Fierce

 

Sascha seems to know no soaking stop.

Hot on the heels of his Georgian quest for a good soak, he now focuses his attention to the southwestern Romanian town of Băile Herculane.

There are quite a few soaks to catch up with here. 
Let's just see what we can find on Băile Herculane and it's hot springs.
Starting off with Wikipedia: 

'Băile Herculane  is a town in Romanian Banat, in Caraș-Severin County, situated in the valley of the Cerna River, between the Mehedinți Mountains to the east and the Cerna Mountains to the west, elevation 168 meters. Its current population is approximately 5,000.  
... 
Legend has it that the weary Hercules stopped in the valley to bathe and rest. Unearthed stone carvings show that visiting Roman aristocrats turned the town into a Roman leisure center.  
... 
In modern times, the spa town has been visited for its supposedly natural healing properties: hot springs with sulfur, chlorine, sodium, calcium, magnesium and other minerals, as well as negatively ionized air. Before World War II, when the first modern hotel was built (i.e. H Cerna, 1930) it remained a popular destination with Western Europeans. During the Communist rule, mass tourismfacilities were built, such as the 8- to 12-storied concrete hotels Roman, Hercules A, Hercules B, Afrodita, Minerva, Diana, UGSR, etc. which dominate the skyline. It was visited by all kinds of people, but was especially popular with employees and retirees, who would spend their state-allotted vacation vouchers there, hoping to improve their health. Today, they share the town with a younger crowd. New privately owned pensions and hotels appeared after 1989, along the Cerna/Tiena river banks, spread from the train station to the end of the hydroelectrical dam. Some of the Austro-Hungarian era buildings are derelict for the time being, including many of the baths, because of post-communism property related issues'.

From the website roman-thermal-spas.eu:

'Baile Herculane is blessed with 16 thermal springs with different mineral characteristics.
...
Around the statue of Hercules Baile Herculane’s imperial historical center offers a range of beautiful buildings like the imperial pavilions. Also see the railway station from 1878, which is one of Romania’s most beautiful stations. In imperial times, the Austrian empress Elizabeth – known as Sissi – came to Baile Herculane five times. For her the town was “the most beautiful spa resort on the continent”.

Amazingromania has a deeper look at the architecture of Băile Herculane.

Wikivoyage:

'At present, 16 natural springs wait thermal mineral water, scattered along the Cerna for about 4 km, are known in the neighbourhoud of the resort Baile Herculane'.

Crazy tourist - 15 places best to visit in Romania:

'Archaeological digs confirm that humans have inhabited the area of modern day Baile Herculane since the Palaeolithic period. You can visit Pestera Hotilor (The Cave of Thieves) to see proof for yourself. The town is now famous for its luxurious thermal springs. Legend holds that Hercules himself once stopped here to bathe and rest. The city is so fond of its famous visitor that no less than six statues of him have been discovered here. Since WWII, people have come for the healing properties of the hot springs. Baile Herculane is a funny mix of senior citizens enjoying their retirement and the university crowd, looking for a great holiday'.

Travelguideromania has an extensive entry on Băile Herculane with some very good info:

'It was first documented in 153 AD. The first name of the resort was Ad Aquas Herculi Sacras Ad Mediam. It was given by the Romans, meaning the holy waters of Hercules from Ad Mediam.
...
All the springs are emanating a smell of sulfur, some stronger, some weaker.
The source of the spring waters seems to be in fact the surface water.
The water seeps underground and penetrate to depths between 1,000 and 2,000 meters. It heats up considerably (up to 190 ° C). After it rise to surface where it breaks in the form of springs.
The whole chemical process, which begins with the water infiltration into the underground and ends the day out as thermal springs, it can take decades and even thousands of years.
The water temperature is generally 35 ° -45 ° C, but in some cases up to 62 ° C. Water has a high degree of mineralization – as the result of the action of the hot water on the rocks crossed the way back to the surface.
...
Under the administration in Vienna were rediscovered the Roman baths and the resort started to develop.
Bathrooms were built and people were coming to treatment throughout the empire. Visiting the baths in 1852, the Emperor Franz Joseph I said that “now in the Cerna Valley is the most beautiful resort on the continent“.
...
Herculane Baths Resort nowadays: although it is a very important architectural heritage, the historic center suffers a fierce degradation. Even so, the historical buildings are outstanding beauties and worth visiting'.

A very extensive and informative article, a great source of information if visiting here.

Smarthealthtourism has more details:

'The waters in Baile Herculane are extremely beneficial to the health and come in a wide array of mineralization degrees and temperatures. There are chlorosodic, bicarbonated and slightly sulfurous mineral thermal waters, with a mineralization of 0.5 – 2.6 g/L and a temperature of 38 – 53 °C, chlorosodic, bicarbonate and calcic waters, with a mineralization of 0.6 – 3.5 g/L and a temperature of 46 – 56 °C and chlorosodic, sulfurous and iodized waters, with a temperature that reaches 62 °C and a mineralization of 3.85 – 8 g/L.
The springs available in Baile Herculane are similar to those available in Vichy and Le Mont-Dore, their main characteristic being the high concentration, of around 60 mg/L, of sulfurous hydrogen. More than 15 springs are known, the most important being Neptun, Diana, Hebe, Ileana, Iosif, Hercules and Hygeea, with waters that have temperatures between 41 and 67 °C. Baile Herculane is also well known for its natural aeroionisation. The aeroions are beneficial for the human body by lowering blood pressure and calming endocrine ailments, headaches and insomnia'.

So in general, the springs are well covered on internet.

Hospitable
Let's look at how Sascha approaches Băile Herculane:

'The pictures that I saw before of Băile Herculane were often not too inspiring. But the impression was wrong; I really appreciated the town and the hot springs. In addition, Băile Herculane is a good starting point for beautiful hikes in the Cernei / Domogled National Park that is part of the UNESCO heritage. In autumn with sunshine it is just wonderful. 

The best map for the national park is published by muntii-nostri.ro, that map also helps to find the hot springs, although they are all close by the main street on the river and easy to find.

Băile Herculane is easy to reach; from Timisoara it is about 180 km, I took a rental car, but there is also a (slow) train that goes from Timisoara to Băile Herculane. 

However, some hot springs require a long hike on the main street or a taxi. Because, the best hiking trails are a bit more inside the national park, a rental car is certainly a good idea. 

It is also advisable, to spend 1 day in Timisoara, the town is in a good shape (in comparison to other Romanian cities). 

Direct flights to Timisoara exist from Frankfurt Hahn and Brussels Charleroi with WizzAir.

It is easy to imagine how beautiful the city of Băile Herculane must have been in the past, when Sissy [of Austrian empire fame] stayed several times in her house close by the river. 

Today, most houses are run down, the thermal complex is closed and also a number of (communist) hotel complex. It is like the city felt asleep and waits for complete face lift. 

It is better to know that before travelling to Băile Herculane in order to avoid being disappointed. It’s part of the Romanian reality.

I travelled to Băile Herculane in October [2018] and there was no need to make a reservation before, which permits to negotiate the hotel prices. Some hotels also have pools with thermal water, and some few of them have the pool outside, which is quite nice in the evening after a long hike. 

Do not expect too many young people; the average age should be around 60+. One reason is that retired persons in Romania get vouchers that permits to pay only 50% of the regular hotel price for a period of 60 days per year. Another reason seems to be that Romania does not have too much thermal towns, and Băile Herculane is the most known.

During my travels in Georgia I met a Romanian couple and they shared my point of view, that Georgians were not as friendly to tourists as we expected. “You should go to Romania and you will feel real hospitality” he said. Well, as most of my friends I had not a real idea of Romanian hospitality. After Băile Herculane and Timisoara, I have to admit they are really friendly and helpful. In each hot spring I found somebody who spoke a bit English or German, each soak ended in a discussions and translations for the other soakers. I had the impression, that in Romania, soaking is much more a social activity than e.g. in the Pyrénées / France where the impression was that everyone is soaking on his own'.

Murky 

Sascha has visited nearly half what is officially listed as hot springs belonging to 
Băile Herculane, but not the 16 mentioned above.
This post introduces Băile Venera.
Sascha:

'The hot springs are described in a geographical order. Coming from the main road from Timisoara, you enter first in the town of Baile Herculane and the first hot spring to visit is Băile Venera.

Băile Venera is located in the town of Băile Herculane. There are inside bathrooms (entrance fee 7 Lei for adults) and an outdoor pool which was empty at the time of my visit. This complex was first built in 1838 during the Austrian-Hungarian Emperor. To find the free concrete pool, it is advisable to check the situation from the other side of the river, as the entrance is not directly visible. It looks that you are crossing private ground, but in reality it is the path to the pool. When you enter into the official Băile Venera ground you are on the wrong way.

The pool itself is 38°C warm; warm enough for a long soak. The water is somewhat green-murky, but seems to be normal and natural (the thermal water in the hotel had the same color). According to the hotel owner it is slightly radioactive, but the intensity is so low, that even children are admitted to soak as long as they want'.

The hot spring of Băile Venera has it's own Facebook page and it does seem that there's a more official part to this hot spring. In the photo above tou can see a sign above a lower building.

What Sascha has been looking at is the more rambling part, probably the citizens bath ...?

Furthermore from the website Barepockets.com it has the following:

'Băile Venera (“Venera Baths”) in the Old Historical Center is one of the very few surviving Roman baths in the resort. Not long ago, almost every hotel had its own baths, and there were several public ones to choose from. Now, they’ve all been left to rot, sad reminders of a golden age long gone. Băile Venera bears testimony to Roman-bath architecture, with high vaulted ceilings echoing and amplifying each sound'.

Finally, there's a video:

Deserted

Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande: the renovated bath building

Waiting game

The hamlet of Caldeiras da Ribeira Grande (Caldeiras for short) has seen better times. 

And I mean not earlier in the day or such. 

But sometime in the past when many of the now abandoned buildings formed part of a thriving community.

Much of these structures stem from early nineteenth century (an inscription in the building above refers to 1811), when bathing in the hot waters at Caldeiras seemed to be taking off. 
However nowadays situated around the square are a number of empty buildings, a restaurant (today closed for seasonal repairs), the caldeiras themselves (caldeiras would translate as boiling cauldron) and a bath house, which surprisingly looks open for business.

And though there a couple of vehicles parked here (most probably those of fellow hikers) the square itself seems quite deserted.

That's other than the odd cat stretched out in the sun and a lady seated just outside the bathhouse. 
The bathhouse itself is open. But not open for business. The hostess announces that we can use the toilet facilities, but that since it's restoration (the year before?) the bathhouse itself is yet to welcome it's first soakers. No medical professional stationed here yet is the explanation; no medical advice to be proffered = no soaking! 

It looks like old habits die hard here as they anticipate to re-establish old-fashioned Portuguese style hotspringing here. That's  despite the huge popularity of soaking else where on São Miguel in highly natural circumstances. This must be evidence that focusing on tourists is certainly assisting the bottom line of these businesses.

I'm allowed to wander about the hallway of the quite small bathing house. Onto this hall a few doors open. Behind the doors are stark cubicles with a bath tub, very non-descript. That's all! Well, that does not spell well for the future of the bathhouse, doctor or not. 
I would imagine knocking out the rear walls and placing larger tubs which give a view of the luscious garden along the stream which runs behind the bathhouse.

Between the caldeiras and the bathhouse a channel flows, so one can at least soak ones feet. But let's go for a ramble first.

Salto

Ah the ramble. 
This leads one to the waterfall named Salto do Cabrito (Tripadvisor rates as no. 5 thing to do in Ribeira Grande). 

From Caldeiras the walk starts at what seems like a public possibility to cook your meals with geothermal warmth, see the photo following: 

The hike then continues, up a bit beyond numerous degas signs, to a swift flowing channel, part of the inlet for the nearby hydro power plant. Here you still smell sulfur (sulphur) so there are still sources nearby, probably fumaroles. 

From the here the trail heads down into the forest and crosses the river which it then follows to the waterfall itself, as pictured below.

The Salto, no skinnydipping for a change.

 

Note that one can also get to the Salto do Cabrito by car from the opposite direction as the waterfall ends at a hydro power plant. 

The walk itself continues and after the valley passes the geothermal power plant called Central Geotérmica do Pico Vermelho before returning back to Caldeiras. Certainly the walk between Caldeiras and the waterfall is worth the effort. 

Jessie on a Journey has a more expansive blog entry on the hike itself.

View towards Ribeira Grande.

Scope

Usually I would add a section about how others experienced their visit here, but there's precious little to speak of, certainly nothing noteworthy with the possible exception of the description under the following photo, which describes an original bath (?) as still on display in the bathhouse of Caldeiras.

The bath-house, which has been built by the town's people at Ribeira Grande for the good of the public, and is open at all hours of the day for their accomodation, is a long building, like a double coachhouse, and is divided into four compartments, in each of which a bath, six feet by three, has been sunk in the floor. Each apartment is paved, and each bath lined with a rough, honeycombed, scoriacenous stone, which time and water, and the backs of bathers, have worn sufficiently smooth to suit all but the most fastidious skins.

From J. Bullar & Bullar, H (1841) A winter in the Azores, and a summer at the baths of the Furnas, by J. and H. Bullar

 
So I'll proceed with a little more info on the surroundings.

Caldeiras de Riberia Grande sits among the third concentration of geothermal activity on the island, north central roughly alll near the town of Ribeiria Grande. Besides the hamlet of Caldeiras, there's the Caldeira Velha hot spring (forthcoming and a hot spring which is often confused with Caldeiras), the eerie Lago di Fogo (fire lake) atop the water divide with the southern part of the island and the geothermal station of ...

There's more geothermality in the neighbourhood. Has anyone ever heard of the nearby balneario Ladeira da Velha, a seaside bath not so far away but seriously in ruins? There's a full description on  geocache. 
Pity, if I had knew on forehand I might have made an effort.

As noted above the surroundings of Caldeiras stand witness to a plethora of signs warning for desgaseificaçao (photo below). Apparently extracting geothermal power has lead to higher levels of CO₂ discharge from/through the soil.

I've looked some info up on internet, here is a Portuguese news report. Fear not if coming for a visit, it is only prelonged exposure which may be hazourdous.

A bit off topic, continuing up the valley from Caldeiras you come to further ruins in this case from the Lombadas mineral water (Agua das Lombadas) bottling plant. Famous earlier last century, the waters that were used for bottling are still there to take a fill yourself. How to get there:

'To reach this place in the middle of nowhere with only wild volcanic nature around you have two options: Either you leave the car in the village of Caldeiras near the hot springs and the restaurant and follow the road you have just passed at the entrance to the village up to Lombadas – it is nearly 5 km of a fairly nice hike oneway ...'.

Landslides late last century resulted in the abandonment, though it could have been a conscious decision by owners to re-invest elders.

Just a couple more photo's to finish:

The cauldron

The cat (in shade)

The modern bath room (yuck?)

The source itself

Turning red

 

Thermal?
When visiting the Thermes de Spa in Spa, Belgium, one could be excused for being confused: is this a hot spring? Or not?

Thermes in French means baths according to google, though Oxford dictionaries also adds thermal baths as a translation. Though the use of thermal oddly does not mean from geothermal origin but merely being warm. 
In German, therme refers to a hot spring. 
And one would think that the name would imply originating from thermal.

The confusion continues. The Thermes de Spa's own website refers to the main pool as being a

'... thermal spring area [Espace thermal]'.  

Wikipedia in it's definitions of a thermal spring notes:

'The water temperature of a hot spring is usually 6.5 °C (12 °F) or more above mean air temperature'.

It's not only me who is confused. One of the best references on hot springs (Erfurt-Cooper & Cooper, 2009) has a sentence or two on the town of Spa and it's thermes:

'It was here in the 14th century AD that a health resort was founded after discovery of a thermal spring with apparent curative properties, and henceforth the name of Spa was connected to hot spring facilities worldwide'.

In this she refers to an article by R. Cordes: 

'April 2004 saw the grand opening of the Thermes de Spa, a EUR 15 million project of which 80 percent was financed by public authorities of Spa and the surrounding area. The rest came from Spa Monopole, producer of the famous Spa mineral water, and Eurothermes, a French company that runs similar facilities in France, Spain and Switzerland.
Investors are betting that within the next two to three years, some 150,000 people will come to swim in the 800 square metres of indoor and outdoor thermal pools every year, and that the wellness, beauty and health centre will administer between 80 and 200 treatments per day'.

Hot spring or not? The Thermes de Spa website reveals it's resources. For the purpose of bathing, it sources the natural waters from three different springs: Clementine (calcium bi-carbonate); Reine (slightly salty) and Marie-Henriette (naturally sparkling, bi-carbonated, iron bearing, manganese bearing) (source). All are piped in from their original spring, none though originate from a hot spring ....

So in conclusion, maybe not a hot spring ...?

Spit

Well the fact that it is not a hot spring need not deter a visit to Spa. After all the town and springs of Spa seem to be the origin of the word spa. So although there are doubts on the thermal origins of its waters, it certainly would be a sort of homecoming. Or not?

But is this homecoming correct? Has the town of Spa given it's name to spa, as in the wellness therapy?

The town of Spa was named after either a Latin word meaning to gush forth or a Germanic word meaning to spit (source). And by chance Spa became a highly regarded place to be, which inspired others to copy at least the concept of bathing buildings and industry and name this a spa, free PR ensured.

However there are others who contend that the word spa has a totally different origin, dating back to the Roman bathing heydays: 

'So the quoted acronym SPA found in the Roman world the culture broth to be interpreted as Salutem per Aquam. The problem is that there is not a reference in the ancient world to the phrase as such  nor the content or concept of water as a means to health'.

So possibly not? Interesting (or not) this discussion can be found here. I can imagine that probably the origin of spa is a mix of both ...

But with the historical context of Spa being the (possible) origin of the word combined with the possibility that the baths are of thermal origin and the need for a break with the availability of sauna visit / and a lengthy walk, we set off for a winter visit to Spa.

 

Historia

Understanding the need to visit Spa, is understanding it's unique history.

Naturally set in a valley in the north of the Belgian Ardennes, the town is still surrounded by large forests which are home to a reputed more than 300 fresh water springs. What's more, many of these springs have unique features, such as heavy on iron or naturally carbonated.

The first record of the fames of Spa's waters is to be found in the Naturalis Historia, written by Pliny the Elder. In the book dated to 77-79 AD:

'Tungri civitas Galliae fontem habet insignem plurimis bullis stillantem, ferruginei saporis, quod ipsum non nisi in fine potus intellegitur. purgat hic corpora, tertianas febres discutit, calculorum vitia. eadem aqua igne admoto turbida fit ac postremo rubescit', 

which translates as:

The state of the Tungri, in Gaul, has a spring of great renown, which sparkles as it bursts forth with bubbles innumerable, and has a certain ferruginous taste, only to be perceived after it has been drunk. This water is strongly purgative, is curative of tertian fevers, and disperses urinary calculi: upon the application of fire it assumes a turbid appearance, and finally turns red. 

However it wasn't until the latter Middle Ages that bathing in Spa's waters became fashionable. Visits are noted from Henry VIII and Peter the Great (source) and by the 18th century the following was said of Spa:

'... such was the flow of well-heeled visitors that Spa became known as “The Café of Europe'.

As wealth was mostly held these gentry back in those days, it's no surprise that Spa also saw the establishment of the first modern casino's of Europe (source).

'Spa reemerged [from Napoleon ruled France] in the late 19th century with a huge urbanism program, including the building of the Thermes (1862), of the Leopold II Gallery and the Pavilions (1878), of the Pouhon-Pierre-le-Grand (1880), of the Villa Marie-Henriette (1885), of the Lake Waarfaz (1892) and of the St. Remacle church (1896). The municipality revamped the Thermes in 1905 and built a new Kursaal in 1908'. (source)

Spa's older bath building

Concerning it's past the Thermes de Spa website adds this to the building of the elder spa building:

'... equipped with 54 bathtubs, opening in 1868'.

However this boom started off earlier. Same website:

'Starting in the 16^th century, Spa pioneered the export of its water to nearby regions then throughout Europe

...

Originally hydrotherapy consisted in swallowing large quantities of these therapeutic waters. Then, starting in the 18^th century, carbonated baths and peat baths took over.

It was at this time that Spa experienced an extremely brilliant period. Czar Peter the Great came to take the waters in 1717 and left having been healed.

...

Somewhat later, it was Belgium’s second queen, Marie-Henriette who linked her name and her destiny to the town. Indeed, she lived in Spa for a number of years and contributed to its renown. She died there in 1902'.

The statue Ondine de Spa stands in the Pouhon Pierre le Grand (the Peter the Great source) building, a former grand building (with winter garden) to accommodate the spring which is now the town's visitor information office. 

The ondine (or undine; it stems from German mythology) is nimf-like elf (or vice versa), don't   know why there are two ondines here. Some would say they are the soaking spirits of Spa ... Note they are noted for having no souls ... (source).

Unculture
But what about the experience? 

The town of Spa itself has still some charm thanks to past construction efforts, though many of the grander buildings are in disuse. 

The baths themselves have given way to modern day version which is constructed on the mount, north of the town. Getting there has been made easier with the use of Belgium's only funicular rail which heads from the foot of the hill into the termes themself. A return ticket will set you back €3. If staying at the Radisson Blu Palace you'll even have your private funicular car to go up.

We arrived both visits at around 18:00, in the dark, to be welcomed by a vicious long line of other potential spa goers. Waits went up to 20 minutes which seems to suggest that customer satisfaction is not high on the Therme's agenda. After payment (€20/3 hours, €30/day), one gets a fiche which electronically gives you entry to the spa. It also functions as a coin for the lockers, for racking up the food and drinks bill (if pesky) and seems to serve as a deterral for corruptable youth wanting to visit the totally naked zone. And if not payed in full by departure, it will keep you locked in!

Anyway, after letting oneself inside, there's a mass of small cubicles for changing, all rather small and claustrophobic, but that's efficiency these days. Once through the changing process, it's off to the pools. Oh, mandatory showering? Yeah let's. Oh we're one of the few who do? Hmmm .....

The spacious pool area has a nice lay out and the tall ceiling is a delight to see. Less inviting, the pool is jam packed! 

On both visits we first head up the stairs to the rather small naked zone. After verifying our ages (we paid full price which means that our fiche indicates that we are over 16) one can proceed to said place. It consists of a larger sauna, a hot jacuzzi, a hot bath, a cold bath, a couple of showers and a steam room. With a couple of benches in between, all packed with towels to indicate that they are reserved ... 
The sauna itself is very hot, the steam room not warm enough, while the other features too small to cater to the amount of visitors. 
Many of the clients are die-hard sauna enthusiasts, though the set-up also allows newcomers while the tourniquet at the entrance ensures that there's not a constant to-ing and fro-ing of mostly curious onlookers / voyeurs. As is common at Thermae 2000 in nearby Valkenburg, Netherlands. New-comers also somehow mean a disregard for sauna etiquette / hygiene: there are some who don't use towels to sit on in the sauna and then after sweating jump straight into the hot pool. And there are those that come for the experience, but are actually clothed all the time.

After an hour or so, we donned the swim suits and went downstairs to the now less busier pools, one indoor, one out. Though the waters are warm (32°C?), they must be using a lot of chlorine as I feel an instant attack on my throat and nose. So much for a healthy (and natural?) experience!
(read Daily Mail, 7 Jan. 2015: What are YOU swimming in? Scientists find insect repellent, caffeine and flame retardant chemicals in public pools)

Dare to compare
With the spa's of Valkenburg (Thermae 2000) and Aachen (Carolus) nearby as well as the downstream Chaudfontaine, it's not so strange to compare between these. 

Below is a comparison based on reviews. 

	Tripadvisor (stars/reviews)	Yelp (stars/reviews)	Zoover (points out of 10 / reviews)	Price
Thermae 2000	4 / 219, source	3 / 3 source	7.2 / 220, source	€32,50 / day
Carolus Thermen	4 / 308 source	4.5 / 64 source	9.3 / 9, source	€12-13 / 2.5 hours; €15-16 / day. Double with entry to sauna's
Chaudfontaine	3.5 / 7 source	no reviews	no reviews	€40 / day

Spa's ratings are as follows: Tripadvisor: 3.5  (364 reviews), Yelp: 4 (7 reviews) and Zoover: 4.4 (4 reviews). It also shows that Dutch consumers are less satisfied. Clearly though, Spa scores are not the best ....

Having now been to Spa, Aachen and Valkenburg, I would also give preference to the Carolus Thermen: clean, well managed, efficient and still one of the cheapest of the four. Valkenburg though does have unclothed days which earns it a bonus point and the setting is also good. Spa though has the best setting and the funicular / town added to the experience. But the least pleasant experience.

Journée aux Thermes de Spa. On commence par les bains carbogazeux C'est parti pour 20 min de bonheur #spa #thermesdespa #bains #carbogazeux #relaxation #zen 

source

One of Spa's trademark therapies is the use of natural bains carbogazeux (carbonated bath) as depicted below. From wellnesstraveling.nl:

'Spa is already long been known for its 'Bain Carbogazeux', ie carbonated and we also want to try. The bath causes a delay of the heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure. What does a man want more! The copper baths in some treatment rooms and sink into the black marble floor. The employee has already run the bath with water from the Marie-Henriette full source, 400 years of the oldest source of Spa. It is ferruginous water and carbon dioxide comes from three different extractions up. A single pipe brings the water to the Baths, directly in my bathtub. That the shell of copper is, is required for the effect. The metal causes a chemical reaction with the water, they knew that a long time ago, even though. And indeed, if I'm in the copper tub lowering, the body is covered with thousands of bubbles. If I just rub my arms and chase the bubbles, they are in no-time back. They provide a slight tingling sensation on the skin. Very relaxing'.

The bath uses carbonated water which reacts to the skin by sizzling.

Postscript 2022: based on the sauna experience only, a 5,5. Facilities are too small, too crowded.

Reference
Erfurt-Cooper, P., Cooper, M. (2009) Health and Wellness Tourism: Spas and Hot Springs. Aspects of Tourism 40. Channel View Publications, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Feeling

Lessons to be learnt
Alhama. The name already says it all. 

What? Well Alhama is derived from الـحَـمّـة , Arabic for hammam. Some say Arab bath, others Turkish (steam) bath. 

Any road, the town of Alhama de Granada is a town fortified in the Middle Ages, perched on a ledge over a not so deep gorge (but still spectacular) through which the Alhama river flows. 

And a couple of kilometres downstream, just around a sharp corner in the gorge, are the hot springs which gave name to the town.

Though the town may show it prominent roots (it thrived through the latter centuries of Moorish rule and the earlier rule under Catholicism), the existence of hot springs traces it's history to pre-Roman times when human interaction was said to have taken place. During Roman administration, the local rulers of course did their best to upgrade the hot spring facilities and oddly enough the fact that the Arab rulers did some renovations to the original Roman building seems to have sticked: the hot springs are referred to as Arab baths. After the Moors left further adjustments were made, such as the division of baths and the consequent construction of surrounding buildings, which increased in pace in the latter nineteenth century as the springs became more and more a traditional European bathing place for the elite. Originally there was one spring, but after an earthquake in 1884 another appeared.

In more recent times there seems to be confusion as regards to the ownership. This news article (Ideal, Nov. 12, 2008) discusses some of the then already protracted claims over 8 years between the company operating the spa and the local council.  

Concerning the exact details of the  history of the baths of Alhama de Granada a thorough scientific historical account has been undertaken by Salvador Raya Retamero entitled:  Historia de los Baños Termales de Alhama de Granada. De Roma a la actualidad. I take most of the above from an interview with said author. The interview comes with a few interesting historical pictures.

To do

The town of Alhama de Granada is worth a visit in it's own right. With spectacular views over the gorge, the town is a criss cross of small streets leading along centuries old buildings. Prominent during the Moorish reign, many of the buildings were then catholicsized.

The square before the oldest part of town is now packed with terraces, Alhama certainly has a lot of charm. In the gorge below the town, one can partake in one of the many walks. 

The town has an extensive local tourism office, which provided good info as well as a having a good web presence. They also do cheap tours of the old town.
One of the buildings which was open had a so-called exposition on thermal bathing places. But in reality it were just some general posters concerning bathing institutes in Spain.

Another good intro to the town can be found here with quite a lot of links on what to do. 

Further afield are two good places for a (wildish) swim: La Resinera (more info) and Embalse de Los Bermejales (more info). 
Though apparently activities are in reverse outside of summer, especially La Resinera was deserted. So we were a bit undecided whether or not we were at the right place. By the time we were at the lake we spent a great deal of time to find a lunch; here the lakeside eatery had closed up again.

Cheats?

The hot springs themselves are on the premises of the bathing resort. From the main highway, a narrow one lane road winds itself through the gorge and follows the flow of the river. Once beyond the rocks and the gorge, you will get to the gate of said bathing resort. Beyond is a small rough car park. Park here and cross the bridge. 

On the bridge, downstream you will see the overflow from the resort with two other pools, all adjacent to the stream. A steel set of stairs has been made to take you from the bridge to the pools. No more facilities than that are available.

The soaks next to the river.

When we arrive, there is already a family leaving the soaks, changing alfresco. We follow suit and spend the next half hour, watching patrons of the bathing institute to and fro over the bridge and other soakers joining us in the process.

 

The outflow.

It is a nice facility, free yes. But the temperature is just not hot enough for a longer sojourn. What's more, bathing under the stares of other guests somehow is not really comfortable, it feels like they think of us soakers as cheaters ... Them paying for all the frills, we paying nada ...

From the soak. 

 

Escort
This is a great web entry on the hot springs with bags of info and a first hand account of actual spa-ing. It notes that for a small fee one can observe the ancient baths from behind glass if allowed entrance to the bathing resort; they aren't in use (?).

'The property has a distinct health-focused, sanitarium feel, with professional staff dressed in white who offer a range of thermal water treatments. The water is said to not only relax the body, but also to help with removing toxins, cleaning and moisturising the skin and relieving arthritis and rheumatism amongst many other attributes.
The spa circuit is escorted, so a member of the team is with you for each stage.
It starts with classic water jets called 'Chorros a Presión'; one stands in a bathing suit in a private cubicle as powerful hoses are carefully and precisely directed at major muscle groups to relax, and tone.
Then it's a good 10 to 15 minutes in a large bubbling spa hot tub,  the 'Baño de Percussion': and then further time to relax and even meditate in the hot 'Baño de la Reina'. This is a large, shallow pool of hot thermal water, constantly refreshed by a bubbling source spilling out over lava rocks in the centre of this dimly lit, centuries-old space. One can cool off in large walk in circular showers.
To end, there are a range of additional services including a personalised mineral bubble bath in a huge, antique marble tub, hewn from a single, huge piece of marble. Therapeutic massages and facials are also available, as well as a salon dedicated to the inhalation of the water vapours'.

 

From the Balneario Alhama de Granada website

 

Then there is the Balneario de Alhama de Granada resort's website. Though it adds little know how than above. Prices are 80€ for an overnite stay with free use of the outside pool. Use of other facilities means more expenditure of nearly a minimum of €20 per treatment / usage.

Vernon has this experience of the free soak:

'But there is such a thing as a free bath.

Beside the spa there is a natural source of constantly flowing thermal water. Those who, like me, don’t want to pay to experience the benefits of the thermal waters, simply pull up in the car park and go to sit in the river.

Thereafter, you should take a stroll around the town and enjoy some tapas in one of the main squares'.

Here's another experience, this time from myNerja:

'The rock pools themselves are just a ramshackle couple of shallow pools, made from stones piled up around the side. There is also a concrete outlet drain, which people use as a makeshift hot tub. There are empty bottles and items of discarded clothing lying around, so don’t expect a high class spa experience, but on the other hand, it is free. The hotel pool is opposite the hotel, down a tree lined footpath. If you are not a guest in the hotel you have to pay €8 per person to use the pool, plus €3.50 for a swimming cap. The waters are naturally heated inside the ground and the pool temperatures are around 37ºC'.

There's a lot to discuss concerning this soak on the Spanish language forum FurgoVW, always an interesting site. Tips are for nite bathing or very early morning.

An extensive description in German, while at realandulacia, there's a photographic visit from a few years back. This website has an extensive number of links on Alhama and it's baths.

This is what the interior pools look like:

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source

And finally, from youtube there's this experience from a few years back: