Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Milan's latest luxurious offering is bringing new life to a famous historic site. In April 2025, Milan — one of the world's most famous cities for clothes shopping — welcomed De Montel – Terme Milano. This new spa is located on the grounds of an early 20th-century stable and equine training center. De Montel offers a large roster of services and treatments fueled by thermal water pumped from an ancient spring 1,300 feet (about a quarter mile) below the surface — the very spring used by ancient Romans during the height of their empire.

Without getting into minutiae, the thermal water passes through a series of Earth's geological layers en route to the surface, absorbing beneficial minerals along the way. The Ministry of Health–certified thermal water that fills the baths at De Montel is rich in elements known to promote hydration, rebalance the skin, and stimulate cell regeneration, along with properties that have a soothing and anti-inflammatory effect, improve skin elasticity and hydration, and promote blood circulation.

Admission — about $110 for a full-day pass, with partial-day passes ranging from about $60 to $90 — entitles guests to full use of the wellness facilities, including 10 pools, each curated to offer a unique thermal water–centric experience, a sauna, a traditional Russian banya (requisite birch twigs included), an authentic hammam, and a steam bath. Additionally, there are 15 treatment rooms where guests can select from a roster of à la carte wellness and massage treatments. On-site dining options include a relaxed bistro, in addition to a lounge bar, garden café, and casual food court. But there's more to the ultra-luxe spa than meets the eye. Look closely and you'll notice details that offer a glimpse into its past.

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Subtle details narrate the site's long-ago past

Established by Giuseppe de Montel, a prominent businessman and member of elite Milan society known for his extravagant tastes, the original early-20th-century complex was anything but a standard equine habitat. De Montel enjoyed the finer things in life, and he was adamant his horses lived in a manner that reflected his lifestyle. To that end, the original design by architects Arrigo Cantoni and Paul Vietti Violi — who subsequently designed the adjacent racetrack, the Hippodrome of San Siro, a designated monument of national interest — featured ornate Art Nouveau styling and ornamentation. De Montel, who was of Jewish ancestry, was forced to flee Italy in 1938 following the enactment of Mussolini's racial laws targeting Jewish residents.

When de Montel left Italy, he entrusted the property to the care of a local convent, but maintenance costs proved too high for the nuns, and the once-grand stables began to deteriorate. By the 1970s, the San Siro district landmark lay abandoned, neglected, and overgrown. A happenstance discovery — or perhaps more accurately, a rediscovery — in 2007 changed the property's trajectory. That's when it came to light that the ruins of de Montel's once-grand stables were built at the source of the ancient thermal spring. The root of an idea began to take shape: perhaps the stables could be reinvented as a thermal water–centric wellness center — a perfect fit for a city where frowning is technically illegal.

Nods to the location's heritage are hidden in plain sight

The metamorphosis didn't happen overnight. It was another decade before city officials hit upon a creative solution to one of the project's key hurdles: funding. The administration entered plans for the proposed development into an international competition facilitated by C40, a global network of municipal mayors focused on powering creative solutions for sustainable development. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Milan's proposal to create an urban park and well-being center at the site of the historic Montel stables — incorporating the existing thermal springs and adding a solar power infrastructure while regenerating a neglected landmark — won over C40's International Reinventing Cities judging panel. With funding secured, the project kicked into high gear. Under the direction of Milan's Soprintendenza Archeologica delle Belle Arti e Paesaggio (the local oversight agency responsible for historic preservation), and with about $63 million in funding provided by Azimut Libera Impresa — an asset management company working in partnership with the developer, Terme & Spa Italia — plans began to take shape.

Redevelopment involved the meticulous preservation of original features — including friezes, columns, and ornate façades — wherever possible, and the creation of detailed replicas in cases where original features had deteriorated beyond repair. Additionally, only era-appropriate building materials were used, and developers contracted THDP, an architectural design firm with a track record of curating space that reflects a project's location, culture, and heritage. Nearly two decades of meticulous planning came to fruition when De Montel – Terme Milano welcomed its first guests. The expansive 54,000-plus–square-foot complex is a serene oasis of tranquility — and it's less than 4 miles from Centro Storico, the city's historic district.

A modern wellness experience in a historic setting

The painstaking restoration and thoughtful design process resulted in an impressive facility that combines the essence of the property's history, the splendor of restored period details, and all the bells and whistles wellness aficionados associate with taking the waters in a pampered setting. The end result honors the original structure's Art Nouveau architectural details — archetypal gables, imposing clockface, interior colonnade — incorporated by de Montel's architects, with elegant design features made from iron, glass, and leather. Reclaimed early-20th-century water troughs found in the stables became decorative stoneware panels.

Details reminiscent of ornamental saddlery are incorporated into robe hooks and seating areas, and Venetian glass ornaments appear to float beneath a soaring skylight — a detail that may inspire glass lovers to plan a side trip to Murano, the Italian destination that should be on every art lover's bucket list. In addition to building in the solar power infrastructure set forth in the winning International Reinventing Cities proposal, sustainability initiatives included the use of eco-friendly building materials, a rainwater recycling system, the planting of 2,300 new trees, and a promise to plant an additional 230 trees per year for the next 10 years.

To ensure maximum enjoyment, admission is limited to 700 guests (minimum age is 16) per day. Staggered entry times and opening hours from 9:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. on weekends) to 11 p.m. ensure a steady flow through the complex without overwhelming the facility. It's also easily accessible via public transportation. From the city center, take the M5 line to San Siro Stadio and walk about 10 minutes to De Montel. There are no overnight accommodations on site, but De Montel does partner with a few local hotels to offer exclusive guest access.

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