Στον τόπο του Βενέζη και του Εφταλιώτη, εκεί που σκάει το κύμα, βρίσκονται οι ιαματικές πηγές που κάποτε αποτελούσαν τόπο διακοπών και θεραπείας.Η μικρή πισίνα έχει στη βάση της πέτρες και στεγάζεται με τρούλο χτισμένο επί τουρκοκρατίας. Τροφοδοτείται με ανόθευτο νερό, θερμοκρασίας 43 έως 46°C. Νερό με το μεγαλύτερο ποσοστό αβλαβής ραδιενέργειας στην Λέσβο, χλώριο, νάτριο και άλλα ευεργετικά μέταλλα. Άκρως χαλαρωτική εμπειρία.
A blog post with more depth.
If too much, feel free to vent your frustrations ...
Let's start with Italy's latest.
Hopefully, the last chapter in Bullicame (Viterbo) re-emergence. Il Messagero (Jul. 23) reports on the efforts to cap the (private) Zitelle spring in favour of the public springs nearby. This has already resulted in the return of waters to the Bullicame spring as both it's pools have filled up.
A (translated) snippet to the champion of this course:
"It is a victory for the Viterbo spa system, which cannot afford waste", comments euphorically Giovanni Faperdue, former president of the Bullicame association and managing the Fb [Facebook] group "Il Bullicame e Santa Rosa". "Every drop of glass of thermal water that comes out of our basin must be exploited for therapeutic purposes, it cannot end up in a ditch".
Giovanni Faperdue Storico (Jul. 23) on the Il Bullicame Facebook page:
PILLOLE DI TERMALISMODopo la chiusura del pozzo delle Zitelle, è tornato a crescere il livello della Callara. Adesso le vasche ricevono acqua a sufficienza a sono piene e calde. Ancora pochi sanno di questo "paradiso", ma già oggi pomeriggio c'erano in molti. Anche intere famiglie.
Over the Alps. Another developing story.
How would you like a share in a thermal spring? The Bagno Populare association of Baden (Switzerland) have initiated a drive to acquire the "Bad zum Raben" spring. Translated from the Raben Baden website:
'On the former bathing floor of the “Zum Raben” bathing inn (first mentioned in writing in 1299), there will be various pools with natural thermal water again in the future. A small bistro, a small stage, space for art and relaxation (incl. a warm towel) and a pool media library breathe life back into the Raven. – and create a place of encounter, relaxation and culture. For this purpose we founded the Bad zum Raben cooperative, for which we are now looking for members like you. For the operation of the Bad zum Raben, the establishment of a non-profit association as a tenant is later sought'.
The drive went very successful (objective met within 5 weeks) and 631 shareholders are now proudly owners of their own hot spring, located in a building in the center of Baden (Bagno Populare Facebook, Jul. 19).
Following are the next step(s): re-developing the lower floor to make it fit for soaking and art exhibitions. Raben Baden:
All very exciting news.'How does it go from here? After the summer holidays, we will discuss the next steps with the current owner, Eglin Immobilien AG, so that the purchase can take place this fall.From now on you can write down your wishes and suggestions for future cultural and bathing activities on the large poster in front of the "Raben" entrance (on the "Limmathof" side). Together with the spa culture project board of the "Bäderverein" and the artist Philipp Furtenbach, we collect all suggestions related to the questions: How do we bathe today? Which bathing rituals do we wish for in the future? How do we want to organize a bath? The inputs can soon also be submitted online at https://www.baederkultur.ch/wiebaden.Very important: We are still looking for as many Raben members as possible, because we will need more equity for the conversion - and what is also important to us: The "Raben" and its thermal water should belong to as many people as possible. So please continue to rave about "Bad zum Raben" and convince your relatives and acquaintances so that they also become members of the cooperative'.
Francebleu has an article (May 12) on the discovery of an ancient bathing site while reconstruction was taking place concerning the Grand Hôtel d'Evaux-les-Bains. It was expected that finds would be made as there was knowledge concerning these, when the 19th century thermal establishment was built over remains. However excavation has revealed way more than what was to be expected.
More excavating news. Artribune (Aug. 4):
'Years of excavations, in San Casciano dei Bagni [also a location of free thermal baths], in the province of Siena [Tuscany], have paid off: in recent weeks the large team of archaeologists in situ has discovered the real dimensions of a sanctuary that had already returned votive objects during the previous campaigns. , altars and bas-reliefs, as well as a treasure with extraordinary connotations....There are therefore two discoveries that make the last weeks of excavations at the Bagno Grande exceptional . On the one hand, the actual size of the sanctuary area - where there are countless sacred buildings, altars and pools -, on the other hand the quality and rarity of the objects that emerged'.
It's foreseen that a special museum will be created to house the finds.
Sauvons la source Croizat (Auvergne, France) has a couple of Facebook updates as they still await what the future might bring. Lots of love shared towards the unofficial enhancements which had been previously destroyed by local authorities.
What the current situation looks like:
La nouvelle source d eau chaude croizat magnifique #sourcecroizat #myauvergnerhonealpes #myauvergne #auvergnedamour #auvergnetourisme #auvergne #naturephotography #patrimoinefrancais #paysagemagnifique #sourceeauchaude #montdore #sancy #puydesancy #running #thermale
Still in France, Strasbourg then.
Les Bains pour Toutes is the name of a Facebook campign page persuning non-mixed bathing in the renovated Roman baths of Strasbourg (Bains Municipaux de Strasbourg); basically wishing women's only hours. Or possibly I'm not fully comprehending. Because they might also pursue a return of clothing optional bathing (and saunaing).
Pokaa.fr (Feb. 22) notes that these hours would be clothesless, but trial based. As of this summer, the trials have finished, but no news about what will happen now.
Thermal waterfall freezes (back earlier this year) in Romania
BBC (Jan. 28)
Looking into the broader European soaking culture. We arrive at the sauna culture.
Ever heard of the British Sauna Society?'... an emerging charitable organisation that promotes sauna culture in the UK.OUR PURPOSES ARE TOPromote sauna culture in the United Kingdom.Provide standards and guidance on building, operating and using a sauna.Engage with and expand the sauna community'.
An interesting endeavor, though why would the UK require such?
Worldofsauna has a belated article (10 Mar. 2020), concerning the never ceasing to surprise (and schock) subject of taking a sauna in Germany:
'Germans are infamous [why is this infamous?] for their love for nudity and it is no surprise that swimming costumes are not allowed in the sauna area. The guidelines state that you should cover yourself with a towel but many people “forget” to wear it.Unisex saunas. So, here is the deal, you go to the sauna naked and men and women go together. Some spas have women only-saunas or a specific “women’s day”. If you feel uncomfortable about being naked, you can always wear a towel. In that case, you have to take two towels with you, because your feet need one also'.
Inews-UK also has a more recent article (Dec. 28, 2021) on the same; German sauna culture:
'For us prudish Brits, nakedness doesn’t tend to be something we’re overly comfortable with. I definitely wasn’t before I moved to Berlin in 2016, but since I’ve been visiting German saunas – where everyone is forced to sit huddled together with no clothes on – I’ve become more confident with my body and accepting of its flaws. It has been a liberating experience and I think, as a nation, Brits can learn a thing or two.
After explaining her journey, the author concludes:
'My British friends may think I’m mad but since I discovered the joy of taking my swimsuit off, I don’t ever want to put it back on again'.
be_patka; where soaking culture meest sauna culture:
I will always be addicted to hot springs. If there's one around, I'm in it.🥵🔥🛀♨️♨️♨️#travel #travelingram #travelinspiration #traveler #hotsprings #hot #Georgia #travelgeorgia #ilovegeorgia #tbilisi #hotbath #swimming #longhair #polishgirl #traveling
'Yet the German sauna experience, namely the idea of walking around naked all day in a mixed-gender space, is something I could have never imagined doing before moving to Deutschland.Many German saunas are "textilfrei," "textile-free," meaning that apart from the bathrobes that can be worn whilst strolling the grounds or eating in the restaurant and the towels one must sit on in the saunas, no clothes are to be worn.I grew up in the US where judgement-free, non-sexual nudity is simply not a thing. Discovering the freedom of letting it all hang out in German saunas where everyone minds their own business has been one of the most liberating experiences of the past decade I've lived in Germany.After all, sauna-going is something engrained in German culture: An estimated 31 million Germans regularly use saunas, according to the German Sauna Association'.
Another slightly dated find. CN traveler has an article (25 Sep. 2019) in a similar vein, but now concerning bathhouses (and hot springs):
And then finally:'Opportunities to visit bathhouses don’t always present themselves at home in the U.S. Unlike in Japan, Russia, Korea, and Turkey, communal bathing is viewed by many here as something strange and scandalous. The bathhouses I’ve visited in New York—both Russian and Korean—require guests to cover up outside of the locker room, conforming to an American idea of what constitutes hygiene and propriety. At times, when I worry about running into someone I don’t want to see, that’s provided a veneer of comfort. But it has also reinforced the idea that bodies need to be covered.It was years before I returned to a bathhouse where semi-nudity was the norm. On a solo trip to Budapest last summer, I planned a tour of the city’s baths, visiting three in the span of four days. It was entirely by chance that I arrived at Rudas Baths beside the Danube during women’s hours. As I entered the dome-topped room with a ceiling dotted with patches of stained glass, I saw women of all ages and body types relaxing and chatting in the thermal pools heated to different temperatures, many donning just bathing suit bottoms.
'The experience felt, in a way, anti-climactic. I had already reached a point of comfort in my skin, this only reconfirmed it'.
A small step from sauna's to the banya.
Russia Beyond (Jan. 26) has an article on Anna Artemyeva (of nudeblogru):
'She goes on banya expeditions around the country and recounts her experiences on her blog'.She recounts a number of stories:
'Some residents of Arkhangelsk Region recounted to Anna how they had encountered Obderikha, the female spirit of the banya. She is described as a naked woman with long hair, which she wears loose, and large teeth. “Obderikha lives in the banya and she teases people,” is what they say about her. But she can also save people from misfortune - at least, that’s what the locals believe'.
Photo's used in Medusa interview (Feb. 19) with Anna Artemyeva. After google translate, still very informative.
Saunachannel also features Anna with this vdo:
'Join Russian blogger Anna Artemieva as she tours Banya Alekseeva (Бани Алексеева) with founder, Yury Vladimirovich Alekseev, to admire the two distinct areas for men and women featuring steam, baths, and cold plunges. This is a special sneak peek from the upcoming travel series, Perfect Sweat, produced by Bray's Run Productions!'
Concerning solely soaking now, but only for the well-heeled. Somehow I feel it's also less soaking-culturist.
The Vogue (Jul. 21) has what I presume a paid advertisement for some of Europe's exclusive and historic thermal resorts:
'Last year, 11 destinations in seven countries were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a transboundary World Heritage Site called the Great Spa Towns of Europe, a distinction that sets them apart from the continent’s roughly 400 spa towns and villages. As such, these chosen historical hotspots (scattered across Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom) represent the crème de la crème of the healing spa phenomenon which was at its height in the 18th and 19th centuries—and has perhaps never been more relevant in our current wellness-obsessed era.
Of these, Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně, Baden-Baden and Montecatini are afforded an in-depth description, mostly where to sip. Or dine. Obviously with visits here, soaking is just the excuse.
Tasty
A follower of this blog emailed me 2 Turkish soaking suggestions. And some photo's. The first:
'Uyuzhamam in Turkey, near Eskisehir, a disused but very lovely hamam
on a high plateau, free of charge and mostly free of visitors'.
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I tried to find additional info. Living in Eskisehir:
'Uyuzhamam Thermal. It is located 16 km southeast of Alpu in Uyuzhamam village. The water springs out of one pool and pours out of another pool, each of which is 1.5 m deep and 5x4 m. The water at 29˚C has particularly good effects on skin diseases. The mud in the waterbed is also used for these diseases. There are no facilities at this thermal spring'.
The above link also lists quite a few other soaks to be had in the neighbourhood. I asked my source about the others listed:
'The city of Eskisehir itself has several hamams (Turkish baths), as mapped on eosb.org.tr as well, but those are paid and institutionalised (buildings, run like a swimming pool but without swimming, and afaik there's always a scrubber employed to scrub your back).
Kizilinler spa is sadly defunct, only the ruins remain, without any tubs holding water. Not photogenic. But people still come to fill water off the spring for drinking, which is actually very soft and tasty, and well worth a small detour'.
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Uyuzhamam
'... and Yaprakhisar [photo following], near the famous Ihlara valley, completely natural'.
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I'll have to add these to the list of free (and happiest) soaks of Europe.
Note that thermalsprings.ru has been travelling in circles in Turkiye the past months, a great source of info, if you can deal with the often poor translations. The following vdo is just an example:
Путешествуем по Турции и термальным источникам. Горячий ручей и термальные бассейны.
https://thermalsprings.ru/
Highlights
As always there are various new and shiny internet pages focussing on European hot springs. A small selection, commencing with Greece.
Kythnos, one of the islands closer to Athens is extensively highlighted by Athensindsiders (Jun. 9):
'Its inhabitants also call it [Kythos] Thermia and it has been known by this name since the 12th century. This name is due to the hot springs that exist in the bay of Agia Irini and Loutra and attract many people to this day....In Greece, there are many thermal springs but, in the Cyclades, they exist only in Kythnos. The island owes its second name to Thermias. The hot springs which are located in the bay of Loutra, in the homonymous village, developed thanks to them. The visitor will find there two hot springs: Agioi Anargyroi which is located inside the hydrotherapy center and Kakavou at a distance of about 50m. The source of Agioi Anargyroi is saline, reaches 36 ° C and is suitable for arthritis, rheumatism, and vertebral arthritis. The Kakavou spring reaches 52 ° C and its water contains bromide, iodide, and sodium chloride, it is ideal for skin diseases and gynecological problems.It seems that during antiquity their use was not known, although according to archeological evidence there was a sanctuary in this place. Their use must have begun in Roman or Byzantine times, a fact that archaeologists conclude due to the findings in the area. In 1782 at the source of Agioi Anargyroi a tank with a roof and a locker room were built. Nevertheless, the locals showed little interest in the springs and surrounded them with popular beliefs about fairies and devils.The first to realize the importance of hot springs were German doctors brought by King Otto to address the infertility of Queen Amalia. In the hydrotherapy center, you can see until today the baths they used. Then the building of the hydrotherapy center was built, which was completed in 1857'.
Tierrassinfronteras has been busy. They headed over their northern border for some soaking solace. All the info on the hot springs of Fontpédrouse (Jun. 6):
'También es normal ver a las personas que habitan este rincón termal del Pirineo disfrutar de un baño en sus aguas calientes completamente desnudos. ¿Hay algo más relajante y natural que esta experiencia? Yo no dudé en hacerlo'.
All extremely positive.
It is odd, that since locals kicked up a lot of dust last year, there's been little negative press on these soaks. Have things improved?
Relaxing beautiful and mystic spot
Another blog concerning a Fontpédrouse experience. Objetivo camper (Nov. 6, 2021), likewise in Spanish. Lots of tips as well as a description of nearby St. Thomas thermal baths.
Georgia and it's natural hot springs. Wanderlush (updated Jul. 18, 2022) has a long (and enlightend) overview:
'Hot springs have been part of life and culture in Georgia since at least the 5th century. Bathhouses gained popularity in the 13th century and were used for much more than bathing. Georgians would come to socialise, to debate the issues of the day, and mothers would even use the baths to assess a bride’s suitability for their son.During the Soviet era, workers from across the Union would travel to Georgia to visit the thermal baths, exercising their ‘right to rest’ as afforded to them by the constitution.Thermal waters have traditionally been used to treat a variety of ailments such as skin conditions, joint pain, and digestive complaints, and doctors could prescribe a course of balneological treatment usually lasting 14-21 days.There are hundreds of natural hot springs in Georgia – ranging from thermal spas to sulfur geysers – as well as cold springwater pools. Here are 11 of the very best to visit'.Un "Pamukkale" în miniatură, în mijlocul a nicăieri, o oază printre noroaiele din Georgia...🎥 YouTube - Heads in the Clouds -#georgia #georgiatravel #gruzia #sacartvelo #visitgeorgia #exploregeorgia #discovergeorgia #sulfurpool #hotsprings #naturalhotsprings #nature #traveltheworld #exploretheworld #neverstopexploring #travel #amazingplaces #haihui #prinlume #dordeduca #calator #calatorii #relax #inthemiddleofnowhere #travelvlog #travelgirl #dronephotography #droneview #beautifulnature #wildgeorgia
Finally, ever heard of the website Tophotsprings? New to me, it lists many a soak from all over the globe.
For instance, Portugal:
'Portugal, a small country to the west of Spain on the European continent, has plenty of natural hot springs to enjoy. The history of thermal bathing is long in this country, and even the first-ever King of Portugal, Alfonso Henriques, lauded the benefits of mineral baths.He famously visited the São Pedro do Sul Thermal Baths. However, he would be shocked to see how thermal bathing has grown and flourished into a full therapeutic industry in the country today. The word ‘termas’ has developed to describe a Portuguese thermal spa.We’ll break down the hot springs on offer into two categories; those in the northern half of the nation and those in the south. Notably, the southern regions tend to be a few degrees warmer than the north and receive less rain during the grey winter months. Perhaps that accounts for the higher density of hot spring spas in the north, where they serve as a warm escape from a dreary winter season'.
Not all entries though are that expansive.
Enjoying the hot thermal springs....#azores #visitazores #azorenhoch #thermalquelle #thermalbad #schwefelliegtinderluft #hotsprings #naturalsprings #bathtime #relax #furnas #terranostragarden #terranostrapark #holidayfeeling #travelgirl #instatravel #travelgram #wanderlust #fernweh #travellovers #passionpassport
Hot springs in new york, so it's always a good idea to check with each location beforehand to ensure they meet your specific preferences and requirements.
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