10 Mainland Portugal Hot Springs and Spas For Your Next Visit
Portugal’s Mediterranean charm is most prominent on the golden beaches of the Algarve; in the wilderness of the Azores islands; among the vineyards of Douro Valley; and on the cobbled streets of Lisbon and Porto, where old-world culture meets cosmopolitan bars and restaurants.
Late September / early October is the perfect time of year to visit Portugal. Every day was sunny and daytime temperatures in most places were warm to hot. Evenings were cool and pleasant. The air was fresh and it didn't seem very humid to me.
Of course it’s best to also visit hot springs and spas during the cooler periods so you can linger.
Termas de São Pedro do Sul
Located in the Viseu District, Termas de São Pedro do Sul is arguably the most famous and historically significant thermal resort in Portugal, with a tradition of balneotherapy dating back to Roman and possibly pre-Roman times. Its sulfurous, highly mineralized waters emerge at a scorching 68.7∘C (155.7∘F).
São Pedro do Sul Thermal Spa is actually two spas: Balneário Rainha D. Amelia and Balneário D. Afonso Henriques.
The Termas de São Pedro do Sul are located on the banks of the Vouga River, a river of medium dimensions that is born in the Lapa mountain range and flows into the Aveiro river.
Butterflies are here frequent and diverse, especially the antiopa butterfly, the carnival butterfly, the beautiful small apature (very rare in Portugal) and the white admiral. The playful otter hunts often at these stops, and the to-water winepress is always present on the tracks and walls by the river.
Water Quality: 5 stars. Exceptionally pure, bacteriologically clean, and highly mineralized (356.6mg/L) with bicarbonates, sodium, and high sulfur content.
Ease of Access: 5 stars. Excellent road access, ample dedicated parking, and integrated into a town setting.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. Large, modern facilities with multiple treatment rooms and pool areas, offering good opportunities for quiet relaxation despite being popular.
Water Temperature: 5 stars. Water emerges at 68.7∘C, but is carefully controlled and cooled into multiple pools and baths at various comfortable soaking temperatures.
Health Benefits: 5 stars. Documented benefits for musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions, as well as respiratory and skin ailments, making it a leading therapeutic destination.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars. Full range of a dedicated thermal town: multiple hotels, restaurants, extensive spa and medical facilities, and organized thermal animation programs.
Termas de Chaves
In the northern region of Trás-os-Montes the well known wine region, Chaves hot springs boasts Europe's hottest hyperthermal waters, gushing out at a remarkable 76∘C (169∘F). The Roman legacy, evident in the original name Aquae Flaviae, underscores its ancient importance.
Gasocarbonic, bicarbonated and rich in minerals, thus is Chaves Thermal Water which spurts from the source at 76ºC and gathers the ideal characteristics to take care of your body and mind. Waters include minerals such as fluride and sodium.
Stay at The Vintage House - Douro with breathtaking views of the Douro Valley. You can enjoy a glass of Port wine upon arrival, a delicious buffet breakfast, and explore the extensive wine cellar with concierge-directed vineyard tours.
Water Quality: 5 stars. High purity, bicarbonated, rich in sodium, silica, and fluoride, with a naturally high temperature that sterilizes it.
Ease of Access: 5 stars. Excellent access within the urban area of Chaves, with good signage and dedicated spa facilities.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. Large, modern spa complex offers various pools and treatment zones, providing quiet spaces and private appointments.
Water Temperature: 5 stars. Although the source is extremely hot, the facilities offer multiple thermal pools precisely tempered for comfortable and safe therapeutic use.
Health Benefits: 5 stars. Exceptional hyperthermal waters with strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic action, recommended for musculoskeletal, digestive, and respiratory conditions.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars. Situated in a historic city, offering a full complement of hotels, fine dining, cultural sites, and an adjacent thermal dermocosmetic line.
Termas do Luso
Nestled within the breathtaking beauty of the Buçaco Mountain, Termas do Luso is famous not just for its spa, but also for its natural mineral water, which is bottled and sold nationwide. The resort emphasizes a Medical Spa concept.
You can stay onsite at the Grande Hotel de Luso and enjoy massages as well as pampering treatments such as facials and hydrotherapy and steam rooms.
Water Quality: 5 stars. Exquisite purity; the water is lightly mineralized and has a high reputation for clarity and its diuretic and detoxifying properties.
Ease of Access: 5 stars. Easy road access, located in the pleasant village of Luso, with ample parking and clear signposting to the thermal complex.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. The facility is large and integrated with a high-end hotel, offering private treatment areas and the vast, peaceful Buçaco Forest nearby for solitude.
Water Temperature: 4 stars. Features multiple thermal pools and treatment baths at comfortable, controlled temperatures suitable for all-day soaking and therapies.
Health Benefits: 4 stars. Known for its diuretic, detoxifying, and metabolic-stimulating effects, and increasingly focused on cardiac and motor rehabilitation.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars. Integrated with the Grande Hotel de Luso and located near the historic Buçaco Palace Hotel, offering high-quality dining, lodging, and forest activities.
Termas da Curia
Just 15 km from Luso, Termas da Curia is set within a magnificent 14-hectare park with an artificial lake. Its bicarbonate-rich waters are sought after for treatments of metabolic and digestive disorders. Stay onsite at the hotel with a garden view, relaxing massages and a sauna.
The name Curia arose from the fact that, in the area, traditional linen curing was carried out , which led to the site becoming known as Curaria.
The water has sulphur, calcium and magnesium, a temperature of 19ºC, with a pH of 7.2 and the total mineralization of hypersaline (+ -1900mg / L).
Water Quality: 5 stars. Pure, clear, and rich in bicarbonates, with a reputation for excellent mineral composition.
Ease of Access: 5 stars. Excellent access from major roads, large park setting with good parking.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. The expansive 14-hectare park and lake provide numerous areas for finding quiet and solitude outside of the main pool area.
Water Temperature: 4 stars. Comfortable soaking and treatment temperatures, well-regulated within the modern spa facilities.
Health Benefits: 4 stars. Highly recommended for metabolic, digestive, and kidney-related conditions due to its mineral profile.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars. Integrated with the Hotel Termas da Curia and offers extensive leisure amenities like a golf course, tennis courts, and pedalo boats on the lake.
Termas de Monfortinho
Nestled in the heart of the Naturtejo Geopark, close to the Spanish border, Termas de Monfortinho utilizes the pure, clear waters flowing from the Penha Garcia Mountain. This is a quiet retreat focused on holistic well-being.
Located between the Tagus valley and the mountains in the centre of the country, Geopark Naturtejo was in 2006 the first in Portugal to be integrated by UNESCO.
The waters of the Santa de Monfortinho Fountain are hypomineralized, bicarbonated, calcium and magnesic sodiums, having one of the highest silica levels (53%) among the Portuguese thermal waters. The spring temperature is 29C and has a pH of 5.45.
Water Quality: 5 stars. Pure, clear water, naturally filtered and highly valued for its therapeutic properties.
Ease of Access: 4 stars. Good road access, but located in a more remote region, though the main complex is easy to navigate.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. Situated in a tranquil, secluded valley, the atmosphere is generally calmer than larger resorts, promoting solitude and relaxation.
Water Temperature: 4 stars. Thermal pools and treatment baths maintained at comfortable and safe temperatures.
Health Benefits: 5 stars. Especially sought after for skin, digestive, and respiratory treatments, supported by its unique mineral profile.
Nearby Amenities: 4 stars. Integrated with the Hotel Fonte Santa, offering spa services, lodging, and an ideal base for exploring the Naturtejo Geopark and historic villages.
Termas de Monção
Located in the Minho region, on the River Minho's bank, Caldas de Monção is an excellent northern thermal destination. Its waters are carbonated and sodium-bicarbonate rich, and have been utilized for healing since Roman times.
This thermal center has one of the best mineral waters in the North of Portugal: they are hyperthermal (sprout at about 50·C), hyposaline, sulfuric, sodium, litinate, fluorided and with pH of 7.4.
Water Quality: 5 stars. Naturally pure, carbonated, and mineral-rich, prized for its clarity and therapeutic efficacy.
Ease of Access: 5 stars. Easy access within the charming town of Monção, with good road and parking infrastructure.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. Features a well-equipped modern spa, Hotel Bienestar, which offers quiet thermal circuits and private treatment sessions.
Water Temperature: 4 stars. Regulated at comfortable temperatures for soaking and therapeutic immersion.
Health Benefits: 5 stars. Highly beneficial for respiratory problems, digestive disorders, and certain skin conditions.
Nearby Amenities: 4 stars. The resort is part of a hotel complex, and the historic town of Monção offers local amenities, excellent dining, and wine tourism (Alvarinho wine region).
Termas de Vidago Palace
Part of the magnificent, fully restored Belle Époque Vidago Palace Hotel, this thermal spa combines historic luxury with modern therapeutic science. Its waters are unique, highly carbonated, and rich in various minerals.
Vidago was the favourite watering place of the Portuguese court in the 19th century and, as such, was considered the "queen of the spas" - a favorite for the kings.
There’s a great golf course and a fitness center, a well-stocked library, breakfast in the wrought-iron conservatory known as the Winter Garden, and Douro Valley wine tastings in the Cellar, gourmet salads by the spacious outdoor pool, and drinks in the ultra-modern Clubhouse.
Ingestion of mineral water from Vidago which, through its mineral-rich composition, has diuretic and alkalizing effects and acts positively on the digestive system. They offer a 7 day treatment drinking this water.
If you want to just soak, simple immersion is performed in a bathtub with natural mineral water without any chemical or physical modification other than temperature. It is administered between 36°C and 42°C for a period between 10 and 20 minutes.
Water Quality: 5 stars. Exceptionally pure, sparkling water (due to natural carbonation), bottled and sold for its health benefits.
Ease of Access: 5 stars. Easy access to the secluded, high-end hotel and spa complex, with excellent private parking.
Ability to be Alone: 5 stars. The experience is inherently luxurious and private, with expansive park grounds and exclusive spa treatments ensuring tranquility.
Water Temperature: 5 stars. State-of-the-art spa with multiple pools and hydrotherapy baths with varying, precisely controlled temperatures.
Health Benefits: 4 stars. Known for its digestive, metabolic, and liver benefits, with a focus on holistic well-being and detox programs.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars. World-class amenities within the resort: a five-star hotel, gourmet dining, a celebrated golf course, and an extensive thermal spa menu.
Termas do Gerês
Set within the stunning scenery of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, Termas do Gerês is an institution, with waters traditionally used for liver and digestive problems. It’s an ideal destination for those who want to combine thermal treatment with nature exploration.
This water springs inside the original cave of Our Lady of the Fastio. Famous for its unique qualities and excellent properties, for centuries people have been going to Gerês to drink this unique water.
It is a hyposaline water (of weak mineralization), silicated and an exceptional purity from aquifers of great depth properly protected and with a specific and stable chemical composition, which defines a unique pattern over time.
Water Quality: 4 stars. High-quality, bicarbonate-rich water, though not always as crystal clear as some other bottled sources.
Ease of Access: 4 stars. Good paved road access to the thermal village, but can be challenging to navigate the mountainous region.
Ability to be Alone: 3 stars. The main thermal facility is popular, but the vastness of the surrounding National Park offers unparalleled opportunities for solitude in nature.
Water Temperature: 4 stars. Comfortable soaking and treatment temperatures, perfect for extended relaxation.
Health Benefits: 4 stars. Excellent for digestive, metabolic, and hypertensive issues, with a strong focus on cura (cure) programs.
Nearby Amenities: 4 stars. Accommodation, dining, and the entire infrastructure of a small thermal village, plus immediate access to the Peneda-Gerês National Park activities.
Termas de Longroiva
A fusion of history and modernity, Termas de Longroiva is housed in a contemporary architectural complex that incorporates an ancient spring. It's located in the stunning Douro Valley region, offering a unique spa experience.
This thermal complex is equipped with thermal treatment units, swimming pool, sauna, and jacuzzi having electro-therapy sessions. Aimed at the thermalism of health and well-being, it has hot tubs among other equipment to treat otolaryngology diseases.
The natural mineral water of Longroiva is sulfur type, emerges at a temperature of 47C and pH of 8.9. It is a water that has a total mineralization of 462.3 mg/L, soft, with alkaline reaction, from the ionic point of view is bicarbonated sodium, fluoridated and with significant non-ionized silica levels.
Water Quality: 5 stars. Excellent, clear, mineralized waters with multiple springs providing different therapeutic properties.
Ease of Access: 4 stars. Good road access to the hotel and spa, but situated in a more remote, mountainous area of the Douro region.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. The modern design of the spa, integrated with the hotel, ensures a quiet and comfortable experience, often with fewer day visitors.
Water Temperature: 5 stars. Features a range of thermal pools at varying temperatures, catering to relaxation and therapeutic needs.
Health Benefits: 4 stars. Known for benefits related to rheumatism and respiratory ailments. The combination of thermal treatment and the Douro climate is a key draw.
Nearby Amenities: 4 stars. Integrated with the Longroiva Hotel & Thermal SPA, offering modern lodging, dining, and easy access to the Douro wine routes and historical villages.
Termas de Monchique (Algarve)
Located in the Serra de Monchique mountains in the Algarve, Termas de Monchique is the only thermal resort in the southern part of the country. Its alkaline, sulfate, and bicarbonate-rich waters are famously restorative.
Água de Monchique has been known since the time of the Roman presence in the Iberian Peninsula, as attested by archaeological remains found in the region, and Latin inscriptions referring to the water from "Mons Cicus" (the Latin origin of Monchique) as "sacred".
With a ph of 9.5, Monchique Water is the most alkaline in Portugal and one of the most alkaline in the world. Rich in Bicarbonate, Sodium and Fluoride, it is mainly used for respiratory and musculoskeletal disorders.
Water Quality: 5 stars. Pure, naturally filtered, alkaline, and renowned for its clarity and balance.
Ease of Access: 5 stars. Easy access by paved road from the Algarve coast, with ample parking and well-signposted facilities within the thermal village.
Ability to be Alone: 4 stars. Though popular, the resort is a dedicated spa complex with ample quiet zones and private therapy rooms.
Water Temperature: 4 stars. Waters are naturally warm and controlled to comfortable soaking and treatment temperatures.
Health Benefits: 5 stars. Highly therapeutic, traditionally used for respiratory, muscular, digestive, and skin conditions, making it a complete wellness destination.
Nearby Amenities: 5 stars. A comprehensive spa hotel complex with restaurants, lodging, and the serene Monchique mountains providing excellent hiking opportunities.
Are you traveling in other parts of Europe? Take a look at more hot springs in the United Kingdom, Poland, Albania, Serbia, Romania, Austria, Greece, Italy, and Spain.
