Benja Thermal Pools

At Benja, where the Lengarica comes out of its canyon near Permet, hot mineral water emerges from the ground beside the river and has been dammed into a series of shallow stone-walled pools, six of them, each at a slightly different temperature, with the cold river running alongside so that bathers move between the two. The water is sulphurous and warm rather than hot, and it has been used locally for skin and joint complaints for a long time. The Katiu bridge, an Ottoman stone arch, crosses just above the pools, and the canyon mouth begins a few metres upstream, so the setting is better than the facilities, which amount to changing huts and a couple of stalls.

What you actually see

• Six stone-walled pools - each at a different temperature beside the river.
• The cold river alongside - the contrast bathers move between.
• The Katiu Ottoman bridge - the arch crossing directly above.
• The canyon mouth upstream - the gorge starting a few metres above.

When to go

April to June and September to November, when the air is cool enough to make hot water pleasant; summer is hot and the pools are crowded. Half a day. Weekends are very busy. Mornings are quieter.

Honest expectations

The pools are crowded at weekends and in season, and water quality suffers when they are full. Litter is a persistent problem. Changing facilities are minimal, which affects women in particular. The track in is rough.

Nearby

Lengarica canyon begins upstream; Permet lies north-west.