Venues offering Thermal Pool

A thermal pool is a pool filled with geothermal water that rises naturally from underground. The water temperature varies by source; in pools it is usually brought to 34-40 °C. The minerals it contains (sulphur, bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium, sodium) differ from source to source, and facilities usually display the water analysis somewhere visible.

Turkey is rich in geothermal resources; Afyonkarahisar, Yalova, Bursa, Denizli and Kütahya are known for their thermal facilities. Hot spring and warm spring are other common names for the same kind of source. The list includes several facilities in Ankara, among them the thermal pools in Kızılcahamam, Haymana and Beypazarı. Facilities in the Osmangazi district of Bursa, on the Edremit coast of Balıkesir, and in Afyonkarahisar, Eskişehir, Kuşadası and Bingöl are also listed.

How to use a thermal pool

1. Shower before entering the pool; do not go in on an empty stomach or straight after a meal.
2. Take off any silver jewellery; sulphurous water can tarnish it.
3. Enter the water gradually and stay in for 15-20 minutes at a time.
4. Get out of the pool slowly, rest outside and drink plenty of water.
5. Rather than one long session, have 2-3 short sessions over the day.

Staying in hot water for a long time leads to a drop in blood pressure and dizziness. Pools fed by sulphurous springs have a distinctive smell; it comes from the mineral content of the water. Regular use at a thermal facility, in short sessions every day over several days, is called a cure (kür). If you are thinking of taking a cure because of a health condition, decide with your doctor how many days it should last and how many sessions a day you should have.

Setting realistic expectations of thermal water

For many people thermal water relaxes the muscles and brings a sense of ease; because the buoyancy of the water reduces the load on the joints, moving in the water also becomes easier. It is commonly used as a supportive measure for rheumatic complaints, but this is not a promise of treatment. If you have a diagnosed joint or rheumatic disease, decide with your doctor how and for how long to use it; do not stop any ongoing treatment. Be cautious about promotional claims that a particular water cures a particular disease.

Arrangements for women and men, and family baths

How thermal facilities are used varies markedly from one venue to another. Some of the listed venues have separate thermal pools or separate hours for women and men; a historic hammam in Eskişehir serves women only. Many thermal hotels, meanwhile, have private family baths or cabins that families can use together. Before you go, ask whether the main pool is mixed or separate and how the family baths are reserved.

How a thermal pool differs from a jacuzzi and a hot-spring hammam

A thermal pool is most often confused with a jacuzzi. A jacuzzi is a small pool with jets, filled with heated mains water; what sets a thermal pool apart is that its heat and mineral content come from a natural source. An ordinary swimming pool is also filled with mains water, is chlorinated and is cooler.

The kind of building in which the thermal water is used also changes the experience. At thermal hotels, indoor and outdoor thermal pools, a sauna, a hammam and accommodation are all in the same complex. At facilities known as hot springs, the thermal water is sometimes used in a pool inside a domed hammam building and offered together with hammam treatments such as kese (exfoliating scrub) and foam wash; the historic hot springs of Bursa are well-known examples. For details, see the guide to the historic hammams and hot springs of Bursa.

Who should not use a thermal pool?

The hot water of a thermal pool dilates the blood vessels and puts a strain on the circulatory system. A doctor's approval is needed in cases of cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, heart failure, advanced varicose veins, diabetes and epilepsy. Hot water is not recommended during pregnancy. Do not go in if you have a feverish illness, an active infection, an open wound or a urinary tract infection. You should not go in after drinking alcohol.

Thermal pool prices and questions to ask

The price of using a thermal pool depends on whether you are staying at the facility or visiting for the day. At thermal hotels the pool is mostly included in the stay; at facilities offering day-use entry, the price varies with the length of use, the choice of indoor or outdoor pool, and weekends and holiday periods. Family baths, hammam rituals and massages are usually charged separately. Thermal facilities are busier at weekends and on public holidays; if you are going for the day, also find out whether there is a capacity limit. Before you go, you could ask:

• Can non-residents use the pool, and is there a time limit on day-use entry?
• What temperature is the pool water, and can you see the water analysis?
• Is the main pool mixed; are there separate pools or hours for women and men?
• Is there a family bath, and for how long is it reserved?
• Which pools can children use?