Abano Terme

Abano Terme (town changed its name from Abano Bagni in 1930) is a town in the province of Padua, in the Veneto region, Italy, on the eastern slope of the Colli Euganei; it is 6 miles (10 kilometers) southwest by rail from Padua. Abano Terme's population is 18,232 (2001) (in 1901 it was only 4,556).

The town's hot springs and mud baths are much resorted to, and were known to the Romans as Aponi fons or Aquae Patavinae. A description of them is given in a letter of Theodoric, the king of the Ostrogoths. Some remains of the ancient baths have been discovered (S. Mandruzzato, Trattato dei Bagni d'Abano, Padua, 1789). An oracle of Geryon lay near, and the so-called sortes Praenestinae (C.I.L. i., Berlin, 1863; 1438-1454), small bronze cylinders inscribed, and used as oracles, were perhaps found here in the 16th century.

The waters were hot, sometimes as high as 180 to 187 degrees Fahrenheit. When applied to the surface of the body, either by bathing or by means of the mud application or process, they were said to be efficacious in the cure of rheumatism, gout, and diseases of the skin.tructures

The spa resorts of Abano Terme have modern hotels and facilities and is one of Europe's most important spas.