CALDES DE MALAVELLA COSTA BRAVA

This market town, 15km south of Girona, has been famous for its hot springs since Roman times: recent excavations uncovered the remains of two Roman spas. The town enjoyed a revival during the mid-19th century, when it took advantage of the European fashion for 'taking the waters'. Dr Modest Furest marketed its bottled water under the name Vichy Catalan a name seen on mineral water bottles throughout Spain to this day. People still come to Caldes to take the waters at the two spa hotels, built around the turn of the 20th century in neo-classical and Modernist style. They offer a range of health and beauty treatments and are particularly recommended for those with digestive and respiratory disorders. Caldes is at the centre of the wooded Selva landscape and would make a good base for a healthy walking, cycling or riding holiday