Vacation in Băile Felix, the largest thermal resort in Romania | Come and feel the beneficial powers of thermal water

More than 800 years have passed since the thermal springs in the Băilor Felix area were discovered and mentioned in a Vatican diploma. Since then, entire generations can testify to the healing power of the thermal water, which is so pure that it can be consumed as drinking water, being indicated for ailments of the digestive system.

In the early 1700s, when the first settlements were being developed for treatment, the place was known as "Felix's bathroom” – after the name of the monk Felix Helcher, administrator of a monastery in the area, the one who developed the thermal springs. In modern times, Felix has become the largest spa resort with a permanent regime in Romania and is in second place nationally, after the Black Sea coast, in terms of the number of places to stay – 7,000.

The thermal water lily, a species that was discovered by the Hungarian botanist Pál Kitaibel, also contributed to its fame even in the year of the French Revolution - 1789. 

The perfect destination for any season

Located 10 kilometers away from Oradea, Băile Felix awaits its tourists both for relaxation and for treatment. Thanks to the temperate summers, with a Mediterranean influence, and the mild winters, the resort represents a ideal destination for any season. Here you can relax by the water lily lake during the summer season or swim in an outdoor thermal water pool during the winter snowfalls. 

Băile Felix has almost 15,000 square meters of pools with thermal water, both on the beaches and in the pools of the hotels and guesthouses in the resort. The biggest is Felix Beach, which was reopened after renovation in 2009 and is accessible every year from May to September. The Aquapark has 14 swimming pools, most with thermal water, a treatment center, wellness and SPA.

Apollo Beach it is the only one open to visitors regardless of the season, even in winter. Swimmers have at their disposal outdoor pools, where the water has a temperature of about 32 degrees Celsius.

Because thermal water is recognized for therapeutic effects in the case of rheumatism, neurological and gynecological conditions, the treatment bases in Băile Felix offer patients electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, massages, aerosols or paraffin wraps. Two medical rehabilitation hospitals operate in the resort, one state and the other private. 

Moreover, studies carried out in recent decades have shown that, through a simple bath in the Felix thermal water, the body balances itself, taking calcium, magnesium and minerals from the water. As an interesting fact, the water in the area can change its color depending on changes in atmospheric pressure or temperature. 

Lake with water lilies and lotuses

Băile Felix is the place where, in a unique microclimate in Europe, ensured by the warm waters from the depths, you can admire the thermal water lilies. Moreover, the lake with water lilies and lotuses in the center of the resort is certainly the most visited tourist attraction in the area.

The stretch of water is home to the white water lily, but also to the thermal water lily, discovered more than 200 years ago and similar to the Nile water lily. The latter was declared a natural monument and was moved to the Natural Reserve "Lacul cu Nuferi" in Băile Felix, in 2015, following the decrease in the level of Pețea lake. It can be admired from April to October.

Also in Băile Felix is the Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera), the one that rises above the water, unlike the water lily, which floats on the surface of the lake.

Tourist attractions in the Băilor Felix area

After a visit to the water lilies, you can relax in the forest in Băile Felix, where a walking and training area has been set up for athletes. 

Near the resort is the natural reserve "Pâul Peța" from Băile 1 Mai, which houses three protected natural species: Nymphaea Lotus Thermalis - the thermal lotus, Roșioara lui Racoviță (an endemic species of fish, named after the naturalist Emil Racoviță) and the snail Melanopsis Parreyssi (survivor of the ice age).

Also in Băile 1 Mai is the oldest beach with waves in Romania, over a century old. Avenul de la Betfia, a karst phenomenon with a depth of 86 meters, can be seen a few kilometers away.

And if you come to Băile Felix, you can also visit Oradea, a city that can be considered a real open-air museum. Accommodation in Oradea at high standards can be found at Caro Boutique Hotel, which offers customers specialized services in an elegant, modern and comfortable setting. 

BUTTON: Book a room