Spa town

A spa town is a resort town based around a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visited spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word spa is derived from the name of Spa, such a town in Belgium.

Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath in 1668. He became interested in the curative properties of the hot mineral waters there and in 1676 wrote A discourse of Bathe, and the hot waters there. Also, Some Enquiries into the Nature of the water. This brought the health-giving properties of the waters to the attention of the aristocracy, who started to partake in them soon after.

The term spa is used for towns or resorts offering hydrotherapy, which can include cold water or mineral water treatments and geothermal baths.

Most of the mineral springs in Australia are in the Central Highlands of Victoria, although there are a few springs in South Australia, Moree, New South Wales and Queensland. Most are within 30 km of Daylesford, Victoria: the Daylesford and Hepburn Springs call themselves the 'Spa Centre of Australia'.

See: List of spa towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Banja Vrućica, Teslić

Brazil has a growing number of spa towns. The traditional ones are: Águas de Lindoia, Serra Negra, Águas de São Pedro, Caxambu, Poços de Caldas, Caldas Novas, Araxá, and São Lourenço.

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