Event: Slovak Republic

Spa Trencianske Teplice

When:	Daily
Where:	Spa Trencianske Teplice
Costs:	Various

The little village of Trencianske Teplice in woody Western Slovakia blossomed in the 14th century as the best-known spa in the Hungarian Empire, famed for easing away the aches and pains of many a weary traveller. Fast forward to the new millennium and its smelly sulphurous mud and gushing (extremely) hot water springs continue to rejuvenate thousands of visitors.

Trencianske Teplice is dominated by the extraordinary beauty of the main hamman hall, where the steam and mud is channelled for pleasure. Inside, many beds line up against decorated tiled walls and around marble fountains that pour out mineral-rich water from beneath the nearby forests.

The bad news is that the hamman is a male-only area. Women are allowed into the adjoining (and more recently-built) Sina thermal swimming pool through a separate, plain white entrance that was used by servants in the last century. As long as tradition doesn't offend, it's still worth a visit.

A great time to soak is during the summer season, when classical and traditional folk concerts, operas and theatre performances are staged at the nearby Kupelna Dvorana cultural centre. For the seriously stressed it is possible to arrange longer stays - many go for a three-week "intensive" in an effort to tackle complaints worse than stress (the minerals are thought to nourish bones and thus treat osteoporosis).