The land of thermal waters in northwestern Romania. Oradea, the attraction of spa tourism in winter

The northwestern region of Romania attracts tens of thousands of visitors thanks to its thermal waters, sought after for their therapeutic effects. In winter, Oradea benefits from some of the richest geothermal resources and is adjacent to the Băile Felix and Băile 1 Mai resorts.

Felix Baths. Source Turism Felix

Regardless of the season, the Băile Felix resort in Bihor county remains a favorite holiday destination for many Romanians.

The resort with thermal waters, sought after in winter

In winter, its beaches are open, even those with outdoor pools, and ticket prices start from 65 lei and can reach, for access to the pools in the luxury spas, up to 140 lei per day.

“The healing effects of the thermal waters are enhanced to the maximum, all year round, by the breeze coming from the Austrian Alps. The open-air thermal baths are a favorite of tourists in winter, the sensation of transferring from cold to warm making the experience even more intense.” informs the Association for the Promotion of Tourism in Oradea and the Region (Visit Oradea).

The hotels in the resort located in Bihor county, in the immediate vicinity of the Oradea municipality, offer rooms with rates between 250 and 800 lei for two people. In the same Sânmartin commune, tourists can also find the “1 Mai” resort, with similar offers. In many cases, packages include both meals and access to resort or hotel pools and pools. A large part of the accommodation has already been reserved for the winter holidays, including Romanians returning to the country on vacation.

In Oradea, a beach with geothermal waters, spread over seven hectares, competes with the spas in Băile Felix as a tourist attraction. Prices here start from 56 lei for three hours and reach 110 lei per day for adults. There are at least 15 hotels with spas in the area.

Oradea and Băile Felix are almost inseparable in the preferences of visitors who come to the baths. In recent years, Oradea has benefited from extensive investments in the modernization and restoration of its historic buildings. The Oradea Citadel is among the most visited historical places in northwestern Romania.

Oradea will become even more accessible with the completion of the new Transilvania highway (A3), which will connect it directly with Cluj-Napoca, and the expressway (DEx 16) Arad–Oradea–A3, which will connect the city to the western part of Romania and to European highways.

Nearby, travelers can cross the border into Hungary to visit historic cities like Debrecen or discover other thermal spas. They can also explore the northern area of ​​the Apuseni Mountains, attractive for its caves, wild landscapes and archaic villages.

The thermal waters of Băile Felix, appreciated since the Middle Ages

Băile Felix has been recognized for centuries for its beneficial effects, and its first pools for treatment date back to around 1700. The communist regime expanded the resort, building more hotels and the Apollo Beach.

The thermal water resort is eight kilometers from Oradea and has been sought after for centuries for the effects of its thermal waters and sapropelic mud, used in rheumatic and dermatological conditions. Its springs have been used for over eight centuries. In the middle of the 20th century, the communist regime nationalized the resorts of Băile Felix and expanded the resort, adding the Apollo beach and several hotels, intended for mass tourism, as well as treatment centers.

“Mineral waters are oligometallic, bicarbonated, calcium, sodium, slightly radioactive; they are used mainly in external treatment (valves and covered pools, open-air swimming pools), but also in internal treatment. The most obvious results of the spa treatment at Băile Felix (going up to the total disappearance of the pain syndrome!) were obtained especially in diseases of the locomotor system, of the central and peripheral nervous system, and in gynecological diseases; as associated diseases, they are also treated some metabolic, nutritional and endocrine diseases”, explained, in the past, Sever Jurcă, former head doctor of the Băile Felix resort in the 80s.

Băile Felix has become the largest resort with permanent operation in Romania, according to its representatives.

“The waters of the Bihor resort are among the top curative waters in Europe, a fact proven by analyzes carried out by European specialized institutions. Their uniqueness lies in the physiological balance between chemical composition and thermality, which makes them highly valued and effective in both external and internal treatments.” show them on visitbailefelix.com.

The thermal water is so pure that it can be consumed as drinking water, says Visit Oradea. However, those who visit the beaches of Băile Felix are advised to inform themselves about the contraindications of bathing in the geothermal waters. Specialists recommend that bathing sessions be reduced to 15 – 20 minutes, and that patients with various ailments (cardiovascular, chronic, mental, respiratory) and pregnant women avoid them.