[Mella]

Turkey's strategic location right above a geothermal belt and a seismic fault makes this volcanic country rich with natural hot springs and pure mineral baths. These hot spring bath waters contain calcium, sodium, sulfur, fluoride, magnesium, and other mineral salts and have temperatures that vary from 20 up to 110 degrees Celsius (68 to 230 degrees Fahrenheit).

Because they contain so many natural minerals - Turkey's thermal baths are known to have healing properties and therapeutic effects. They have been proven to naturally cure illnesses and and are good for patients suffering from rheumatic, orthopedic and neurological diseases and for skin problems, digestive disorders, circulatory and heart diseases, gynecological diseases, and liver and kidney diseases among many others.

Turkey is one of the only seven countries in the world that have been gifted with vast and abundant natural sources of thermal baths and hot springs. Turkey alone has over one thousand thermal hot springs 3 of which are located around Izmir.....................

[Mella]

BALCOVA

Balcova Thermal Resort is located 10 km west of Izmir, and has the largest indoor thermal pool in Turkey.Ege University recognizes the value of these hot springs and has built a treatment center nearby. The water (62C) is suitable for drinking and bathing benefitting sciatica, gynecologic, nervous disorders plus intestinal and urinary problems

Balcova thermal hotel and its Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center is one of Turkey's and Europe’s most important Thermal Hotel and Treatment Center with its two hundred personnel, hygiene, architecture, naturalistic settlement and treatment capacity that provides international standards

The Balçova hot springs are located on the site of the Baths of Agamemnon, known in antiquity for the therapeutic qualities of the waters. According to a legend, Agamemnon was advised by an oracle to bring soldiers who had been wounded during the campaign against Troy to the sulfur-rich waters of these natural hot springs.

The Balçova hot baths complex provides hot mineral pools and baths, offers patient therapy pool, sauna, massage, underwater massage, physical exercise, electro-therapy and physical therapy. The complex incorporate a three-star hotel with 435 beds, a four-star hotel with 624 beds and a new park.

Website:
Balcova Thermal

[Mella]

CESME

Çesme is abundantly endowed with natural hot springs. Located 70 km west of Izmir, the holiday resort has two excellent hotels, both of which have complete spas. Turban Hotel uses mineral waters from a natural hot spring, while the facilities at Altınyunus Holiday Resort utilize mineral-rich seawater.

I have visited Altinyunus Spa and it is amazing. There are many facilities on offer, such as: 2 thermal pools (one inside, one outside) special massage rooms, thalassic Pools, hamam and treatment rooms etc.

The Sheraton hotel in Cesme also has a popular Thermalife Center. The Botanica Thermal Spa at the Sheraton Cesme Resort Hotel is a serene sanctuary with deluxe facilities including deeply relaxing massages, revitalizing body treatments, therapeutic thermal baths, nourishing skincare treatments and fabulous collection of the collective treatment spaces such as Turkish bath, steam bath, sauna,snow fountain, adventure shower, thermal and seawater pools.Thai style Deluxe Spa Suites for couples with its jacuzzi, steam bath, massage beds and relaxing spaces.


Websites:
Altinyunus Thermal Spa

Sheraton Thermalife

[Mella]

SIFNE

The thermal springs of Sifne, 5km north east of Ilıca, are found on the small peninsula of the Sifne Bay.

A hot spring that has many accomodations and eating facilities nearby is found on a small peninsula on the Sifne bay. It has a large main pool and lined benches. The water contains sodium, chlorium and calcium. The average water temperature is 38 C. These waters are especially good for rheumatism, rickets, woman’s diseases, urinary infections and intestinal complaints, the complex also has a mud bath for the treatment of eczema and psoriasis and other skin disorders.

[teosgirl]

Hi Carmella,
I've been to Balcova thermal spa, it's o.k...they have a great outdoor thermal pool too which is even busy in the winter..we sat there once when there was snow on the mountain at the back. It was really weird.

I've also been to cesme Sheraton a few times, the thermalife centre has had a complete revamp this year and the introduction to a larger extention to the old health spa is amazing. It's definitely worth a trip. Much bigger indoor thermal pool now and dozens of therapy rooms.

Anyone looking for a treat should try the sheraton.

If you want to see an original thermal spring you should travel up to doganbey. There's a whole thermal water river, and at this time of the year it's great as the air is freezing and it makes the steam much more noticeable. Also you can see the places where it's directly bubbling up out of the ground.

There are two small huts (men and women) where locals go to use the healing powers. Doganbey has 3 main thermal sites with hut's or rooms in which to bath. One of the sites has 2 private caves which you can hire for an hour at a time for 3 ytl. You can use them in the evenings to but you have to take candles with you as there's no electric.

If I take a trip to doganbey I'll try to get some pics for you.

Charlotte

[Mavi]

these pics are amazing, I am drooling at the thought!!

definate must do for a girlie day out...

[Hephaestion]

Visited the Balcova briefly in 95. I would like to go again sometime. I know Danish tour operators send patients there. So they must be doing something right.

And I tried an open air thermal bath outside of Cesme. It was wonderful but a rather crowded experience. Nice smell of rotten eggs!

Really IZmir and Cesme need to get their SPA facilities message out and about. It really is unique and people travel a long way for treatments.