THE province of Pontevedra, in the northwestern Galicia region, is home to a 150-year-old hotel and spa that has just been named as the best in the whole of Europe by wellness experts.

The Balneario de Mondariz has been chosen for the honour not just among the 70 or so thermal baths that Spain boasts, but also the hundreds more located all across the continent. 

The hotel, which has won the 2023 Wellness Experience Prize, is one of the baths with the longest histories in Spain. 

Back in the 19th century a series of springs were discovered in Mondariz, a municipality of 4,000 inhabitants. A hotel was built on the site to take advantage of them. 

That original building, however, was destroyed in a fire, with the present hotel constructed on those ruins. 

As well as the natural springs, visitors can enjoy a range of pools and jacuzzis. 

The main attraction is the so-called Palacio del Agua (Water Palace), a 3,000-square-metre space featuring a pool with hydromassage, waterfalls and jets for relaxing massages, as well as warm-water pools outdoors and saunas. 

The hotel’s Celtic Circuit features more open-air pools and a sauna located in a natural cave. 

Visitors can also, of course, opt for a series of beauty and wellness treatments at the award-winning hotel. 

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