Destinations

12 Historic European Spas and Bathhouses for a Wellness Getaway

From Iceland to Estonia, these relaxing spots in Europe will leave you blissed out—with a glowing complexion to prove it.

By Stacey Lastoe

February 9, 2024

12 Historic European Spas and Bathhouses for a Wellness Getaway

While we relish the opportunity to draw a bubble bath in the oversized porcelain tub of a luxurious hotel room, a soak in even the most design-forward, perfectly lit marble bathroom can’t compare to classic European spas with old-world bathhouse experiences. It’s why we still make a point to visit the very facilities that are committed to a timeless ritual, one that invites deep relaxation and a special kind of letting go only made possible through mineral-rich waters with calming, cleansing, and cathartic abilities. Whether your goal is simply to unwind and unplug for a few hours or to achieve a more focused solution to whatever ails you, rest assured that one of these classic European bathhouses and spas will leave you sufficiently blissed out, with a glowing complexion to show for it. Here are the best ones to plan a trip around, and the unique spa rituals to expect at each of them.

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

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Ahmet Ertuğ
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Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı — Istanbul
While you can find a traditional Turkish hammam at many hotel spas around the capital city, the best way to experience the body cleansing ritual is at one of Istanbul’s oldest hammams. Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı offers separate hours for women and men and is as architecturally stunning as it is functional, with no-nonsense Turkish attendants the highlight of the bathhouse. Massage services can be booked as well, but you’re here for a very special kind of bath. After being doused in warm water, relax your muscles on a heated marble slab before being lathered from head to toe and emerging squeaky clean and invigorated. Oh, and when your attendant asks if you’d like your hair washed, the answer is an emphatic yes.
David Kilpatrick/Alamy
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Claudius Therme — Cologne
Thermal baths, herbal steam baths, various sauna options — the kelo sauna, for example, utilizes honey to nourish and cleanse the skin and salt from the Dead Sea to detoxify and disinfect, and the banya sauna, meanwhile, incorporates hot and cold phases in addition to a gentle yet vigorous caress of the body with birch twigs or venik — and it’s a wonder anyone manages to leave this bucolic escape. Physiotherapy massages do much more than ease stress and tension; this type of massage therapy is intended to help musculoskeletal problems including arthritis and joint pain. But in spite of the attention on healing, Claudius Therme doesn’t have to work too hard to appeal to the visitor seeking basic rest and rejuvenation too, thanks in part to a beautifully designed space featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, views of Rheinpark and Cologne Cathedral, and, of course, warm thermal water.

7132 Hotel
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Vals Thermal Baths — Switzerland
These Peter Zumthor-designed thermal baths pay homage to the Swiss region’s natural hot springs, discovered more than a century ago. Accessed only by guests of the 7132 Hotel, House of Architects, and 7132 Glenner (three properties under the 7132 brand umbrella), the baths were made from 60,000 slabs of Vals quartzite, and have a sensual, mystical feel. Granted protected heritage status, the highly mineralized water hovers around 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, the baths may be enjoyed until 1 a.m. Spa services including massages, body wraps, facials, and scrubs are offered in addition to the unique bathing experience. You’ll have to leave your electronic devices back in the room though, as they aren’t permitted in the tranquil thermal bathing area.
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Chaîne Thermale du Soleil, Les Thermes du Mont-Dore — France
The Neo-Byzantine style baths, classified as a historic monument, are the top reason to travel to this small mountainous village in south-central France. Although the facilities retain their old-world charm, they’ve been modernized to appeal to the savvy traveler and include a steam shower, swimming pool with immersion shower stations, and something called a carbonated nasal shower, intended to help with respiration. Opt for the resort’s Premier Service and receive a personalized treatment plan and access to a private zen rest area—among other VIP-type amenities. Many of the spa treatments are geared more towards those with chronic health issues, but there’s plenty of good, old-fashioned pampering available too.

Courtesy Thermae Bath Spa
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Thermae Bath Spa — England
Britain’s original natural thermal spa contains a slew of distinct offerings, so you can opt for two-hour access to the New Royal Bath Main Spa (which is adults-only), or you can select a 90-minute session at the Cross Bath (children ages 12 to 15 are permitted with an adult), though it’s only the former that will give you access to an infrared room, ice chamber, and Georgian and Roman steam rooms. Whichever way you go, know that you may also book hot-stone (which uses volcanic basalt stones to further ease tension), or bamboo (which enlists warm bamboo sticks to nourish the body) massages. If you’re traveling with a spouse or partner, consider the aromatherapy couples massage to submit to a sublimely calming experience together.
Mývatn Nature Baths
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Mývatn Nature Baths — Iceland
Providing all-day amusement and relaxation in the form of a capacious milky—and mineral-rich— blue lagoon (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit), steam baths, and a swim-up bar serving both hard and soft drinks, this bathhouse is popular among visitors and locals alike. Located less than 300 miles from Reykjavík, Mývatn is a worthy stop and stayover on the Iceland trail, and the geothermal baths of Mývatn, a designated nature reserve, provides a deeply edifying respite from some of the country’s more active pursuits. Although you’re unlikely to be surprised by the stunning Northern Icelandic scenery at this point, the peaceful, pleasant surroundings with views for days doesn’t hurt.

Rudas Baths
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Rudas Baths — Budapest
While visiting Széchenyi Gyogyfürdo, Europe’s largest thermal bathing facility, is on many Budapest visitors’ lists, and a worthy detour, we can’t help but be drawn to another of the artsy Eastern European city’s thermal baths. Rudas Baths’ 21 hot springs are the prominent feature behind the 16th-century facility, which welcomes guests 14 and older. Traditional water massage treatments incorporate Swedish techniques, and handmade soap made with macadamia oil for ultra silky skin, is used to cleanse and soften the body. The domed space (built during the time of Ottoman rule) delivers self-care in an atmosphere that’s both calming and thought-provoking.
Jacek Sopotnicki/Alamy
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Termas de Luso — Portugal
At this wellness retreat in Northern Portugal, the emphasis is on the therapeutic benefits of thermal spa waters, and many who visit opt for the basic circuit to experience the pool area’s myriad stations. Strong jets, strategically placed in the water, work to target whatever sore body part needs it the most. The pool circuit, or Thermal Spa, option also includes access to a hammam, sauna, and relaxation room. Jet lagged travelers won’t want to miss the Swiss shower. Consisting of eight vertical jets of varying temperatures, this blood circulating experience can be enhanced with aromatherapy for greater relaxation.

Courtesy Terme di Saturnia
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Termes di Saturnia — Italy
In keeping with the soothing atmosphere, the Natural Spa of Termes di Saturnia in Tuscany, provides sparkling white towels and bathrobes, and invites guests to dress in kind to keep the harmonious vibes humming. Thermal waters hover close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and you’re invited to not just bask and relax in the wellness pools but to inhale the water and even sip it (consumed in small amounts on an empty stomach, it’s said to be good for digestion). In addition to the requisite water therapies, options include mud therapies that take full advantage of the mineral water’s calming and cleansing properties, toxin-eliminating massages, and anti-aging facials.
Mauritius/Alamy
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Ensana Nové Lázně — Czech Republic
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You’d be hard pressed to pass through Mariánské Lázně, recognized in 2021 as one of 11 Great Spa Towns in Europe by UNESCO World Heritage Site, and not be tempted to experience its lauded spa culture. Mineral springs—the town has 100—form the backbone of Nové Lázně, where elite members of society have been going since the early 19th century. The Roman bath area of the hotel spa includes a steam room, sauna, cold plunge pool for an endorphin rush, foot rock pools to comfort weary feet, a whirlpool, and large pools for leisurely swimming and floating. Book a mud wrap or massage and succumb to the spa’s magical aura.
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Jani-Markus Hasa/Alamy
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Kotiharjun Sauna — Helsinki
The Finnish people, accustomed to a cold climate for much of the year, love their saunas, and you don’t have to look hard in Helsinki to find one to sweat it out in, but Kotiharjun, a public wood-burning sauna and the last of its kind in the city, is the real deal. If you can, visit on a Thursday or Saturday when the option for a complete body wash (modestly priced) is available at the no-frills facility. If and when you need a break from the sauna’s heat, you may purchase a beer or soft drink and sip it before returning to the enveloping warmth enriched by the sweet smell of toasted wood. This being a public sauna, you’re just as likely to sweat it out with locals as with other travelers.
Courtesy Hestia Hotel
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Kentmanni Spa at Hestia Hotel — Estonia
Like its Nordic neighbors, Estonia also enjoys a sauna culture, preferably in the middle of a dense forest of birch trees, though the sweet and cozy spa at Hestia Hotel in the country’s capital, is designed to make you feel as though you’ve somehow escaped the buzzing metropolis just outside. Spa access, which includes a traditional Finnish sauna, steam room, and hot tub, welcomes hotel guests free of charge. The minimalist design gives visitors a chance to focus on mindfulness as the body alternates relaxing in the dry sauna and wet steam. Heated chaise lounge chairs provide additional respite after a soak in the hot tub.