Health and well-being, another attraction for visiting Catalonia
Visiting one of the 20 spas with mineral-medicinal waters in our country, as well as the thermal villages and surrounding areas where they are located, is an increasingly popular practice, both for Catalans and international visitors.
Benifallet, Caldes de Estrac, Caldes de Malavella, Caldes de Montbui, El Vendrell, La Garriga, San Clemente Sescebes, San Hilari Sacalm, and Santa Coloma de Farners are just a few of the spa towns we have at our disposal. All of them have a spa with mineral-medicinal waters declared of public use, where those who wish can enjoy treatments for respiratory or musculoskeletal diseases, rehabilitate after an injury or surgery, or simply relieve stress. These are centers that, over time and with the progressive popularity of these spas, have adapted their facilities to new trends and, today, offer high-quality accommodations and services. A stay that can be completed by touring the surroundings of these facilities, located in towns, as we mentioned, with a wealth of cultural, gastronomic, and scenic attractions, which also applies to those spas. wellness, recreational and thermal, such as the Caldes de Montbui Spa or the Baronia de Les Spa, and thalassotherapy.
Heritage of the Romans
The Catalan spa tradition dates back to Roman times. As Joan Anglí, president of the Catalan Spa Association, points out, "although it may seem unbelievable," many of the techniques used today with mineral-medicinal waters come directly from Roman times. Anglí cites examples "such as Roman baths, which today would be thermal pools, or vaporaria, which today would be saunas." It is true, he points out, that there are techniques that, with the use of technologies such as pressure pumps, now allow the temperature of the water to be modified, "but the essence, which is the use of thermal water to relieve pain and feel better, is inherited from the Romans."
Depending on the type of mineralization, these mineral-medicinal waters can be used for musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatism, arthritis, and osteoarthritis; for recovery from broken bones or ligaments; and for respiratory system diseases. "Normally, these waters are neurosedative, so they aid rest and sleep, and for all types of anti-stress treatments," adds Anglí. These services are always managed by a medical and auxiliary team, and, as the president of the Spa Association emphasizes, "spa resorts are health centers." A month ago, a study promoted by the Spa Villages Association was published on how balneotherapy can alleviate symptoms such as musculoskeletal pain and fatigue in patients with persistent COVID-19. Anglí explains that they are currently immersed in a study on the effects of balneotherapy on breasts in patients. "One of our goals in the association is for spas to become part of the Department of Health's treatment program," he points out.
Places where you can breathe peace
"We spas don't choose our location; it's determined by the water sources," says Anglí. However, they tend to be located in quiet spaces, small towns, and untouristy areas; places where peace and quiet are generally found and where there are many opportunities for outdoor activities, such as hiking and cycling. "Furthermore," Anglí points out, "leisure activities, gastronomy, and so on have developed around the spa towns."
One of the spa towns that best exemplifies this statement is Caldes de Montbui, in the Vallès Oriental region, just 35 kilometers from Barcelona. It is home to the RV Hotels Broquetas Spa Termal, which has a heated indoor and outdoor pool, gardens and outdoor areas, and the Orígens restaurant, where you can enjoy a gastronomic offering based on healthy, local cuisine, prepared with creativity and seasonal produce. All of this, as we mentioned, is within a population of more than 16,000 inhabitants spread across the town center and various residential areas, including El Farell, which was built on a hill at an altitude of more than 800 meters.
Waters over 74°C
The name Caldes comes from the word warm either hot, a clear allusion to the waters that spring from the earth's interior at a temperature of 74°C, making this town's spring one of the hottest in Europe. A town where you can discover the famous Lion Fountain, built in 1581 in the Plaza de la Vila, which is also home to the Roman baths—declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest—, the town hall, the Brochetas Thermal Spa, and the Manolo Hugué Museum, dedicated to the 20th-century painter of the same name. Caldes de Montbui is also home to the Red Tower, an archaeological site with a broad chronological range spanning from the 5th century BC to practically the present day; the Portalera and Canaleta thermal water wash houses; the Romanesque bridge; the Cárcel Tower—declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest; the Esclop mill; the Remei hermitage; and the Church of Santa Maria, among other places of interest.
Hiking enthusiasts who want to explore the surrounding area can do so on trails such as the Torre Roja trail, the Caldes stream trail, or the Vent peak trail, or routes such as the Remei trail, the Fonts trail, the Turó Gros trail, and the Hermit trail, among others.
While it's true that the main clientele of Catalan spas is local, whether they're taking a weekend getaway or the more traditional, recuperative stays of more than a week, Joan Anglí, president of the Catalan Spa Association, points out that foreign clients have gained prominence in recent years. "These are clients whose culture places an important emphasis on thermal waters and who, in this case, are looking for peaceful places to establish their base camp and, from there, plan their vacations and, in this case, get to know Catalonia."