Ourense Thermal Pools

Ourense sits on a geothermal fault and hot water rises through it in quantity: As Burgas, three springs in the city centre, deliver water at around sixty-seven degrees, and a series of pools has been built along the Mino downstream where the water is mixed to bathing temperature. Some are free and rudimentary, notably Muino da Veiga, a set of stone pools on the riverbank usable when the river is low; others, at Outariz and Chavasqueira, are developed spa complexes with Japanese-style pools and entry charges. A tourist train, the tren das termas, runs a circuit between them. Bathing here is a year-round habit for residents and is at its best on a cold day when steam rises off the water.

What you actually see

• As Burgas - springs in the city centre delivering water at sixty-seven degrees.
• Muino da Veiga - free stone pools on the riverbank when water is low.
• Outariz and Chavasqueira - developed pool complexes with entry charges.
• The thermal train - a circuit service linking the pools along the river.

When to go

October to April, when cold air makes the hot water most appealing and the free riverside pools are least crowded; the Mino can flood them in winter rain. Summer is hot and the pools less attractive.

Honest expectations

The free pools are basic, with minimal changing facilities and no supervision, and they flood or close when the river rises. The paid complexes charge separately and book out at weekends. Water is genuinely hot and not suitable for long immersion.

Nearby

Ourense's old town and Roman bridge are central; the Ribeira Sacra lies north.