And Just Like That: You are in the deep, bubbly heart of Evia, the “secret” Greek island
We checked out the world famous Thermae Sylla Spa Hotel in elegant Edipsos
Bubbly because of the thermal spring water, that is. Read on…
“Just one and a half hour from the Athens International Airport, a place blessed by nature. Located on Evia, the second biggest island of Greece, Edipsos is famous for its thermal springs that heal and rejuvenate ever since Antiquity. Hippocrates and Aristotle visited the springs and wrote about its benefits and the rare microclimate they create. The sea is always warm and the sun shines 300 days a year, tempting visitors for a dive even in winter! However the location has more to offer…”
That’s according to the Thermae Sylla Spa and Wellness Hotel, where we stayed for a couple of days in September while we explored the area in and around Edipsos. It is relatively easy to get to Edipsos from Athens, and that’s because instead of driving via Chalkida (Chalcis), you can also take the very modern E75 highway to Arkitsa, and from there a short ferry across the calm North Euboean Gulf directly to Edipsos (sometimes with alternate spelling).
Edipsos has a rich history as a therapeutic spa town, with its hot springs known since antiquity and featured in ancient texts like those by Herodotus and Aristotle. According to mythology, the springs were a gift from Hephaestus to Athena for the hero Hercules. The area saw significant use during Roman times, evidenced by excavated bath ruins, and later became a popular resort in the late 18th and 19th centuries, attracting international figures like Winston Churchill and sighing Greta Garbo.
From the press release:
Thermae Sylla Spa Wellness Hotel is a family-owned hotel combining a rich heritage of history with the tremendous healing and rejuvenating potential of the thermal water. Situated in the northern part of Edipsos’ spa town, Thermae Sylla’s facilities offer a 5-star wellness destination. The mild climate of the area throughout the year coupled with the healing and rejuvenating powers of the thermal water create a unique destination that soothes and unwinds its guests’ mind and body.
What is also unique about Thermae Sylla is that within its premises, it has its own thermal spring. The thermal water contains an abundance of metal salts and trace elements (32-45 gr. per litre) consisted mainly of iron, calcium and magnesium at water temperatures ranging from 70 degrees to 85 degrees Celsius, and it springs out from thermometal wells of a 3,000meter depth.
The beneficial results of this water have been observed clearly in rheumatologic, arthritic and kinetic diseases, chronic inflammations and general complaints of the musculoskeletal system as well as in gynaecologic diseases. Thermae Sylla’s philosophy is to adapt to the current standards and demands of wellness tourism by preserving, however, the hotel’s philosophy: to offer a place where guests can feel at home and relax.
Recently renovated, with a total of 108 rooms and suites, the hotel offers an intimate environment of high aesthetics and discreet luxury, structured with classic design lines but equipped with all the modern facilities of a luxury hotel that a demanding traveler desires.
Our award-winning spa center offers a suite of spa therapies and spa cosmetic products that are renewed regularly in order to offer the most exclusive and up to date regime to our clients. Our most popular treatments include hydrotherapy with thermal water, thermal mud therapies, facial and body treatments, different types of massages etc. While our cuisine is based on local products from Evia, our chef has created a menu offering Greek dishes with a modern twist, using only the best local ingredients cooked in a healthy and nutritious way. Thermae Sylla offers the ideal scenery to host retreats, such as pilates and yoga retreats, which, when combined with our various spa packages, offer a holistic experience to theparticipants. The natural environment of Edipsos creates the perfect opportunity for hiking, horse-riding excursions and all sorts of swimming activities.
We’re going to forgo our customary in-hotel review for the moment but suffice to say that Thermae Sylla is the best place to stay in Evia, and that’s whether or not you choose to “take the waters.” It also has fine dining:
Significantly, for planning purposes, it’s worth noting that the hotel is open virtually year-round, so if you are thinking of making a wintertime trip to Athens, there’s no reason it has to be 100 percent urban. Edipsos is among the easiest parts of Evia to access from Athens, and also the “best” town on the island overall — in part due to the anchor-presence of the hotel.
