Panticosa Spa
At an altitude of 1,636 metres, in the heart of the Huesca Pyrenees, in the Tena Valley, lies the Panticosa Spa. Just 8 kilometres from the Spanish village of Panticosa, it can be reached via a narrow road, which in ancient times was used by shepherds and smugglers to reach France via the Marcadau Pass.
For centuries, the properties of the six sources of nitrogenous and sulphurous waters of the Panticosa Spa have been indicated for the treatment of kidney, digestive, respiratory, rheumatic, nervous and skin conditions.
The Panticosa Spa Resort is open all year round, except in November. It has an area of 8,500 square metres dedicated to the power of the thermal waters.
You may have heard of the Panticosa Bathsbut what they are really referring to is a precious spalocated next to the beautiful town of Huesca in the province of Huesca. PanticosaThe mountain is located in the Alto Gállego region. In order to reach its 1600 metres of altitude, you will have to travel about 8 kilometres of narrow road from the village of Panticosa itself, this being a really old road, used in its time to access France by the Port of Marcadau.
All the catering and the service sector belonging to this complex are located on a small esplanade belonging to the area surrounding the Ibón de Baños, a natural pool where all the streams of water from the high peaks surrounding the lake converge. The climate in the surrounding area is cold, with typical high mountain temperatures all year round.
The monthly averages fluctuate from 0 degrees in January and February to almost 15 degrees in August and July. The uniqueness of this portentous resort is that its six flows of water, nitrogenous and full of sulphatesseem to have healing and medicinal properties of all kinds, and its use is highly recommended for the treatment of diseases of the kidneys, digestive tract and nervous system.
The acquisition of the whole complex by the "NOZAR Group" at the beginning of the century allowed all the facilities to be refurbished and the resort to be renamed Panticosa Resort. This rehabilitation was criticised for the poor conservation of the landscape, as the architecture used did not at any time respect the typical features of the region or the place.. Even so, this spa is still a beautiful place to come to enjoy and relax.
The spa in history
This spa has been known since Roman times, but the first document of the enclave dates back to 1286. In that year, Pedro I of Aragon ceded it to the Panticosa quínon.
The first building was constructed in 1694, while the thermal activity was definitively established in the 18th century. In 1826, King Ferdinand VII expropriated the baths from the quiñón and granted the exploitation rights to the entrepreneur Nicolás Guallart until 1854.
The main buildings and gardens of the spa complex were built in the 19th century and since then the spa has become one of the most famous in Spain. It hosted illustrious guests such as Alfonso XIII, Niceto Alcalá Zamora, Ortega y Gasset, Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Primo de Rivera.
By the middle of the 20th century it suffered a period of decline in occupation, but has now recovered and maintains a high number of visitors.
The sources
In 1966, the Panticosa Baths were declared a Site of National Tourist Interest. Until the early years of the 21st century, the nineteenth-century appearance of its facilities remained almost intact.
Among its architectural highlights are the Casino building, the Gran Hotel, the Termas de Tiberio, the Capilla del Carmen and the temples of the Fountains, all in a marked historicist style.
The six fountains of the Panticosa Spa are known as Fuente de San Agustín, Tiberio, La Laguna, Fuente de la Belleza (or Fuente del Estómago), Fuente del Carmen (or Fuente de las Herpes) and Azoada (or Fuente del Hígado).
Current facilities
The hotel and service facilities are located in a meadow surrounding the Ibón de Baños, a natural lake that collects the waters from the torrents that flow down from the surrounding peaks to give rise to the river Caldarés.
The refurbishment of the facilities, which began in 2000, transformed the appearance of the original complex, and the ongoing work has succeeded in attracting hundreds of visitors each year.
The pool floor has facilities such as an outdoor pool, beach, igloo, whirlpool, water curtain, aromatic pool, Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and hammam.
The temperature of the Panticosa Spa is 6 degrees Celsius, with a high mountain climate. These climatic conditions are influenced by its altitude and its location in a shady valley.
