Radio România Internațional

Tag: spa resort

  • Baile Herculane

    Baile Herculane

    Todays destination is in the southwest of Romania, at an altitude of 168 meters, 25 km away from the Serbian border. Situated between Cerna and Mehedinti Mountains, Herculane has been visited by people seeking treatment for over two thousand years. It began being used as a spa in Roman times, and continues to this day. It is a place that in the past was the favorite destination for Emperor Franz Joseph and Princess Sissi, who had residences built there. The resort still preserves the traces of those times. You can visit the Roman baths, on the ground floor of a hotel here, some of them still functional two thousand years on. You can also see the first bridge in Europe built in a bend in the road, as well as the bronze statue of Hercules. You can also see the casino that opened in 1850, as well as a giant redwood planted a couple of centuries ago. Baile Herculane is slowly but surely regaining its former glory. Laura Patru, PR representative for a spa hotel here, told us about the resort:



    “Herculane is a sight to behold. We have ionized air, with 2,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter. This may sound as a technical detail, but it is important, it makes you feel like you are at an altitude of 2,000 meters in the Swiss Alps. Cerna Valley has a truly unique scenery, as well as two thousand species of butterfly. Both the Romans and the Austro-Hungarians knew that they could find cures here for a lot of ailments, and this is still valid today, except that nowadays we have modern technologies, spa, relaxation, which makes the experience so much richer.”


    Dora Miuti, in charge of the treatment base here, told us what it has to offer:



    “We have a wide set of procedures: magnetotherapy, thermal therapy using short waves, solux and infrared, ultrasound therapy, electrotherapy, very efficient in reducing pain and stimulating muscles, aerosol therapy for the lungs, for combating sinus infections and allergies, lymph drainage and kinetotherapy. In terms of wellness we have massage, 80 degree Celsius dry sauna, as well as an indoor and an outdoor pool.”



    Laura Patru told us more about the resort:



    “We have technologies comparable to those anywhere else in Europe. We can treat a wide array of ailments. Spa facilities have developed a lot. Herculane used to be famous for treatment, now it is famous for relaxation. You can have honey baths, plant baths, chocolate massage, caviar massage, things that didnt use to be associated with Baile Herculane.”



    While she admitted that a lot of tourists are disappointed by the fact that the reconstruction of the resort does not go as fast as they would like, Laura Patru told us that they are still choosing this place as a holiday destination:



    “Herculane is the perfect starting point for visiting the surroundings. You can visit the village of Ineleț, an isolated place that you can only reach by wooden ladders. For this reason, the place looks like it did a hundred years ago. Also, it only takes 20 minutes to reach the Danube Cauldrons, and the statue of Decebalus. You can also see the Steam Grotto, a natural sauna, as well as Empress Sissis tower and historical buildings, such as the casino where kings used to gather. Theres a lot to see on Cerna Valley.”



    Laura Patru extended an invitation:



    “If for a spa trip, for sedentary people working in offices or people with busy lives, one weekend is enough for relaxation and a few procedures. When you come for treatment things are different. A treatment stay takes at least five days to work, because we use thermal water. Which is why treatment packages are at least five days long. We are waiting for you here, because Herculane belongs to everyone, and we would like to share with you everything we have to offer.”



    From spa treatments to Pilates or a gentle stroll, you will definitely enjoy your time in this ancient place, which has been a spa since the year 153 CE. (Translated by C. Cotoiu)

  • Baile Herculane

    Baile Herculane

    Todays destination is in the southwest of Romania, at an altitude of 168 meters, 25 km away from the Serbian border. Situated between Cerna and Mehedinti Mountains, Herculane has been visited by people seeking treatment for over two thousand years. It began being used as a spa in Roman times, and continues to this day. It is a place that in the past was the favorite destination for Emperor Franz Joseph and Princess Sissi, who had residences built there. The resort still preserves the traces of those times. You can visit the Roman baths, on the ground floor of a hotel here, some of them still functional two thousand years on. You can also see the first bridge in Europe built in a bend in the road, as well as the bronze statue of Hercules. You can also see the casino that opened in 1850, as well as a giant redwood planted a couple of centuries ago. Baile Herculane is slowly but surely regaining its former glory. Laura Patru, PR representative for a spa hotel here, told us about the resort:



    “Herculane is a sight to behold. We have ionized air, with 2,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter. This may sound as a technical detail, but it is important, it makes you feel like you are at an altitude of 2,000 meters in the Swiss Alps. Cerna Valley has a truly unique scenery, as well as two thousand species of butterfly. Both the Romans and the Austro-Hungarians knew that they could find cures here for a lot of ailments, and this is still valid today, except that nowadays we have modern technologies, spa, relaxation, which makes the experience so much richer.”


    Dora Miuti, in charge of the treatment base here, told us what it has to offer:



    “We have a wide set of procedures: magnetotherapy, thermal therapy using short waves, solux and infrared, ultrasound therapy, electrotherapy, very efficient in reducing pain and stimulating muscles, aerosol therapy for the lungs, for combating sinus infections and allergies, lymph drainage and kinetotherapy. In terms of wellness we have massage, 80 degree Celsius dry sauna, as well as an indoor and an outdoor pool.”



    Laura Patru told us more about the resort:



    “We have technologies comparable to those anywhere else in Europe. We can treat a wide array of ailments. Spa facilities have developed a lot. Herculane used to be famous for treatment, now it is famous for relaxation. You can have honey baths, plant baths, chocolate massage, caviar massage, things that didnt use to be associated with Baile Herculane.”



    While she admitted that a lot of tourists are disappointed by the fact that the reconstruction of the resort does not go as fast as they would like, Laura Patru told us that they are still choosing this place as a holiday destination:



    “Herculane is the perfect starting point for visiting the surroundings. You can visit the village of Ineleț, an isolated place that you can only reach by wooden ladders. For this reason, the place looks like it did a hundred years ago. Also, it only takes 20 minutes to reach the Danube Cauldrons, and the statue of Decebalus. You can also see the Steam Grotto, a natural sauna, as well as Empress Sissis tower and historical buildings, such as the casino where kings used to gather. Theres a lot to see on Cerna Valley.”



    Laura Patru extended an invitation:



    “If for a spa trip, for sedentary people working in offices or people with busy lives, one weekend is enough for relaxation and a few procedures. When you come for treatment things are different. A treatment stay takes at least five days to work, because we use thermal water. Which is why treatment packages are at least five days long. We are waiting for you here, because Herculane belongs to everyone, and we would like to share with you everything we have to offer.”



    From spa treatments to Pilates or a gentle stroll, you will definitely enjoy your time in this ancient place, which has been a spa since the year 153 CE. (Translated by C. Cotoiu)

  • Baile Herculane Thermal Spa Resort

    Baile Herculane Thermal Spa Resort

    “Return to the Water! Balance and Health. This is how one of Romanias and even the worlds first spa resorts could be promoted. First documented in 153 AD, the Baile Herculane thermal spa resort is part of the Valea Cernei – Domogled National Park. Many of the tourists who visited Baile Herculane have appreciated the Mediterranean climate and the healing power of the thermal waters here. The resort is worth more attention than it has received in the past 25 years, according to Viorel Silvoseanu, a physician specialized in rehabilitation, physical recovery and spa treatment. Viorel Silvoseanu:



    “The air here is highly ionized, rich in oxygen and very fresh, due to the currents on the valley of Cerna River and to the altitude. The ionisation here is the highest in the area and varies depending on the time of day. What does high negative ionisation mean? In the big cities there are 80 to 100 ions per cubic centimetre. This concentration goes up to 2,000 ions in Baile Herculane, so there is a clearly positive influence. These ions help us sleep better and balance our nervous system. Negative ions stimulate metabolism and speed up recovery. The spa resort offers a wide range of therapeutic procedures. The thermal sulphurous bath is the most appreciated by tourists, but we also have thermal baths using medicinal herbs. The herbs we use all chemical-free. We use mint, hawthorn, calendula, acacia, milfoil and lavender. We also use physiotherapy with low, medium and high magnetic frequency and the IR laser, available in all spa hotels in Romania, as well as therapeutic relaxation massage, hydrokinetic and kinetic therapy, psychological counselling and continuous medical education.



    Doctor Viorel Silvoseanu has explained why the sulphurous bath is recommended as treatment:



    “We use it to treat degenerative illnesses such as osteoarthritis and chronic degenerative rheumatism. We also use it for illnesses of the locomotive system, of the nervous system and the skin, as well as for genital or neurological conditions. Post-traumatic disorders that follow labour and car accidents can also be treated here. The sulphurous bath has a positive effect on the body thanks to its three main components: the chemical, thermal and mechanical one. The major chemical component is the sulphur, not the one included in the periodic table but hydrogen sulphide, which enters the blood stream through the skin or by inhalation. It helps treat people suffering from joint impingement diseases.



    Baile Herculane has a long tradition as a spa town. It is located at the foot of the southern Carpathians, in the Cerna river valley. Historian Dorin Balteanu tells us more about the history of this place.



    “The Romans were the first to realise the therapeutic benefits of these springs. Our Dacian ancestors had also been aware of the waters benefits and would build light structures made of wood at the place of origin of these springs. After the conquest of Dacia, the Romans pulled down these structures and built instead the first Roman baths, called thermae. An ancient altar can still be seen today in the resorts old centre, dating back to 153 AD. Baile Herculane is one of the oldest spa towns in the world. The thermal springs in Cerna Valley drew the attention of the new Roman rulers, who made their first investments in the area, building the first roads, aqueducts, viaducts and baths. The place soon attracted both important political figures from the Roman Empire and ordinary citizens, who came here for treatment and rest. Needless to say, there are many legends connected to this area. After bathing in the miraculous waters of the mineral springs, Hercules is said to have fought the Hydra in Cerna Valley. A number of megalithic statues can be found in Baile Herculane, such as the Sphinx of Cerna, the Banat Sphinx in Toplet and the bas-relief of the Imperial Roman Baths depicting Hercules clash with Hydra in Cerna Valley.



    Travel blogger Florin Arjoc says Baile Herculane is more than a good place for a spa holiday or a nice place to walk around:



    “Baile Herculane is the perfect starting point for trips in an area of up to 200 km. Travellers can leave their luggage in Baile Herculane while visiting the surrounding area, and come back for a dip in the thermal waters. There are travel agencies that provide such packages. This year we have added a new route. One interesting trip is a cruise on the Danube. The trip starts in Orsova and can also include a visit to the museum of the Iron Gates hydropower plant. On the Danube, visitors can spot the monument of Tabula Traiana, the statue of Dacian king Decebalus, the Danube gorges and trips may be arranged to the caves on the Danube. Another idea is a trip by train from Oravita to Anina. The route is 30 km long and lasts for two hours, going through tunnels and across bridges. The train is an old model, but is in good condition. Its an amazing experience and I warmly recommend this train journey. Other places that can be reached from Baile Herculane and which are not so well known are several villages 20 km upstream from Herculane that can only be reached through some wooden steps. Once you are at the top of the mountain, the view is truly spectacular.



    To end this programme, lets hear from the founder of the travel website Infotravel Romania, Petre Dordea:


    “Our website is for people who are interested in nature, history and traditions and can do without 5-star accommodation and all-inclusive holidays. I urge you all to come to Romania because it is a beautiful country, there are many interesting things to see here and, while it may not be the cheapest destination, it is by no means the most expensive.