Historic spas to forget all about stress
Arab baths, waters with healing powers used as far back as the Roman Empire, thermal pools within natural caves…there are so many incredible options for relaxing in Spain.
NASRID INSPIRATION
You can hear the sound of water everywhere and feel it massaging your body. As the bubbles embrace you, breathe deeply, close your eyes and exhale…open your eyes…and the dream goes on: you’re in an Arab bath, floating in therapeutic spring water. Perhaps you’re at the Graena Spa, one of the oldest spas in Andalusia, at the foot of Sierra Nevada National Park.
Nearby is another hydrotherapy center of a long tradition, Lanjarón Spa, enjoyed over the years by such illustrious figures as Virginia Woolf, Bertrand Russell, and Federico García Lorca.
The setting of these spas also has much to offer, from the rural charm of the Alpujarra region to the must-see city of Granada and its Alhambra.
WATERS MADE FAMOUS BY THE ROMAN EMPIRE
It’s true: two of Spain’s spas were already in use during the reigns of the Emperors Trajan and Adrian. In Extremadura, very close to the city of Mérida, whose unique Roman archaeological complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site, are the Roman baths of the Alange spa. Over the centuries, the mineral water of Alange has been used to treat Romans, Visigoths, and Arabs. Today, we find calm and relaxation in these same springs.
In the northern region of Galicia is the Lugo spa. During a stay here you can see the walls of the original Roman baths; other remains from ancient Lucus Augusti include the outstanding city wall, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The nearby Galician province of Ourense is known for its hot springs and spas such as Caldas de Partovia, Carballino, Arnoia, Laias, and Lobios.
FIND YOURSELF IN NATURE
The effect of some spa centers is enhanced by their locations in beautiful natural settings, which take you even further from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Here are a few of the most historic ones.
In the Region of Murcia, enjoy the Archena Spa, a frequent winner of the Wellness Experience Award, where from spring to fall, your sense of smell will be born anew with the fragrance of the jasmine gardens.
The region of Aragon has many spas which are particularly well integrated into their natural environments, such as the Balneario de la Virgen spa, set in a stunning gorge, and the Sicilia spa, which has a thermal bath inside a cave. Termas Pallarés Spa offers a natural lake of therapeutic, thermal mineral water which stays at 28ºC all year round, despite being in the open air; Panticosa spa is an oasis of medicinal springs in the Aragonese Pyrenees.
In northern Spain, the region of Cantabria is known for its natural beauty, and the Puente Viesgo spa is a good example. It’s on the banks of the river Pas, among woodland and meadows near the caves of Monte Castillo, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for their cave paintings.
In Catalonia, one of the best spas is Caldes de Boí, which holds the world record for the greatest variety of medicinal waters.
For more information, please visit Historic spas to forget all about stress.
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Balneario de Alange – Badajoz
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Balneario de la Virgen, Jaraba - Zaragoza
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