Healing Mineral Springs of Lesvos

The hot springs of Lesvos have been well known since antiquity. They are ideally situated in areas that allow one to enjoy the peaceful surroundings, amazing scenery and the great relaxing and soothing experience. They also offer changing and shower facilities.

I am not really a therapeutic miracle waters type of person. At least I did not think of myself as one until one summer when I threw my back out of whack the second day after I arrived in Lesvos. I was climbing into my little rental car and felt a painful twinge like a charge of electricity. I knew at that moment if I did not get back to the house and into a bed I would have to be carried there in about 20 minutes when every muscle would tighten up in response to whatever act of treason my spine was committing. I spent the next two days in pain. It would take me five minutes to get fully to my feet and another twenty before I was walking fully upright instead of bent over like an old woman dressed in black.

On the third day I took my wife's advice and slowly got dressed and made my way down to the car and somehow or another managed to squeeze myself in behind the wheel. I drove to the hot springs at Eftalou. After unfolding myself out of the car I walked down the beach to the stone building that housed the baths but alas, it was closed. Even the ancient building next door which still houses the original baths had an iron padlocked gate.

But having been here many times before, I walked around the old stone building to the beach where I could see from the steam rising where the hot spring water was coming through the walls and into the sea. By taking stones and piling them in a semi-circle around me and digging away at the gravel and sand, I could contain this hot water in my very own healing spring. Within twenty minutes of laying in this mixture of fresh and sea water my back was fine. I was able to take a ten minute relaxing swim at the beautiful beach there, before continuing my treatment. I was cured. I did not have a problem with my back for the entire summer and usually when I have thrown out my back it can take a week to ten days before I am anywhere near normal.

Here is my review of the healing springs of Lesvos

Polychnitou

Polichnitos has the hottest natural springs in all of Europe. The baths are 60 meters above the sea close to the banks of the Almyropotamos river. There are five mineral springs but only three are used, two by the municipality and one is privately owned. In the winter time you can see the springs from a distance because of the hot vapor rising from it. These springs are recommended for the cure of chronic rheumatism, arthritis, scropules, skin diseases, sciatica of the hip joint, myalgic pain, illnesses of the womb, lymphatisms and gynecological diseases in general. The entire area is alive with steaming streams of fantastic colors, boiling ponds and the stone ruins have old bath houses. The baths are run by a German woman who has rented the property from the municipality and is gradually turning it into a paradise of garden walks. The main bath house has two pools and the temperature is kept quite comfortable. The two pools are designated male and female but because we came as a family and there was nobody else there we were allowed to use one and bathe together. Nearby are the hot springs of Lisvori with therapeutic mineral bath installations on the banks of a torrent of water that flows into the bay of Kalloni. These healing waters are recommended for rheumatism, arthritis, sciatica, gynecological and dermatological ailments. What could be finer then spend the morning in the baths and then have a nice seafood lunch at one of the inexpensive restaurants along the waterfront in Skala Polychnitos or Vatera.

Eftalou

At Molyvos are the Eftalou springs with their newly renovated bath house with individual private tubs or communal bathing. Recommended for rheumatism, arthritis, sciatica, neuralgia, skin diseases, kidney and gall gravel and gynecological complaints. You can swim in the sea or sit along the shore where the hot mineral water seeps through the rocks and mixes with the sea water in warm pools. Because of the beautiful beach and surroundings this is my favorite of the spas. It is a short walk to the excellent Eftalou restaurant. The only drawbacks are the fact that if you are in a wheelchair, or have difficulty walking, getting from the road to the baths is a great big pain, and for some impossible. Combine this with the problem that the new bath house, which has taps so you can control the temperature of the water, is hardly ever open. But if you are able to walk or have someone strong enough to carry you to the sea then this spa is worth coming to. The old bath house is sometimes locked, probably to get people to go to the new bath house which you have to pay for. If the old bath house is open, its impressive and very hot! George the caretaker is anxious to let people know that the crazy path was is complete and anyone can get up to the entrance. Old baths are open from 6am to 8am and 6pm to 10pm. New baths from 9am till 6pm

Skala Thermi

At Skala Thermi the historical baths have been in use since ancient times and was at one time the divine spring of the goddess Artemis. Recommended for rheumatism, arthritis, sciatica, neuralgia, kidney and gall gravel, gynecological complaints, hypertension, circulatory problems, liver diseases, lymphatism, spleen enlargement, cirrhosis, paralysis, periostitis, rachitis and hardening of the arteries. The mineral waters are also inhaled for chronic bronchial catarrh, catarrh of the pharynx and the eustachian tubes. The Grande old Hotel Starlitza which was the center of the community and had beautiful gardens has been deserted for years but plans for its restoration are under way. Behind the relatively new bath house are the ancient baths now closed to the public but worth a visit. Skala Thermi itself has many large cafes near the waterfront as well as two excellent fish tavernas right at the fishing boat docks.

Thermi on Yera

The baths at Thermi on the beautiful Gulf of Yera date back to the beginning of the last century. It is believed to be on the site of the ancient temple to Hera. Renovations have respected the original architecture of the baths. Beside the hot baths there is a cafe restaurant overlooking the bay and a beach suitable for swimming. Recommended for rheumatism, arthritis, bronchitis, kidney and gall gravel, prevention of heart attacks, sugar diabetes, neurasthenia, illnesses of the womb, sciatica of the hip joint, intestinal diseases, bronchial diseases, gynecological complaints and more. Separate baths for men and women. The largest on the island. We stopped here on the way back from the airport one day when it was about 95 degrees out and the last thing in the world I wanted was a hot bath. But Andrea wanted one and thought it would be good for me as well. The procedure is very simple. You pay the man in the booth, take your towel and go into the men's or the women's baths. You strip naked and go through a metal door where you will find a big marble swimming pool that looks thousands of years old. The water is comfortably warm and you could easily spend a day paddling around or lounging on the ledges that line the pool. Without coming right out and saying it and perhaps offending some people, my first reaction was that if these baths were co-ed it would be like paradise (if you could lock the door). I don't know what it is about swimming around naked in a giant bathtub but its a very sexy feeling, for me anyway. I recommend a cold shower after you finish, especially if it is hot. I was assuming that if I had emersed myself in hot water, that the air which was not as hot, would feel cooler. This was true for about 5 minutes and then I was desperate to throw myself in the cold sea.

Karini

Though not a hot mineral spring, the cold water spring at Karini, near Agiassos should not be missed. It is a spring of cold clear water that comes from the ground into a stone pool and then into a stream which irrigates the entire valley below. There is a wonderful taverna there and lots of shade including a giant hollowed out platanos tree where the artist Theophilos lived at one time. For more information and more pictures there is a book The Sacred Waters by Jelly Hatzidimitriou available in most Lesvos bookstores and in Athens. Much of this information and many of the photos come from this book