture to Italy but this failed to settle the matter and in 1806 an international commission was set up between the Italian Napoleonic Kingdom and the Swiss Confederation. This commission awarded Bagni di Craveggia to Italy.

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The Bagni di Craveggia hotel was opened in 1823 and was moderately successful before being destroyed in a fire in 1881. The hotel was rebuilt but this time was destroyed by an avalanche in 1951 and then allowed to fall into ruin until a couple of years ago the Bagni were finally restored.

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The recent restoration is a clever amalgam of the old ruined stone building alongside sensitive modern touches such as two outdoor tubs hewn out of solid stone, wooden decking, glass and simple Kneipp therapy warm and cold baths. All the modern features are open to the elements and free to use. Next to the warm springs is a river which  can be crossed by bridge lower down or forded in the summer.

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At a height of nearly 1000 metres, the spring is south facing; it makes a pleasant picnic or sunbathing spot during the summer months.

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Parking

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There is limited free parking in the village of Spruga. Best to arrive early.