Antique

X for Xamam

Located just within Greece are the hamams of Loutra Agistro (Aggistro / Angistron / Angistro / Agistron / Agkistro or simply Άγκιστρο).

Agistro is a small village on the northern flanks of Serres region, with view of Bulgaria. Even though it's hid from the rest of Greece by the Agistro and Orvilos mountains, it's easy to find, not a difficult route at all. Take the last turn off the main motorway from Thessaloniki to Sofia before the border at Promachonas and follow the winding road for about 7 km. In Agistro village itself, take a road right and continue to the end about 500m. 

There you will find the Hotel Xamam.

Byzantine baths

Hotel Xamam is a small rural, but modern hotel (opened in 2007?) built around the sole remaining ancient hamam bath. This bath stakes claim to date from the mid-Byzantine era, around the years 900-1000, making it over a thousand years old.

The recent reconstructed hotel has expanded and updated on the Byzantine baths theme. 

Using the original spring and adding several dome like structures there are now 7 or 8 hamams, each containing a 4 by 4 meter bath complete with hot water fountains. 
The newer domes themselves imitate their ancient ancestor in maintaining atmosphere with high temperature and high humidity; the ceiling of the dome contains a few open spaces for air to escape and light to come in.

Despite the absence of naturalness, a half hour soak (5€) is great to unwind. The baths are clean and contain a changing room / toilet. 
The baths are supplied by gushing water from two spouts, great for massage. Really wonderful.

Four by four meters, but five star ambiance

Besides the hamam baths and normal hotel facilities, Xamam hotel (& spa) also offers a real (Scandinavian) sauna and massage services.

Turkish

It's typical when thinking of a hamam to think of Turkish baths with their distinctive layout of various cooling and heating spaces. However the tradition of the hamam pre-dates the Ottoman empire and has it's roots in the Byzantine era when the then rulers successfully maintained the Roman traditions of bathing alive by creating and evolving their own type of bath houses. 

In reality there are actually not many hamams with original hot water sources. And bath tubs are certainly not integral to what we now understand as a Turkish hamam. However there a few hot springs in this part of Greece, here in Agistro and in Thermes (Xanthi) which claim both to be a hamam and have a hot spring as source. 

Also the tell-tale sign of domed roofs which are an essential part of the Turkish bath process of keeping the steam condensation in, are thus traced to the Byzantine era. 

For more info on Hamam's and their history seek out the excellent pages by cyberbohemia or just wikipedia.

Shadows

The hotel website itself adds (in Greek) quite a lot on the local village and it's historic ups and downs. 

Tripadvisor though, is not so positive on the hotel ... 3 stars out of 5, but only based on 1 stay. Possibly not the best place to stay overnight. But to bathe I would  5 stars!

Hotel Xamam should not be confused with Pararaia Hotel, also in Agristo. It's web site adds (in English): 

'Agistro has a natural hot water spring, with a stone-built Byzantine bath dating back to 950 A.D. Water temperature is 38°C (100°F) and each of the eight spa baths available is rented for half hour sessions to couples, families and groups. Dense vapour, reflections and shadows are the stepping stones to a watery world.

The atmosphere is dreamy, mystical, transcendental. Serenity, relief, relaxation, revitalisation a newfound body sensation as you immerse gradually into the warm comfort of the 38° C water. Reconcilement and total identification with nature, transcending material existence. Savour it all by yourself, as a couple or in the company of friends, any hour of the day. Experience the sense of peacefulness and relaxation provided by the thermal spa and its therapeutic mineral water'.

 

The original hamam adjacent to the new building.

This website adds:

'Initially built in 950 and later modified by the Ottomans, the Agistro hamam was recently restored and has since acquired considerable fame among spa connoisseurs'.

An experience blogged by Rice, beans and pistachio:

'We got undressed and opened the door to the bath and steam rolled out the door. The room was lit only by a blue light. The water was gushing from 2 separate spouts out of the wall into the bath. It was absolutely a dream. We got into the bath and the water was so warm I was relaxed almost instantly. I could feel the minerals in the warm water soothing my aches away'.

More photo's here.

On a minor note, the warm water also helps a local trout farm (source).

Thermalgreece.com is a commercial company which does the following:

'Thermal Greece has been established to offer health and healing holidays in selected natural hot springs and spas across Greece'. 

Amongst it's offerings are the baths / hamams of Agistro:

'Agistron natural thermal spring is situated in a beautiful mountainous area in Macedonia, north Greece. In antiquity, the greater area of the spring has been famous for iron and gold mining. The spring first became known during the age of Alexander the Great, (356 – 323 BC). Since then it has remained in use, with an interruption only during the second Wold War, when the village was almost completely destroyed. Until today, the steam (Hamam) building and the tower of the village, constructed in Agistron during the Byzantine times in 950 AC, remain intact and serve as cultural land mark monuments of the spring’s region.
...
Agistron hot spring ιs considered to be among the best in Europe and the underground water at 40.5°C is ideal for many disorders. Among them, rheumatism, arthritis, displaced spinal disc and muscle pain. The water contains sodium, calcium, potassium, sulphuric acid, hydrogen carbonate and iron. It is characterized as oligometallic and hypotonic therapeutic thermal water'. 

Then follows a chemical analysis of the waters. Costs are nearly 700€ for a 7-day stay, hotel full board.

What else is hot?

Besides visits over the border to Bulgaria and hikes up the surrounding mountains, the main attraction in this area is the Kerkini Lake which shimmers in the heat and reflects the surrounding mountains. Kerkini Lake is home to huge amounts of breeding bird life, in particular the Dalmatian pelican.  

Access to the bird colonies goes via the village of Kerkini in the northeast corner of the lake. For 7,50€ one is taken by boat across the lake to a flooded plain with trees brimming with nests. And a number of platforms for the top cats of the reservation, the pelicans.

 Nesting Dalmatian pelicans

Located between Kerkini and Agistro is another hot spring; that of Sidorokastro:

'The Sidirokastro Hot Springs have a temperature of 45°. They are just outside the town to the north, near the Strymonas River railway-bridge, on a hill that offers panoramic views of the area. Thousands of people go to these hot springs every year, both for recreation or therapy, especially since the recent renovation of the area's tourist facilities' (Wikipedia). 

The hotel (& spa) website adds:

'Spa resort has been well-known since the ages of Byzantium. Elvia Chelebi, a famous traveler witnessed them been used in 1667, when Turkey ruled the area and 19 years later they are honored by Nicolas Shoinas (in its work "Traveling Notes") for their sanitarian benefits'.

Still within Serres region, but much closer to Thessaloniki are the hot springs of Therma, Nigrita. What's more?

'The Nigrita Thermal Springs are known throughout Greece for their mineral water, which is bottled locally and sold nationally, and the springs themselves are believed to ease gastrointestinal ailments'.

There is also a mention of Megali Vrisi hot springs in the neighbouring region Kiklis (to the north of Kiklis town, which itself is just north of Thessaloniki). 

Nearby this hot spring is a different kind of hydro-therapy, Lake Pikrolimini, just south of Kiklis  town: 

'It is estimated that treatment based on sulfur mud that comes from the neighboring Pikrolimni. It is also said that Alexander the Great brought his army here in the course of baths in the East.
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 and rejuvenating properties due to sulphates and nitrates of clay found in the lake bottom'. (source)

If only I had known ...

Conception

 The snow-capped mountains of Kaimaktsalan on an early May Sunday

God

Natural soaking in Europe tends to be a fringe activity: the closer to the fringe of what calls itself Europe, the better the chances of a real natural soak. 

And with real I mean not some over-medicalised, over-wellnessed place but a place where water gushes from the earth and where you can bathe in un-adultered H₂O preferably in it's natural habitat.

Greek Macedonia is one of those European fringes and thankfully the geothermal god(s) (Poseidon? Amongst others he's the god of earthquakes ... Or Tethys, mother of springs?) are favouring the mountains of this gorgeous place of the world. 

Blessed with a fair doses of sun and welcoming natives there are still a few soaks to be had in natural and little enhanced bathing sites.

Forthcoming

And hot springs hardly come less spectacular than those of Loutra Pozar (sometimes known as Loutráki; note that a hot spring with the same name is located in Korinthia). Loutra Pozar is located in Edessa (Pella region, Greek Macedonia). 

Where the local stream enters from it's hiding place behind the high mountain cliffs of Kaimaktsalan there are a number of springs set alongside the swift flowing river.

The river itself is quite spectacular. Precautionally a number of man made waterfalls have been created each dropping about 5 meters at a time. This to let the river drop speed before it gushes onto the plains.

Under and aside of at least two of these falls, hot springs come forth. 

Stuff of what dreams are made of ...

The lowest of these two pools is surrounded by a restaurant complete with changing facilities where visitors must pay the 2€ entrance fee for use of the facilities and the better soaking pool. 

Inside the building are more bathing facilities (see below); but why come Trans Europe to soak in a chamber cell?

There is still nothing better than soaking in warm water with the river crushing down just meters away.

The next waterfall upstream has a non-enhanced more natural but smaller pool. Above this cataract and beyond the waterfall, a half size Olympic pool has been constructed with a packed terrace; this being Easter Sunday. Many a visitor seems to be more interested in soaking up the looks of potentials suitors ... Well sort of at least. Not my cup of tea.

 

Poolside: packed

Away from the hedonism, on the opposite bank is a small pool which after a little inspection proves to be a hot spring. No soakers taking an interest though ....

You think it's a hot spring?

Beyond all this though are the added wonders of near limitless tracks and trails heading up, in all directions along the valleys and up the still snow covered mountains (see above).

 

Great falls

After a mild walk we return to the smaller more natural pool and join others in the delight of soaking next to the gushing river. The noise of other visitors is drowned out by the crashing falls. This pool even has it's own massage jets, naturally powered!

Just big enough

If any comment would be required, it would be that there is an absence of pure natural outdoor soaking, as natural as possible of course ...

In general the soaking site is well laid out and neatly organised. There´s quite a lot of parking space. Near the first parking space is a small market where local produce is sold.

Mental

The best site for more info would be that of the organisation running this nice show but somehow their English is a bit scratchy. Example:

'A visitor takes care of personal physical and mental hygiene in the entrance of the outdoor pool Pozar, leaving the gurgling warm water to act with beneficial properties. Receives the therapeutic properties of spa water in the hot Pozar'.

The organisation is actually a local municipal set up, apparently:

'Since 1990 the spa has been under the administration of the communal enterprise "Loutra Loutrakiou Pellas" which nowadays is an immiscible [= 'Not forming a homogeneous mixture when added together'] municipal enterprise'.

This hotel web-site has the following information to add:

'The temperature of the thermal water baths in Pozar, at the 6 main hot springs is 37 degrees Celsius. One can enjoy the water in one of the specially formed private swimming pools (privet spa), internal steam spas or at one of the also internal 40 bathtubs. The adventurous ones [?] can make use of the large outdoor pool with hot, running, spa water during both winter and summer.

For the even more daring ones, the countless waterfalls with running healing waters along the riverside and the 5 natural lakes where the hot water steams from the ground create the perfect setting for relaxation through a natural hydromassage'.

Note the many ways to sell a hot spring to the public. Locally Alex is a hot selling topic:

'Immerse yourself into natural therapeutic waters as Alexander the Great did over 2.500 years ago. The Loutrá complex has adopted a modern luxurious spa profile offering invigorating therapies for your body and soul.

The Pózar Thermal Baths boast two modern hydrotherapy centres: the one comprises 48 private thermal baths, 2 indoor pools and 2 private hamams, whereas the other, founded in 2005, boasts 6 modern beautifully decorated private thermal bathing pools with artificial waterfalls.

Visit also the outdoor facilities of Pózar Baths: let the sparkling waters of the waterfalls flow through your body, or go for underwater swimming in the big outdoor thermal pool. No matter how cold the weather is, the water temperature remains steadily at 37°C!'

More info:

'Recommended for rheumatic, dermatological, gynecological, and respiratory and circulatory system conditions, the hot springs of Pózar are beneficiary for everybody’s health and well-being not just while bathing in them, but also when drinking their water. Still, that’s just half as natural and healthy as you can go'.

Tripadvisor rates this a five star attraction, based on 9 reviews ... That's not bad ...

There's also quite a few youtube vdo's out there, here's an example.

Note this visitor report:

'Nevertheless, most of the visitors drive up here to enjoy the warm water and majestic surroundings and it is common knowledge that hundreds of local children were conceived in this romantic setting'.

What else?

Besides the already mentioned hiking trails, a quick day visit to Loutra Pozar may be combined with a visit to the spectacularly located town of Edessa. Perched on a slab of mountain high above the eastern plains Edessa is wellknown for it´s waterfalls; the local river dissects the town and drops off the plateau on the edge of town.

 

Edessa drop off

Elsewhere in the same region are the hot springs of Loutrohori. More info on these:

'Further south and some 20 kilometers from Edessa lays the village of Loutrohori, which is also adorned with hot springs of water rich in minerals such as sulfur. Their healing qualities are recommended for skin diseases, rheumatisms or arthritis'.

p.s. Artemis is actually the protector of hot springs ... (source)