Hidden beauty

18till300mm

 #hidden #hotspring #fosslaug just #awesome #iceland #island #caps #adventure #worldwide #worldtrip #water #river #cold #outside #warm #hot #hotpool #hotspot #pool #couple #grass #green #cloudy #clouds #mountains #nature #beautiful #amazing #panorama

Just another short intermezzo, with only photographic highlights. 

Probably what caught my eye the most are the following photo's from Eastern Turkey from the hot spring of Ağr, near Diyadin, another hot spot.

 

pelin_seven

in east #hotsprings #east #west #16x9 #16x9ers #16x9photography #vscocam #vsco #instagood #instalike #photooftheday

Moody

 

g.abrysiak

 Chill-out. #travel #backpacking #aroundtheworld #georgia #vani #hotspring #sulfur #outdoor #nature #amazingnature #podroze #natura #chillout #spa #relax #quiettime #polishboy #ig_georgia#picoftheday #igersgeorgia #holiday #voyage

Staying in the region, from Georgia comes the photo above. 

Moving on, towards the Balkan, first off are the mud baths of Pikrolimni (northern Greece) while a lot more south are the hot springs of Thermopylae, rounding off with a hop over to Albania.

tpyachting 

Lake Pikrolimni with its mud-baths ! This is fantastic place.

Озеро Pikrolimni и его грязевые ванны! Это фантастическое место.

Лечение, основанное на серных грязях. Александр Македонский неоднократно приводил свою армию сюда для лечения и восстановления сил.

Это единственное солёное озеро в Греции! Особенностью этого озера является то, что и глина и вода, содержат ценные минералы и микроэлементы со значительными терапевтическими свойствами. ⛲🌄♨⚓🌰

The treatment based on sulfur mud. It is also said that Alexander the Great many times brought his army here in order to cure and for rehabilitation purposes.

This is the only salt lake in Greece! The peculiarity of this lake is that both the clay and the water, contain valuable minerals and trace minerals with significant therapeutic properties. ⛲🌄♨⚓🌰

#Lake #Pikrolimni #Greece #mudbath #Kiklis

#Озеро #Пикролимини #грязевыеванны #Лечение #профилактика #медитация #серныебани #Македонский #восстановление #минеральныеводы

#геология #глина #минералы #микроэлементы

#treatment #sulfurmud #AlexandertheGreat #army #rehabilitation #saltlake #minerals #therapeutic #wellness #spa #instafollow

nicolement 

In the mood of the day! Thermal Springs at Thermopylae!

#nofilter #in_greece #ig_greece #gf_greece #ilovegreece #thermalsprings #thermopylae #photooftheday #picoftheday

enea_dervishi

 🌞🌞

Banjat E Bënjës (Llixha) albania

Fine

mariscudo 

This world would be a better place... #goodmorning #dawn #natura

Staying in South Europe and heading westwards are a couple of photo's from Italy (Acque Calde - Terme Segestane above, Bormio below).

ash_balanced 

Sam & I spent a lot of this morning reminiscing and looking at pictures as far back as 2 years ago. While traveling Europe and England and Ireland last summer was so epic, I was sort of miserable a lot of the time. I was living off of meat & dairy, and while that might work for your body it certainly doesn't work for mine. I'd take a Lactaid and down my massive milk-filled cappuccino and then wonder why I felt so awful. I'd eat my steak dinner at 9 at night with a few glasses of wine and then wonder why I couldn't sleep. I wasn't fat but I was really unhealthy & regardless of all the cycling and hiking and walking I was doing, I was pretty unfit. Sam and I decided to take control of our nutrition when we moved to Germany last September and I started losing weight without even working out. Once I added running and resistance workouts into my weekly routine things really began to change » so I look back on these beautiful pictures from 11 different countries & see BEAUTIFUL scenery but a girl who is really hurting. » focus on your nutrition and the rest will fall into place 🌱 do your research & find what works for you, your family & your lifestyle. .

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#fitgirl #fitfam #fitness #fit #girlswhoride #girlswhorun #girlswhoworkout #girlswhosquat #bbggirls #italy #italia #bormio #hotsprings #bbg #travel #tbt #throwback #balance #balanced #vegan #strongnotskinny

deliteindisorder

 Hot springs are so enchanting. This place is a total van-dweller/hippie oasis. There are so many people who have set up camp here that it almost feels like a village. Some people stay here with their vans for months and months. It's perfect because it's so far in the middle of nowhere that you are really totally surrounded by nature. And to get here you have to navigate your way through a bunch of olive groves, which means that you can only find it if someone tells you how, which means that it feels even more like a secret treasure when you finally arrive. AND there is a giant open dirt bike area directly next to here. Best. Place. Ever.( (In case anyone is trying to follow the trajectory here, don't be confused. I finally have a strong internet connection so I'm starting to go back and post all the pictures that I couldn't before.) #lifestyleoverluxury #vanlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #dirtbagdiaries #outdoorwomen #lifeofadventure #traveladdict #forgeyourownpath #neverstopexploring #makelifeanadventure #spain #spaintravel #ilovespain #neverleaving #hippiestyle #santafe #hotspring #hotspringday #surroundedbybeauty #naturelover #natureisbeautiful #outdoorlife #wonderfulworld #seekthesimplicity #outdoorpassion #liveoutdoors

As you can see I like photo's with a story to tell. The former has also a blog to get more stories.

We have now gone due west to Spain (above in the south and below from Galicia) while the last photo's are from central Portugal and the Azores.

Bande hot springs by mrs.arichan 

Mother Nature #naturalspa #hotsprings #portoquintela #ourense #Galicia

meggy_muggins 

We're just fine. .

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#river #hotspring #volcanicwater #therapitic #riversofportugal #sangemil #medeirosfamilyvacation2016 #portuga

samrick 

a day in the hot springs 📸: @mysoloyolo.

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#travel #gopro #water #hotsprings #furnas #azores #portugal #travelgram #wander #wanderlust #trip #traveller

Seclusion

Flókalundur, jennifrmthblock 

Secluded Icelandic westfjord hot springs made us do it 💦

Due very north of the Azores is Iceland. I am getting so many photo's from Iceland, I'll need to dedicate an extra special on that island. It seems very special adapted to natural soaking even though it doesn't seem everybodies piece of cake .....

Bowing out this entry are a couple of natural thermes from France.

 

vannben 

Thermal Pools of Iceland are amazing. The scenery around was normally beautiful. Except this day. #thermalpools #iceland #hoffell #nakedtourists #theramlpoolsiceland #hotsprings #icelandair 🙈🙈🙊🙊

maite_villarreal

 #aguastermales #france #francia #pirineos #nature #nude #naturalpool #naturaleza #eauxthermales #pirineu 🔥💧🌬

Thermal waters of Mont Dore, from gwennaellebrt 

Plutôt caliente la source chaude 🔥😎

Soaking adventure

It's difficult to see how the country of Jordan should be part of Europe but as an exception we will cover some of Jordan's soaks. That's what exceptions are for.

Totally coincidentally, European Natural Soaking Society contributor Sascha has been to Jordan last month and took some time out to look and explore some of Jordan's hot springs.

In this first of two specials we'll look at what Sascha discovered. It looks still very much undeveloped and natural and/or naturally enhanced.

Readers should also heed the scientific publication The Thermal Waters of Jordan [1] which relates to the 59 known hot spring sources in Jordan.

But let's look at the follwing experiences:

• Hammamat Borbata

This hot spring was indicated on the map as “closed”, so I did not expect too much. However, from the experiences I made, sometimes closed hot springs can turn into beautiful natural hot springs and therefore I travelled to the region of Tafila. 
Big deception, the ancient infrastructure around the hot spring was in a desolating situation, littering everywhere. But that’s part of the discovering of the natural hot springs.  
My evaluation: n.a.

Also known as H. Burbita (Burbayta / Burbeita), there's not much more available on internet. If you understand German there is this more satisfactory visit from bullireise from 5 years ago. Lonely Planet notes that it's a popular picnic place. The Rough Guide says it's not really woth an investigation.

• Hammamat Afra

Close to Hammamat Borbata, these hot springs were open to the public. Not really natural and wild, but situated in a beautiful small canyon. 

Only accessible by car, you have to pay an entrance fee of 5 JD (around 6,50 EUR) per person. There are 3 pools for men with different temperatures; the hottest is probably around 40°C. 

Women have to take a soak in a cave that is accessible by an entrance door that can be closed. As there were no women present at the time of my visit, I could also try the women pool which was around 43-44°C. 

The pool is covered by a cave and a roof, the atmosphere is very relaxing and the local policemen told me that the water helps for arthrose and rheumatism.

If you intend to soak in the women pool, keep your food save, as there are some mice in the cave. 

Outside in the men pools, there were some friendly gypsy boys soaking.

Overall, it was not the cleanest place, and I was wondering for what I paid an entrance fee, but it was a nice experience on the road to the Dana Nature Reserve. 

My evaluation: 3 of 5 stars

Hammamat Afra is much more well-known than aforementioned. Rough Guide:

'There are some leisure facilities here, but this is no tourist spa: the atmosphere is unequivocally Jordanian'. 

The Lonely Planet write up is somewhat less enthusiatic.

• Ain Zarqa

This hot spring lies directly at the Dead Sea in the Madaba region. 
The access is very easy by the main road and indicated on the map. 
Many locals go here for soaking because it is free and you can combine swimming in the Dead Sea with a shower or a soak in the hot river to clean your body from the Dead Sea salt water. 
The water in the river where soaking is possible, was around 43-45°C. 
Unfortunately, easy access and no entrance fee means that there are a lot of people and that there is a lot of littering close to the river and the spring which makes this place not recommendable. 
My evaluation: 1 of 5 stars

More info on Ain Zarqa is very scarce ...

Notes:
[1] Sass, I & R. Schäffer (2014) The Thermal Waters of Jordan. Environmental Earth Sciences 72: 171-187. Springer.

Managed

Fear
The non-commercial soaks of Italy tend to be tucked away, nearly secretive in their whereabouts. Civitavecchia's Ficoncella hot springs are another prime example. 

Take the main Civitavecchia Nord turn off from the A12, the coastal motorway heading north out of Rome, then the first right whilst heading in the direction of town and follow this narrow lane as it runs parallel to the motorway. 
Eventually it jumps over the motorway, then a left is needed and you'll come to a tired looking lady who mans a ticket office after which stretches a rather large car park. 
Two euro lighter you'll park your car and pray that your car won't burst into flames in the harsh sun, obviously shade here was not in the plans.

The car park is half empty, but after experiencing the soaks, I would refrain from visiting here on a day when the car park is being used near to it's capacity. 

Beyond the car park, a corner of the terrain has been reserved for soaking purposes. There's a small shop / cafe and beyond a few square meters of lawn. Entering, one walks straight (bypassing the soaks to your left) to an amenities area: basically a couple of toilets and changing cubicles. Half were being cleaned. 
So then we are supposed to shower. A very hygienic habit. The showers are merely dribbles. With boiling hot water. Wish you well with that. 
So then most soakers end up soak-side unshowered ....

The pavement is packed with sun worshippers and where you're usually used to a more elder crowd at soaking places, certainly mid-week, Ficoncella has attracted it's fair share of youth and youthful curious folk on their first sojurn here.

Somewhere in the translation of all the rules and regulations I missed the part about flip-flops. People are soaking unshowered in their underwear whilst smoking but somehow that doesn't mean that I'm allowed to walk around sans footwear. Doesn't seem correct.

There are a couple of pools, mostly a meter deep, 5-6 meters in circumflex. They range from very hot to very very hot. Not much smell. Good for a fearsome soak, less so when the sun's out and you're already contending with a burn or two.

Civitavecchia is also known as the harbour for amongst others cruise liners with destination Roma (half an hour away). From Ficoncella there's a delicious sweep of scenery from it's hillock over town and beyond to the harbour.

Bubbly
Civitavecchia actually has more thermal and water pursuits on offer. 

Had one after taking the turn from the motorway away from town, one would have run into the Aquafelix Waterpark or the Terme Taurine Roman ruins.

The latter refers back to the thermal exploitation in ancient Roman times. The port authority of Civitavecchia have a good website on Terme Taurine which has all the details. However, there are no current sources of spring water here, but there are quite a few ruins still well-off enough to make a visit worthwhile.
Tripadvisor gives a view of the ruins itself 4,5 stars; it sees at least more English talking tourists than Ficoncella.

The Aquafelix water park seems to merit a wide berth. Tripadvisor gives it just 3 stars (128 reviews), here's just one recent review:

'The park was very old fashioned and run down with weeds growing along the paths, dirt and leaves in tte Lazy River, foot baths at the top of slides (which should have been filled with water) were empty'.

Not exactly attractive place to while away an afternoon ...

Continue even further from town using the same road, one would have come to the deliciously perched town of Tolfa. 

If still having time on hand, drop off the other side of the mountain from Tolfa and continue further. 
There's the moderately hot springs of Stigliano (Bagni di Stigliano) which is a recent renovation of a once derelict terme. It lies in a wide and green valley. looks like a nice place if wanting a commercial termal experience.

Further beyond the Lago di Bracciano, a picturesque lake with some quaint village nearby (below). 

Noteworthy here is the possibility to visit a cold water carbon spring named Caldara di Manziana. In the middle of a birch forest (quite strange for lower altitudal mid-Italy) lies a mostly dried up lake which is home to many bubbling springs: the bubbles betray the nature of these sulfur dioxide waters.

Distortion
There's quite some info out there on the experience of soaking at Civitavecchia's Ficoncella hot spring.

Googleplus give it 4,5 stars from 14 reviews. A four star review:

'Very simple and lots of fun. We drove there with the kids and it was cheap and very authentic, full of locals who seemed like they had come there forever. No one spoke English but we managed and the baths were hot and pleasant. Definitely recommend'.

Tripadvisor's current 49 reviewers are less happy, as Ficoncella rakes in just three and a half stars; all but one of the reviews are in Italian. Let's try google translate: 

'Our experience has been negative. The water was very dirty, a lot of people and there is the possibility of diluting the body with a little bit of cold water. The dressing room is a container and the beauty of the natural springs has been ruined by a fine layer of cement around them that made them for visitors "more orderly" for us, nature lovers, has instead distorted the picturesque landscape. Although economic will not go back more!'

or

'I was over 20 years ago when he was still free now you pay € 1.50 per person with no parking for 2 hours with the car park 3 € we paid € 4.50 to be huddled in a pool as one was empty and the small cold enough. All topped off by people who seem guardians who control that run that seemed to me more voyeurs. I found the whole situation quite drab and not very relaxing. I recommend for those leaving to go to Rome to visit the hot springs that are located in Viterbo, 30 minutes by car more than the Ficoncella, places far greater than with annual card !!!'

or

'Comfortable and warm the just, economical and easily accessible by car from Civitavecchia and surroundings'.

The often mentioned drawbackof Ficoncella: they are very popular.

The port of Civitavecchia has made a website contribution which sort of doubles up as the official website of Ficoncella. What do we learn? Facilities old, valued in ancient times, blah, blah. Then:

'The thermal complex of La Ficoncella, unlike the Baths of Trajan, is not very bug and counts with a total of 5 natural baths with different degrees of temperature, the hottest reaching 60°C. Curiosity: The name Ficoncella comes from a big fig tree (fico in Italian), still visible today that provides the swimmers with shadow in the most sunny days.
...
It is a sulphur water, yet characterized by the absence of strong sulphur smell. The heat reached by water allows a reaction of calcium sulphate that releases sulphuric acid and other salts, guaranteeing a beneficial action, moisturizing and stimulating at the same time. In fact, the water in this baths is defined as calcium sulphate slightly alkaline.
...
We are sure you will enjoy your visit to La Ficoncella. These baths are really a hidden treasure of Civitavecchia. During the summer, the baths stay open until 2 am... try to dive into the water with your eyes looking at the starry sky feeling the sea breeze against your skin... we are sure you will never want to leave!'

There's a Facebook page, not heavy posters involved though. And there's a wikipedia site in Italian, does not add much to our know-how.

All-in-all, if fluent in Italian, you'll find a lot more info. 

Figs

But the following info comes from German. 

Schmid & Berg (2004) write extensively on their experiences at the fig tree springs, otherwise known as Ficoncella. 

They describe that at end of the last century with the establishment of the Aquafelix water park nearby, the citizens of Civitavecchia all of sudden decided that their then derelict (but free) springs required a sprucing up and more protection from overzealous developers. That's how it came to be run by an a non-profit organisation (Cooperative Sant'Agostino) as it is now. 

They also describe how millions of euro's (more than 25 million for a 40 ha development) have been poured in, in a failed attempt to establish a commercial  terme, which as they describe cuts off part of the waters sourced to Ficoncella. 

I took some effort to research this in more detail, but alas all information is of course in Italian. And google translate seems to be in need of more updates. 

If I'm correct there's already a derelict building more in the direction of Aquafelix, half built and abandoned. 

The commercial bathing facilties involve a couple of unimaginative big boxes (Civonline, 12 Sep. 2012).

Partially to blame for the failures are the difficulties with Italian red tape which seem to contradict itself, both in the administration and in the courts. And of course there's considerable public resistance, despite all the projections of jobs.

Last year, the developer (Acanthus) had sought to revive the project hoping that backing of Civitavecchia's mayor and the interest of Accor would convince public opinion of the merits of the project (Iltempo, 12 Jan. 2014). 

It seems not have happened and as such Ficoncella seems to live on ....

Another interesting snippet of info from the Schmid & Berg book is how not only in antiquity was Civitavecchia a thermal destination. 

From the nineteenth century until the second World War there was an rather grand thermal business (aptly named Grand Hotel delle Terme, see for a photo here) in downtown. Unfortunately Civitavecchia took quite a bit of pounding due to the port.

And thus ended their commercial thermal tradition. To be continued ...

Notes

Schmid, M.X. & M. Berg (2004) Oliven, Wein und alte Bäder. Reisen zu den Thermalquellen Mittelitaliens. Rotpunktverlag, Zürich, Switserland

Magical

Trapped
Reykjanes peninsula, the southwestern promontory, is just hanging on to Iceland rather than tumbling in the North Atlantic. Through the blizzard I can see the lighthouse of Reykjanesviti which equally warns ships for land and visitors for the surrounding geothermal fields. And the end of terra firma.

The geothermal fields are noted as Gunnuhver:

'The mud pools and steam vents on the southwest part of Reykjanes close to Reykjanes lighthouse are collectively named Gunnuhver after a female ghost that was laid there. She had caused great disturbance until a priest set a trap for her and she fell into the spring. This happend about 400 years ago'.

Visible
A number of look outs have been built which afford an overview of the steaming cauldrons. As well as Iceland's largest geothermal mud pool.

On the far side of the boiling pits, partially obscured by the blizzard, are a number of futuristic buildings apparently belonging to the Reykjanes power station.

Driving around the geothermal field to the geothermal power plant itself, we're a bit surprised that the Power Plant Earth exhibition, run in the geothermal power station is closed. Closed for the winter.

Somewhere I had seen some photo's of soaking possibilities nearby but whether it's the poor visibility, the snow covered land or simply being at the wrong place, soaking is not so obvious. 
After studying the landscape, I notice that a cement covered culvert is not covered by snow and yes the culvert is transporting hot water away into the blizzard. Knowing that the coast is nearby, we continue to follow the culvert.

Warning: no swimming

Royal
Three hundred meters on, we come to the end of the culvert where the hot water bursts from a pipe to the ever cold North Atlantic ocean. Elements are at work, the blizzard, steam from the water, crashing waves, well maybe it's not such a nice soak. Warning signs abound as well. Maybe when the tide is out?

 

 Where to soak?

Well, first to the left, there a couple of small petri-dish size rock pools. However they are either too small, too hot or too cold. Well, that's a no-go.

To the right though the situation is unclear. Clambering over rocks through the mist, we come to a large and deep pool. Testing reveals that closer to the inlet the water is too hot, however, seawater from crashing waves is coming over the rocks. 

Temperature is not bad. 

Well here goes. 

Strip quickly (very quickly!) and lower oneself carefully into pool. First the welcome heat, however after 30 cm of depth or so, the water gets cooler. A few kicks and the waters start to mix, the hotter water cooling, the cold water doing the opposite.

It may be a cold, blizzardy day, but this is a bath fit for a king.

Life on Mars?

Despite the great soaking opportunities, the origin of these steaming waters is less clear. 

The company-speak by the Power Plant Earth website:

'Power plant earth is an exhibition located in Reykjanesvirkjun, a geothermal power plant owned by HS. Orka hf. The power plant is not far from the edge of Reykjanes, the Reykjanes lighthouse and Bridge between two Continents.

The location is in one of the most beautiful lava fields in Iceland and its natural surroundings make it an extraordinary place to visit; Gunnuhver (one of the largest hot springs in Iceland), the continental rift, rows of craters, Mount Sýrfell and Rauðhólar Hills (landscape like on Mars) are among the many magical sites to see'.

The facts by Wikipedia which adds more background:

'The Reykjanes Power Station is a geothermal power station located in Reykjanes at the southwestern tip of Iceland. As of 2012, the plant generates 100 MWe from two 50 MWe turbines, using steam and brine from a reservoir at 290 to 320°C, which is extracted from 12 wells that are 2700 m deep. This is the first time that geothermal steam of such high temperature has been used for electrical generation'.

Then the truth? Saving Iceland has an extensive report on Iceland's geothermal exploitation and it notes that for the Reykjanes  power station:

'Further extraction in the already exploited area would simply be unsustainable and decrease the area’s capacity. Geologist Sigmundur Einarsson actually believes that the field is already over-exploited. His claim is based on studies from 2009, by the very same NEA, which state that the area’s long-term sustainable production capacity is hardly more than 25 MW'. 

It also details the parents company efforts to obscure direct Canadian ownership, which contravene Icelandic laws.

Other info on this soak is not readily available, so maybe this find will remain obscure?

N for natural

With the year drawing to an end it's hard not to draw a conclusion after searching for 18 months for great and natural soaks in Europe. 

I would like to say that Europe is home to the best soaking in the world, with naturalness listed high on Eurosoakers list. But ... it's not.

What has happened? Over the centuries hot springs have fallen victim to the upper echelons of European society. Natural occurring springs have been developed into exclusive retreats hoping to offer the affluent an elixir to possible eternal life. Wake-up call: there's none.

No, despite all medical claims and the overt medicalization, hot springs in Europe are still just a side-line to a healthy life. In the process of medicalization, the spiritual life has been sacrificed. healthy mind, healthy body?

Now soaking is available to all, leading to question whether hot springs are just a gimmick in the leisure and wellness industries?

'Baño nudista en el nacimiento de aguas termales de El Saladillo'

Spain. Source.

Naturally there are exceptions. And it seems that these are more often then not to be found on the rims of what Europe is. Greece, Italy, Spain and Iceland for instance.

Should hot springs be natural? 

Yes. Maintaining the heat is not so difficult thereby offering more the access to natural sources of aqua heat with there being bodily and spiritual advantages. 

And enjoying these au-naturel offers more opportunity for deep thought, which assists the spiritual reflection and stepping out of the info age based on an imaginary and fantasy world which everyone seems to pine for. A time. Out.

Can the tide be turned? Let's hope so.

With some trepidation I publish the following: natural soaks, some ancient others to be enjoyed naturally. Open to free air. Without chlorine. And mostly free of charge.

Let's hope the list can expand in the years forward!

Albania

•  Gjirokastër: Benja (natural)

Armenia

• Azrakan (ramshakle)
• Hanqavan/Hankavan (enclosed, still quite primitive bathing place)
• Karvachar (free and natural) 
• Sisian: Vorotan (little enhanced, free)

Austria

• Kärnten: Maibachl, Villach (seasonal, natural)

Bosnia

• Ilidza (small free pool, somewhat enhanced)

Bulgaria

• Blagoevgrad: Rupite (free, natural)
• Varna (beachside pool, fee paying)

Croatia

• Varaždinske Toplice (Roman remains, soaking attributes?)
  

Czech Republic

• Ústí nad Labem: Teplice (natural)
  

France

• Ariege: Merens Les Vals (free, natural)
• Auvergne: La Bourboule (free, enhanced riverside tub)
• Cantal: Chaude Aigues (many streetside fountains)
• Corsé: Sartene - Caldane (small fee, little enhanced pool) 
• Hautes-Alpes: Plan de Phazy (warm spring, free, open air)
• Languedoc: Bain de Saint Thomas (fee-paying, outside, enhanced (not really wild))
• Languedoc: Bains de Dorres (fee-paying, outside site)
• Languedoc: Canaveilles (see below for an impression!)
• Languedoc: Les Bains de Llo (fee-paying, outside)
• Languedoc: Prats Balaguer (free, no development, truly wild)
• Pays-Basque: Gamere / Camou (free, cave entrance)

Bains de Canaveilles, source

Georgia

•  Borjomi (open-air concrete pool)
  
•  Tbilisi (many ancient but still functioning sulphur soaks)
  

Greece

• Central Greece: Evia-Epidos (small fee, beach hotspring)
• Central Greece: Thermopylae (free, faded development)
• Chios: Agia Markelle (beach hot spring)
• Drama: Termies (free, little enhancement)
• Edessa: Loutra Pozar (fee-payment, open-air some wild)
• Ikaria: Loumakia (free, beachside)
• Ikaria: Agia Kyriaki (beach hot spring)
• Kavala: Eleftheron (free, faded development)
• Kea: Kynthos - Thermia (ancient / enhanced)
• Kos: Agios Fokas (beach hot spring)
• Kos: Agia Irini (beach hot spring)
• Kos: Nisyros - Avlaki (beach hot spring)
• Lemnos (Limnos):  Agiasma (enhanced with mud bath)
• Lesvos: Eftalou (enhanced, ancient)
• Lesvos: Panagia (free, bath tub)
• Lesvos: Loutra Geras (fee-paying, ancient)
• Lesvos: Polychnitos
• Milos: Ta Bania (little enhanced)
• Milos: Lutra Lukkou (enhanced)
• Milos: Paleochori (beach hot spring)
• Milos: Tria Pigadia (beach hot spring)
• Milos: Kimolos - Prasa (fee, enhanced)
• Samotharki: Therma (free, little enhanced)
• Samotharki: Pigi Frikion (free, wild)
• Samotharki: Pigi Podoloutron (fee, open-air)
• Santorini: Palea (free, wild, only reachable by boat)
• Santorini: Plaka (free, little enhanced)
• Serres: Agistro (ancient)
• Xanthi: Termes (free, older development, newer facilities also available)

 Eleftheron

Hungary

• Heves: Egerszalók (salt mountain with fee paying open air pools, maybe not so natural)
• Northern Hungary: Miskolctapolca (fee-paying hot spring cave)
• Zala: Heviz (fee paying, natural hot spring lake)

Iceland

• East: Laugarfell (small natural pool)
• Northeast: Ostakarið (tub with natural thermal water)
• Northeast: Hólsgerði (small hot pool) 
• Northwest: Biskupslaug (natural small pool)
• Northwest: Hveraborg (natural pool, free)
• Northwest: Grettislaug (stone lined pool) 
• Northwest: Reykjavellir (small natural hot pool)
• Reykjanes: Skátalaug (natural pool)  
• Snaefellsnes: Landbrotalaug (natural small tub, free)
• South: Seljavellir (natural swimming pool fed by hot spring, free)
• Southeast: Hveravellir (natural pool, free) 
• Southwest: Gunnuhver (geothermal plant overflow, free)
• Southwest: Hveragerði (natural warm river) 
• Southwest: Marteinslaug (natural pool, free) 
• Southwest: Rjúpnabrekkur / Rekjaladur (hot river, varios soakable places) 
• Southwest: Sundlaug (natural hot spring pool)   
• West: Grafarlaug (swimming pool with warmish water)
• Westfjords: Drangsnes (open air hot tubs)
• Westfjords: Hellulaug (small hot pool) 
• Westfjords: Hörgshlíð (small hot tub)
• Westfjords: Nautaeyri (natural small pool)
• Westfjords: Pollarin (small tub)
• Westfjords: Reykjafjörður (large pool, free)

'Rjúpnabrekkur, wasserfallbaedli'

Source

  

Italy

• Calabria: Caronte (free, wild, slightly enhanced, spa overflow)
• Calabria: Grotte delle Ninfe (warmish developed springs with mud and original hot water cave)
• Campania: Ischia - Nitrodi (hot showers, but expensive!)
• Campania: Ischia - Sant'Angelo (fumarole on the beach)
• Campania: Ischia - Sorgeto (beach hot spring)
• Lazio: Castelforte - Suio (pools)
• Lazio: Viterbo - Il Bagnaccio (free, slightly enhanced)
• Lazio: Viterbo - Bullicame (free and wild)
• Lombardy: Bormio - La Pozza (small, wild riverside soak)
• Piemonte: Craveggia (ruins, but with a soak)
• Sicily: Aeoli, Vulcano - Fanghi di Vulcano (small fee, open air geothermal hot spring with hot spring off-shore)
• Sicily: Aeoli, Lipari - San Calogero (free, very small pool)
• Sicily: Pantelleria - Bagno Asciutto (free, sauna cave)
• Sicily: Pantelleria - Gadir (beachside thermal pool)    
• Sicily: Pantelleria - Venere lake (free mildly warm large lake with lots of thermal mud!) 
• Sicily: Terme di Segesta (open air sulphur stream)
• Toscana: Bagni di Lucca (enhanced /r uins?)
• Toscana: Bagni di San Filippo (free use of hot stream)
• Toscana: Bagni di Petriolo 
• Toscana: San Casciano (concrete pool)
• Toscana: Saturnia (fee-paying, natural) 
• Toscana: Vignoni (lake, enhanced, but no usage?; but some free usage possible)

Saturnia. Source

Macedonia

• Debar - Banjiste (possible still undeveloped with a few sources)
• Smokvica (free shower at pipe head)
• Stip, Novo Stelo - Ldzi (low flow hot spring, drinking only?)
• Strumica, Bansko - Parilo (hot pipe, no bathing, byo?)
  

Portugal

• Azores: Graciosa-Termas do Carapacho (geothermal seaside pool)
• Azores: São Miguel-Caldeira Velha (natural pool)
• Azores: São Miguel-Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande (small open air pool)
• Azores: São Miguel-Furnas (free and natural)
• Azores: São Miguel-Poça da Dona Beija (free concrete pool)
• Azores: São Miguel-Ponta Ferraria (small hot pool bay in Atlantic)
• Azores: São Miguel-Termas da Ferraria (free and natural)
• Azores: São Miguel-Terra Nostra (natural pool)
• Azores: Flores-Agua Quente (remote and wild)

'Caldeira veiha - Natural warm water (30 C degrees). AZores'

Source 

Romania

• Caras: Baile Herculane (small open air pool, possibly free?)

Serbia

• Jošanice Banja (a few less developed and freely available springs)
• Knjaževačka (warm water stream, freely available)
• Lukovska Banja (a few free concrete outdoor tubs with muddy thermal water)
• Sokobanja (ancient hamam)
• Zdrelo (pipehead shower; not very natural) 

Slovakia

• Sklené Teplice (cave bath seems natural ...)

Spain

• Cantabria: La Hermida (free, natural, riverside pool)
• Castellon: Montanejos (free, riverside pool, 25C)
• Granada: Alhama de Granada (free, spa overflow)
• Granada: Alicun (free, spa overflow) 
• Granada: Santa Fe (free, wild)
• Malaga: Casares, La Hedionda (free, ancient)
• Murcia: Saladillo / Mazzaron (free, wild) 
• Ourense: Bande (free, wild)
• Ourense: Chavasqueira (free, enhanced)
• Ourense: Pozas do Muiño das Veigas (free, enhanced)
• Ourense: Ribadavia (free, natural)
• Ourense: Tinteiro (free footbaths)
• Ourense: Torneiros (enhanced) 
• Rioja: Arnedillo (free, natural, riverside)
• Teruel: Ariño (22C, free, enhanced)
• Valancia: Ontiyent (not even warm, but very natural)
• Zaragosa: Alhama de Zaragoss (hot lake?)
• Zaragosa: Tiermas, Yesa (free, wild, dependent on lake levels, great mud)

 Santa Fe: wild and free, but so natural as you wish ... Source

Ukraine

• Crimea: Arabat (open air, little enhanced, fee payment required)

If you know any others feel free to contact me!