Thermals and Spring Waters in Turkey

Since antiquity, natural hot springs have been used to prevent and treat illness, reduce stress and improve quality of life. Today Türkiye's thermal waters serve both clinical treatment and wellness holidays.

Türkiye's thermal resources

Hundreds of thousands of international patients and tourists visit Türkiye's thermal facilities every year. The quality of the water delivered by these facilities is certified and supervised by the Ministry of Health, and insurance companies from many Northern European and Scandinavian countries send patients to Türkiye for thermal treatment as part of their recuperation.

Thermal centres by province

Türkiye's spa resorts offer a range of treatments and water temperatures, traditionally used for conditions including rheumatism, nervous system disorders and respiratory diseases.

Bolu

Bolu lies on the North Anatolian Fault Line and has an abundance of geothermal springs. There are two Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospitals in the Karacasu district.

• Karacasu Thermal Springs — 5 km south of Bolu city centre; water at 42–44 ºC used without cooling; around two thousand years old according to historical sources and admired by Evliya Çelebi in his Travelogues
• Mudurnu Sarot Thermal Spring — in Taşkesti, 30 km from Mudurnu; 66 °C sulphated water; privately operated facilities
• Mudurnu Babas Thermal Spring — 40 °C water, said to help metabolic disorders and mild diabetes
• Seben Pavlu Thermal Springs — in Kesenözü Village, 14 km south of Seben; 70–78 °C, odourless and slightly gaseous
• Göynük Çatak Thermal Springs — near Himmetoğlu Village, 30 km southeast of Göynük; 32 °C calcium bicarbonate water, traditionally used for rheumatism and sciatica

Services at thermal facilities

Alongside bathing, visitors can find daily treatments and activities such as:

• Water aerobics and respiratory therapy
• Blood pressure adjustment therapy and rhythm therapy
• Acupuncture, medical sauna, colon hydrotherapy and ozone therapy
• Massages and walks in the forest or by the sea

Some medical experts recommend at least one thermal cure a year to support recovery and the immune system.

Balıkesir: the 2019 health and wellbeing tourism winner

In 2019 Balıkesir was named the winner for health and wellbeing tourism. It is described as Türkiye's leading city for this potential, thanks to high-quality healing waters with an excellent chemical composition.

In north-west Türkiye, Balıkesir sits between three historic neighbours: Pergamon, one of the first health centres in history, about 100 km away; Çanakkale, known for the Trojan War; and Bursa, the cradle of Ottoman civilisation. It lies just across from İstanbul.

The province has hot springs in every district, with waters of different chemical composition. Mount Ida, with its clean air, biodiversity and microclimate, houses many health centres. Balıkesir also hosts yoga camps, ecological villages, medicinal and aromatic plant production and traditional and complementary medicine centres offering ozone, acupuncture, phytotherapy, leech and mud therapy. Blue-flag beaches, archaeological sites and olive-based cuisine complete the picture.

Turkish towns on the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns

The European Route of Historic Thermal Towns brings together 51 spa destinations in 18 countries, three of them in Türkiye.

Afyonkarahisar

Afyon is regarded as the capital of thermal tourism in Türkiye. In the inner Aegean region, below the Great Karahisar Fortress, it has been home to Hittites, Phrygians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans over more than 5,000 years. Its thermal areas form four main zones: Ömer-Gecek, Hüdai, Heybeli and Gazlıgöl. Their waters are traditionally used for skin, stomach, kidney, bowel, respiratory, nervous system and muscle conditions, rheumatic treatment, physical rehabilitation and gynaecological care.

Bursa

Built around mosques, caravanserais and hot springs, Bursa is one of Türkiye's largest cities, with a history reaching back to the 2nd century BC. It was part of the Roman and Byzantine empires and later the Ottoman capital, and between 1326 and 1453 it was one of the world's main centres of the silk and spice trade. Today it is also known for MICE, cultural and religious tourism, is home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites and a major conference centre, and has a winter sports resort on Mount Uludağ.

Bursa's historic baths still operate, with tiled hammams traditionally divided into men's and women's sections. The clear, magnesium-rich waters are known as "Silver Waters". Waters above 40 ºC, called "female" waters, are used for bathing; those below 40 ºC, "male" waters, for drinking. Mineral water is also offered in spa hotels and hospital facilities, for rheumatic illness, neuralgia, stress, sports injuries and rehabilitation.

Pamukkale (Denizli)

Pamukkale, meaning "cotton palace" in Turkish, is a UNESCO World Heritage site of white travertine terraces and blue pools, and has attracted visitors for more than 2,000 years. Water supersaturated with calcium carbonate releases carbon dioxide at the surface and deposits a soft gel that hardens into travertine. Next to the terraces are the ruins of Hierapolis, a Graeco-Roman spa city, and a museum.

Five thermal springs at 35–36 °C feed the travertine pools where visitors can bathe. Nearby Karahayıt, known for its red spring and clay treatments, has hotels and thermal centres.