The eight spas in Spain with the best thermal waters

Health and beauty tourism is a very attractive alternative to the classic coastal destination. In our country there is an immense number of centers with their own springs open to the public.

In fact, Galicia is one of the Autonomous Communities with the largest number of them. The Balneario de La Toja, in the Rías Bajas, and the Balneario de Mondariz, just 25 kilometers from Vigo, stand out.

In La Toja, whose hot springs were declared of public utility in 1868, customers can relax and enjoy various mineral-medicinal treatments. All this surrounded by an idyllic natural environment, in which nature and the sea merge. Techniques such as hydrotherapy, balneotherapy or thalassotherapy -treatment in which algae and thermal mud are used- are just some of the many pleasures offered by this classic among classics.

The Mondariz Spa, opened in 1873, defines itself as a benchmark among the main European spa towns. Located in one of the spa regions par excellence of the Iberian Peninsula, it has managed to adapt its facilities to the leisure needs of the 21st century. Recently, it has received the National Health Award, for three centuries of support for natural medicine.

In Asturias, Las Caldas Villa Termal, which first opened its doors in 1776, allows its clients to enjoy two spas: Aquaxana -which has a relaxing pool in the dome, based on Agrippa’s Pantheon- and El Manantial, located in the old Bath House.

Near some of the highest peaks of the Huesca Pyrenees, is the Panticosa Spa. The thermal water center, which opens from December to April and from June to September, offers its guests an immense variety of waters, among which the slightly carbonated, oligometallic, sulfated and hyperthermal sulphurous ones stand out. All of them spring from the Tiberius Spring, already known in Roman times, and have exceptional and beneficial properties for health.

Whoever has chosen Catalonia as a holiday destination should not miss out on visiting the Vichy Catalán Spa Hotel, located in the town of Caldes de Malavella, in Girona. Its origin dates back to 1883, the year in which the waters of the Puig de les Animes spring were officially declared of public utility. The hotel, whose thermal center occupies a total of 700 square meters, has recently been awarded the Certificate of Excellence that the TripAdvisor website awards to hotel establishments that consistently receive good reviews.

Just 184 kilometers from Madrid, is the Solán de Cabras Royal Spa, nestled in a natural area of ​​the Cuenca mountain range, in the municipality of Beteta. Tradition says that the discovery of this paradise was due to a shepherd, whose sick goats were cured after bathing in these waters. In fact, in the year 1755, the then King Carlos III ordered the construction of the baths and the guest house on which the facilities of the enclosure are currently supported. Little by little, the aforementioned hot springs center gained popularity and renown, thanks, in part, to the testimonies of the doctors and the pilgrims themselves who spread the salutary effects of the waters. They are weakly mineralized, hypotonic, bicarbonated, and calcium-lithinic, ideal for kidney disorders, rheumatic diseases and digestive problems.

Spas with their own name

Near Plasencia, next to the provincial border with Salamanca, the Montemayor Spa is an obligatory stop on the Vía de la Plata. Located in the town of the same name, north of Extremadura, its origin dates back to Roman times. The waters of this thermal center, especially recommended for people suffering from arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatological processes and respiratory conditions, come from two springs close to each other: Columna and Arqueta, and their upwelling temperature is 43 degrees Celsius. Nestled in a small green valley, it is a perfect plan to enjoy a pleasant stay and relax with the health services that Montemayor offers.

Last but not least, the Archena Spa in Murcia allows all its guests to let themselves be pampered through its thermal waters, which flow at 52 degrees Celsius. Its mineral components, such as sulfur, chlorine, sodium or potassium, make it a very beneficial liquid for health. Located in the Ricote Valley, this spa is ideal to benefit from its mineral-medicinal waters.

Regardless of the option chosen, the truth is that Spain preserves a very extensive spa tradition to enjoy this natural gift in a relaxing environment.