spa

Mariánské Lázně, Czechia

In 2021, Unesco designated 11 historic spa towns across Europe as one transnational world heritage site, recognising their “exceptional testimony to the European spa phenomenon, which gained its highest expression from around 1700 until the 1930s”. This was the original wellness tourism, and these grand health resorts include Bath in England and the town of Spa in Belgium, as well as the west Bohemia spa triangle of Karlovy Vary, Františkovy Lázně and Mariánské Lázně.

Of that trio, Karlovy Vary is the most well known and within a day trip of Prague, but Mariánské Lázně is arguably the prettiest. The town offers three natural healing traditions: mineral springs, carbon dioxide springs known as Maria’s Gas, and therapeutic peloids (mud and clay). Czech nationals are still prescribed weeks-long spa stays to recover from surgery, severe illness or chronic conditions, but anyone can check into the Nové Lázně hotel (doubles from €234 B&B, including spa access), a canary yellow neo-renaissance confection built in 1896 that faces the central park.

Its spa is a trip back in time: baths surrounded by marble columns and intricately decorated treatment cabins, including one built for King Edward VII, who visited nine times. Join tourists and locals drinking the waters from special porcelain cups while walking along the colonnades, and don’t forget to pair it with a spa wafer – large, thin, crispy confections with sweet fillings such as hazelnut or chocolate. It’s not all virtuous.

Bad Kissingen, Germany

Germany is home to about 350 designated spa towns, including three of the Unesco Great Spa Towns of Europe: celebrity favourite Baden-Baden, quiet riverside Bad Ems and elegant Bad Kissingen in Bavaria. The latter’s striking architecture is arguably the most interesting of the three, much of the central spa district having been rebuilt by star German architect Max Littmann in the early 20th century. This includes the grand fountain hall, with its stained-glass roof, where Brunnenfrauen (fountain women) dispense different mineral waters from bronze pipes, and the huge basilica-style Wandelhalle, where the town’s spa philharmonic orchestra performs several times a day.

Music has always been part of the spa experience – the Staatsbad Philharmonie Kissingen holds the world record for the most concerts performed in one year (727!) – and the beautiful art nouveau-style Regentenbau houses one of the best concert halls in Europe.

The modern KissSalis Therme (from €19 for two hours) on the southern edge of town is the main public bathhouse today, with indoor and outdoor thermal pools, mud treatments and various – clothing-free – saunas.

At the more classical end of the spa spectrum, the Grand Hotel Kaiserhof Victoria (doubles from €209 B&B, including spa access) sits next door to the Wandelhalle on the town’s Kurgarten. The water used in the spa here is pumped up directly from the brine spring, while the inhalation room has a wooden graduation tower covered in knobbly salt deposits, which mimics the healing effects of mineral-rich sea air.

Bad Wildbad, Germany

Deep in the north of the Black Forest, this spa town offers ways of immersing in nature beyond soaking in waters from the thermal springs. Rising above the town, Sommerberg (meaning “summer mountain”) will get pulses racing. A funicular railway whizzes visitors to the top, the starting point for hiking and biking routes. For more heart-pumping views, the accessible Treetop Walk (€12.50) spirals above the dense pine trees to an observation tower 40 metres up, with a tunnel slide back down the middle for extra thrills, while the Wildline suspension bridge (€9.50) – with its 380-metre walkway – arches over the Enz valley for maximum views.

Back in town, there are two thermal baths to dip into: the modern Vital Therme, where those with joint and back problems are prescribed movement therapy and spa treatments (€14 for three hours); and the historic Palais Thermal, where the pools are surrounded by marble pillars, statues of Venus and Moorish tiles (€21 for three hours). Mokni’s Palais Hotel is connected to the Palais Thermal building, meaning guests can pad over in their bathrobes (doubles from €183 B&B, including access to the spa).

Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, France

Local legend has it that, after many battles, the medieval lord Seigneur Hugues de Tessé freed his faithful warhorse Rapide in Normandy’s Andaines forest to live out the rest of its days in peace. Much to the nobleman’s surprise, the horse later returned to him stronger and full of life, then led his master to the warm, sulphurous waters of Bagnoles’ spring. Centuries later, a spa resort sprang up so the Parisian bourgeoisie could also tap into this fountain of youth, with belle époque villas laid out on the shores of a lake in the middle of the forest (today, it’s also handily less than an hour and a half from the ferry at Caen for British wellness seekers).

That belle époque quartier was the vision of local politician Albert Christophle, whose former hunting lodge on the edge of the village is now the very lovely five-bedroom Château du Gué aux Biches (doubles from €195 B&B).

This summer, its Danish owners, Klaus Bentin and Soren Rasmussen, added a new restaurant in the old kitchen, serving up smørrebrød (open sandwiches).

The hotel has a partnership with the nearby spa at B’O Resort, meaning Klaus or Soren will line up your treatments, and there are bicycles to borrow so you can pedal a couple of kilometres over for that clay body wrap or hydromassage.

The surrounding forest is crisscrossed with hiking, biking and trail running routes. In autumn, take things more meditatively by going mushroom foraging among the more than 1,700 varieties sprouting from the Andaines forest floor.

Bad Gastein, Austria

This genteel town in the Hohe Tauern Alps was built on water; indeed, a roaring waterfall cascades right through the middle of it. The healing reputation of its radon-rich waters, which bubble up from the town’s thermal springs, saw grand hotels built in the 19th century to house the emperors and aristocrats, writers and thinkers (Sigmund Freud among them) who came to be cured of their ills.

The fashion for “taking the waters” trickled away, but in recent years there’s been something of a revival, with a clutch of new hotels opening. The Cōmodo (doubles from €188 B&B) is one of them, a slick spot refashioned from a 1960s sanatorium. Bedrooms look out over the valley and mountains, as does the thermal water-filled indoor pool. There are several public fountains where you can still drink water straight from the source (warm, slightly salty and metallic tasting), but perhaps more palatable is to soak at the brutalist Felsentherme public bath complex with its numerous pools (€40 for a day pass).

Just as warming – but with fewer health benefits – is a bowl of Kaspressknödelsuppe (beef broth with cheese-infused dumplings) at the cosy cabin of Schafflinger Alm (soups from €4.50, mains from €17) after a bracing hike through the forest or carving up the Schlossalm-Angertal-Stubnerkogel ski area, where the season kicks off in late November.

Piešťany’s Spa Island, Slovakia

Just before crossing the Colonnade Bridge to get to Piešťany’s Spa Island, there’s a statue of a man breaking his crutch, symbolic of the healing powers of the town’s thermal waters and sulphurous mud, harnessed on this enclave of wellness in the Váh River. The first simple wooden bathhouses were built on the island in 1778, but the opening of the Thermia Palace hotel and its Irma Balneotherapy House in 1912 turned it into a health resort.

Further hotels and spas are dotted between the trees and become increasingly concrete and functional as you get further from the bridge.

The Thermia Palace is still the fanciest option, with a raft of treatment programmes in the spa, from extensive diagnostics and lab tests to mud packs and pools (doubles from €210 half-board, including spa access). The blue-black goop is applied all over the body at a toasty 45C and left for about 10 minutes before being unceremoniously hosed off.

Outside, the spa park also feels restorative, with lily ponds, fountains and free-roaming peacocks.

In town, Elektrárňa Piešťany is a former power plant turned cultural centre that feels surprisingly vital, with film festivals and rock concerts, while the strikingly brutalist House of Arts hosts chamber orchestras and tango music trios.

Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia

This town in eastern Slovenia is famed for Donat Mg, one of the world’s most magnesium-rich mineral waters, traditionally consumed for its digestive benefits. The company now sells millions of bottles of the stuff each year, but here at the source you can sip it for free from the fountains in the Pivnica Drinking Hall – although its salty, fizzy, metallic flavour is something of an acquired taste.

Like other towns of its ilk, Rogaška attracted the great and the good of Europe in the 19th century, and its confection of architecture is testament to that. A short stroll away from the drinking hall, through immaculately clipped gardens, the butter-yellow Grand Hotel Rogaška is straight out of the town’s golden age (doubles from €198 half-board include spa access). Bedrooms are traditional, but the spa has all the bells and whistles, from carbon dioxide baths and mineral water inhalations to reflexology and magnetotherapy.

Somewhat fittingly for a town famous for its drinking water, Rogaška is also known for its glassware – and visitors can tour the Rogaška crystal factory (€12) to see the glass-blowing in action before buying glasses for their Donat Mg from the on-site shop. The surrounding wooded hills are the place for autumn walks.

Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy

In Emilia-Romagna’s so-called “food valley”, not far from Parma, this small spa town will help balance out some of that indulgence. Last year, the Italian thermal brand QC Spa of Wonders reopened the beautiful art deco-style Terme Berzieri, where the gilded interiors – all frescoes, mosaics, majolica and stucco – are as much of a draw as the salty spring waters, rich in iodine and bromide (five-hour spa sessions from €62). There’s the usual thermal attractions, as well as a sauna cinema and infinity rooftop pool, while treatments in wooden barrels nod to the area’s winemaking.

Try some of those wines at the Cantina Il Poggio vineyard in the hills outside Salsomaggiore, which produces a range of styles including the local sparkling Malvasia di Candia Aromatica (tastings from €30). Continue the tastings with a visit to a parmigiano reggiano producer, such as Caseificio Ugolotti (tour and tasting €23), before picking up some ham from Parma’s famous La Prosciutteria. Stop for a roast pork sandwich at legendary panini place Pepèn, before feasting your eyes on the Pilotta Palace complex with the Galleria Nazionale, Palatine Library and Farnese theatre, while the opulent Teatro Regio hosts the annual Verdi festival in October. The organic agriturismo Case Zucchi, about a 10-minute drive from Salsomaggiore, makes a suitably foodie base, with bedrooms named after herbs and the breakfast table piled with fresh bread, eggs, ham, cheese and fruit each morning (doubles from £104 B&B).

Caldas de Monchique, Portugal

High in the Serra de Monchique mountains, surrounded by cork oak and eucalyptus forests, the whitewashed hill town of Monchique offers a slower-paced autumn escape than the nearby Algarve coast. Its cobbled streets are lined with craft shops, ceramic workshops and simple taverns serving chouriço (smoked sausage) with a small glass of medronho (fruit brandy). In a wooded valley below town, the spa village of Caldas de Monchique is little more than a handful of 19th-century buildings around a shaded square and park, where you can drink slightly warm spring water from the public fountain.

Wallow in the alkaline waters a little longer at Caldas de Monchique Villa Termal Spa Resort (doubles from €84, thermal water circuit £17 for 90 minutes).

The spa offers hydro rituals including a Vichy shower, massage and bath, or thermal water circuits around the pools, sauna and Turkish baths, before a dip in the outdoor pool.

Afterwards, the 1692 restaurant, with its stained-glass windows, dishes up bacalhau à Monchique (salt cod stuffed with chouriço and ham). It’s not far from here to Fóia, the highest mountain in the Algarve at 902 metres. It’s worth the walk to the summit for the views, or hike on a further 2½ miles (4km) to the Barbelote waterfall, which cascades over a rocky cliff face in the wetter months.

Chaves, Portugal

There’s a little run of spa towns in the north of Portugal near the Spanish border, a curative route through Pedras Salgadas, Carvalhelhos, Vidago, Carlão and Chaves.

In Chaves, the waters are some of the hottest in Europe, coming out of the ground at a scorching 76C. The Romans built a large therapeutic bathing complex here, that was only rediscovered by accident in 2006 when work began on an underground car park. Now, the free Museu Termas Romanas de Chaves allows visitors to explore the pools and soaking baths, perfectly preserved thanks to an earthquake in the 4th century that sealed them for millennia.

To take the waters today, head to the Aquae Salutem Thermal Complex (€30 for 90 minutes), a circuit of outdoor pools, saunas, steam and showers that opened in 2025.

About half an hour down the road, the Pedras Salgadas Spa and Nature Park sits on the fringes of one of the other small spa towns. The owners have built 18 eco-houses and treehouses on stilts (doubles from £171 B&B, spa access additional £17 per room) among the pine trees at the source.

Guests can do a spot of forest bathing before dipping into the spa – redesigned by one of Portugal’s most famous architects, Álvaro Siza – for a thermal water hydro-massage, or wander between the pink spring pavilions in the park. Pedras Salgadas is also a popular, naturally sparkling mineral water brand.

Mont Blanc is hiding behind the clouds, but the Aiguille du Midi spears the sky above a mountainside ablaze with russet, gold and tawny tones. The maples flare red; rowan trees are dusted with crimson berries.

Our little group has trundled up to Mont Lachat station (altitude: 2,115 metres) on the Tramway du Mont Blanc, the century-old cog railway that climbs improbably steep slopes from the French alpine town of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. Operational since 1909, the railway was once intended to reach the 4,809-metre summit of Mont Blanc, but war, glacial terrain and waning funds put an end to that ambition. But even from Mont Lachat, the view is a showstopper. On one side, the Bionnassay Glacier slips scenically down the slope, a buzzard soaring over the milky-green glacial lake at its base, while on the other the Chamonix valley basks in soft autumnal sunshine.

An art nouveau spa in Stockholm

Tucked away off a pretty shopping street in a beautiful art nouveau building is one of Stockholm’s oldest spas, Centralbadet where a day ticket costs from £23. As winter darkness descends, candles are lit around the pool and a quiet calm envelops you. Swimming by candlelight is a treat. Next a sauna followed by an ice-cold plunge. Afterwards a nightcap is in order so it’s a brisk walk in the cold crisp air to Fotografiska restaurant. It’s a great spot to savour one of Stockholm’s best views; the old town Gamla Stan and the twinkling lights on Lake Mälaren.
Sarah Rochfort

‘Completely timeless and immersive’: birdwatching in Norfolk

Birdwatching at the Cley and Salthouse marshes in Cley-next-the-sea, Norfolk. The two bird hides are meditative and relaxed spaces. The windows open directly on to the pools of saltwater where many different species of birds obliviously wander around. It’s a place that is completely timeless and immersive. Your only job is to gaze out at the birds. It’s a very popular spot for birdwatching but the atmosphere is friendly and quiet. Someone even let us have a go with their binoculars. We particularly enjoyed watching a nest of baby swallows huddled in the corner of the hide. The marshes cover a wide area and are so important for biodiversity, providing an essential resting place for resident and migratory birds. You might even spot a spoonbill, which have returned to the UK from 2010 after being absent for hundreds of years. Well worth a wellness visit, even if you don’t really know anything about birds (like me).
Petra

Hampshire’s Scandi sauna huts

A fresh ginger concoction, orange slices and a friendly sauna master greeted us at the Hello Outdoors shepherd’s hut sauna, which has a picture window overlooking the historic Lymington Sea Water Baths. The deep blue of the sky and water, Swedish sauna hats, the calming scent of our chosen essential oil, a soothing soundtrack and the option to ease the sauna heat with an exhilarating plunge in an ice-cold tub or more genial dip in the sun-warmed sea baths made for a very enjoyable and restorative couple of hours away from real life. We didn’t want to leave.
Claire Edwards

Forest bathing in Croatia

For five days in Radoboj, northern Croatia, we forest-bathed beneath the trees, walked slowly, practised breathing and meditation and ate simple local food. No luxury spa, no expensive treatments – just nature and time. I wore an Oura smart ring throughout. My resting heart rate fell markedly and, by day four, the ring recorded four and a half hours of restorative time. More importantly, I felt profoundly different. It completely overturned what I thought wellness travel was. Sometimes the most restorative place isn’t a spa. It’s a forest.
Bex Hamilton

Bath time near Sofia, Bulgaria

The natural mineral springs in Sofia mean bathhouses are a way of life. Bankya is on the outskirts of the city, so I travelled by bus to visit the Central Mineral Bath Bankya. This opulent bathhouse is owned by the Sofia municipality, meaning the atmosphere is a mix of the everyday council baths and extraordinary architecture from the early 20th century. You can visit from under €10 and, as well as the promised health benefits of the natural spring water, there is a thermal zone, a salt room, aromatherapy, saunas and steam rooms with an array of massages too.
Sarah Collings

The perfect spa and skiing combo in Poland

While skiing in Zakopane, Poland, we made a lot of use of Terma Bania, an incredible pool and spa centre right in the heart of the ski resort. There is something magical about watching the sun go down in blissfully warm water and surrounded by snow. There is an astonishing array of saunas, pools and steam rooms, surrounded by mountain views. We discovered there are also several thermal pool and spa complexes in the surrounding area, and ended up spending as much of our holiday in the spas as we did on the slopes!
Frances

Simmer by the loch in Argyll

The Lochside Sauna at West Coast Wellness (£17 for 2.5 hours) in Evanachan sits on the shore of Loch Fyne. Hidden away from the single track road, a 10-minute walk takes you to one of the most peaceful saunas in the UK. From the giant window, sit back and watch the water of the loch (keep an eye out for dolphins), slowly preparing yourself to make the short walk down and take a dip in between the heat. Alternatively there is a cold water plunge which if anything is colder than the loch! The centre also offers yoga and pilates sessions and there’s the delicious Inver restaurant just around the corner.
Lewis

Wild swimming and wildlife in North Yorkshire

Wild swimming at Pool Bridge Farm guarantees a wholesome retreat from the vibrant bustle of neighbouring York. Transformed from old fishing ponds, the sprawling site comprises four lakes and ample space for lounging and lunching. A revitalising dip is best paired with a stop in the sauna (£16.50), priming those brave enough for the raw, heady thrill of the next plunge. To top it off, head to nearby Wheldrake Ings nature reserve, one of North Yorkshire’s top wildlife destinations, especially for waterfowl. As the flood waters rise from autumn, so does the abundance of migratory birds. A serene natural scene to soothe the soul.
Fin

Sensory walk in the Black Forest, Germany

My two teenagers and I stumbled on a wellness experience for the mind, body and soul while we were wandering around the Black Forest near our holiday base of Freiburg last summer. A friendly German walker with a tree branch for a stick and a large husky for a companion told us to try a barefoot sensory trail at Park mit Allen Sinnen (park of all the senses) as we walked along together through the forest. So we followed his advice. It involved walking barefoot over grass, sand, woodchips, stone, mud and more while trying to tune into our five senses. We began by putting our hands into hollowed-out trees with our eyes closed to guess what objects were placed there. There were bright, colourful flowers, natural scents to imagine and huts to relax and sit in full of sounds and smells to immerse ourselves in with eyes closed. We repeated these walks for three days, heightening our contact with our own senses – and treating ourselves to rye bread and cheese sandwiches with forest fruits berry juice from simple forest cafe cabins as a reward.
Helen

Winning tip: County Donegal’s peerless sauna on the pier

If you find yourself on the wild coast of south County Donegal, head to the Sliabh Liag Sauna at Teelin pier. After a day of hiking (and maybe one or two pints of porter the evening before), the small wood-fired sauna right on the pier was the perfect unwind. We followed it up by taking a sea dip in the bay just steps away. If you have plenty of time, combine the sauna with a nearby boat trip to the unforgettable Sliabh Liag sea cliffs towering 601 metres (1,972ft) above the sea.
Peter Henry

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