Oh, rest of Europe, how I envy your thermal baths and underlying geothermal luxuries. In Italy, I loved midnight drives with friends to the therme in the middle of nowhere. Iceland is one big hive of geothermal treats, from geysers to geothermal central heating. Budapest your baths and spas are renowned for their ‘healing properties’. I’d be a tad sceptical about that myself despite how much my friend Carlo’s Dad insists drinking sulphur tasting water is good for you! Let’s add another country to my list of lucky therme owners, shall we? Romania. During my visit to Bucharest, I was beside myself to learn that it has a HUGE thermal spa located just outside the city. A new development now houses the biggest thermal wellness and relaxation centre in Romania, wait, EUROPE!

What is it?

The Therme Bucharest is a spa complex that I would highly recommend on your visit to the city. That is, if you like thermal pools, jacuzzi, water slides, saunas with different themes and decors, a tropical feel chill out area with beds and a rainforest steam room. For starters. This stunning location is also a botanical garden. So as you wander past the pool towards the sunken mineral baths just look up and feel transported to a ‘Jurassic Park’ style tropical location, you know, without the terrifying dino part.

Where is it?

Get a taxi/uber/taxify from the city centre to Therme Bucharest, DN1, Balotești 077015, Romania. Early. You will thank me when you have the place practically to yourself and can enjoy all the therme has to offer without the dulcet tones of kiddies screams and cannonball dives.

Bring your swimsuit, towel and flip flops and enjoy a few hours of pampering. Towels and flip flops are available to purchase at the Therme reception desk if you forgot your own. Opening hours are 8:00am – 1:00 am at weekends and 9:30am – 11:30pm on weekdays.

All access pass

Buy yourself an Elysium ticket which grants access to all areas and costs about €16 for 3 hours and this is during the day. Rates differ for evening visits and you are charged per ½ hour over your allotted time. Children under 16 are only allowed in the Galaxy pool area if you fancy bringing the sprogs along it might be something to be aware of.

What to do?

I’m a sucker for saunas. Love ’em. I kind of judge spas on their saunas and steam rooms and this place does NOT disappoint. The therme is divided into three areas. Galaxy – has a wave machine and water slides. Kiddie heaven. The Palm has mineral baths including a selenium and zinc bath and a therapeutic pool as well as the outdoor area with jacuzzi loungers. In the Elysium, there are at least 6 saunas; each decorated to a different theme. There’s the Alhambra (my fav), Bavarian, Amazon, Provence (or was this one my fav?!), Hollywood, and Himalaya saunas. And a calla shower, which is basically a room with a calla lily shaped sculpture in the middle from which spouts water. It was cold so I did not hang around. I parked my butt in the Alhambra and admired the attention to detail in the decor before toddling over to the lavender scented Provence saunas. Each very spacious and a fun way to transport yourself around the world via the senses and a sweaty wooden panelled room.

There are restaurants and snack bars inside the complex if you fancy something to eat but who goes to the spa to eat? I suggest you go for the views, the alone time, the mineral soakage and some delicious rnr.

I visited the Therme in Bucharest as part of my blogger press trip with Experience Bucharest and did not pay for this visit. These opinions are my own.