A Slovakian hot springs spa - AquaCity in Poprad is a contemporary take on an old tradition

Toronto spa lovers might not think Slovakia when they think spa, but the country has a grand tradition of wellness that dates back to its days as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While the bathing tradition is centuries old, some springs were discovered later than others - and it's precisely this lack of tradition that gave AquaCity, a chic urban spa at the base of the High Tatra Mountains, the chance to use a clean slate when it came to design and technology. See slide show below.

Eco Friendly

Best of all, you can wallow in the mineral-rich water guilt free because the same thermal water filling the pools is used to heat the entire resort without emissions or environmental damage and natural filters mean a minimum of chlorine is necessary.

History

The geothermal water in Poprad was discovered accidentally when the town was drilling for natural gas. Realizing what a gift this geothermal water was, savvy developers drew up plans for AquaCity, a water park and hotel complex that opened its doors in 2004. The result? An emission-free ‘green' complex that offers a new take on an ancient theme, and a refreshing way to take in the bathing tradition of Europe.

Fun for all

The resort is open to both day visitors and hotel guests. The huge facility has indoor and outdoor geothermal pools plus a family-friendly waterpark.

Health and Wellness

The Vital World Spa offers a crazy array of steam and inhalation rooms including salt, herb and menthol. Other wellness amenities include sauna, snow cave, solarium, tepidarium, relaxation areas and Jacuzzi.

Adventure

The truly daring spa-goer might want to try Cryotherapy, an alternative healing therapy that uses extreme cold to stimulate the healing process. Sessions are an additional fee.

Accommodation

With a sleek design that incorporates glass, steel and dark wood, AquaCity is an unexpected outpost of metro chic. It offers three onsite accommodation options: the hip 4-star Hotel AquaCity Mountain View, the 3-star AquaCity Seasons and AquaCity Victoria Apartments. All offer free entrance to the water park.

How to get there

From Toronto, travellers will need to take connecting flights through New York or London to get to Bratislava. Poprad is approx 4 hours from Bratislava by train and 6.5 from Vienna. For rail information visit www.raileurope.com.

For more spa articles visit the spa page at Carol's blog