Termas de Chaves

Termas de Chaves sits in the riverside gardens along the Tâmega River in the historic city of Chaves, near the Spanish border. The water emerges at 73–76ºC year-round, among the hottest in the Iberian Peninsula, with a pH of 6.80 and an alkaline, bicarbonate-sodium, fluoridated, carbon-gas-rich composition. Use dates to Roman times, and an official operating permit was granted in 1899; the spa was significantly expanded in the 20th century through the efforts of physician Mário Carneiro. It was named Portugal's best thermal unit ('Melhor Unidade Termal de Portugal') for three consecutive years through 2006 by INATEL's senior health program, and it is traditionally used for rheumatic, musculoskeletal, digestive, respiratory and dermatological conditions.