This iconic spa bath – part of an ancient health and wellness center at a site of natural hot springs in Israel – dates back to Roman times, 2nd century. In the days just preceding Covid-19 isolation, we explored these magnificent thermal baths. The thermo-mineral waters are located in the southern Golan Heights at the Yarmouk River Valley, at the crossroads of Syria, Jordan and Israel. With a constant water temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius), the hot mineral waters soothe and relax stressed muscles – as favored by the Romans in ancient times.

Ancient Roman spa at the southern Golan Heights

Spa and Julius Caesar

During the reign of the Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar, the region that is today Israel, was conquered, and ruled by the Romans for 400 years. During that time, epic historical events occurred in the land including the destruction of the Second Temple and the crucifixion of Jesus. But the Romans also left a legacy of engineering, roadways, and SPA to the region.

Hot water pipes under the floor of the Roman bathhouse

The Romans loved their baths, hot water, spas, and saunas. At the ancient Roman site of Beit Shean, you can see how the floors are raised on pipes to allow hot water to flow and heat the floors. Water was heated using fire and injected inside the pipes. This circulation made the rooms above these floors sweltering, basically a sauna.

Ottoman Empire and Turkish Spa

Over the four centuries that the Turks ruled the region (1517-1917), they imported the Hammam, or Turkish spa. The concept differs from Roman spas in that the focus of the Hammam is a heated marble slab on which a person lies. The treatment consists of hot water being poured over him or her, and an attendant who scrubs the person down with abrasive clothes. Sounds painful, right? It is actually delightful if you can give into the experience of a stranger scrubbing you.  The Turkish spa or Hammam is popular in Israel to this day.

Spa and Wellness

No less important today, Israelis are fond of their spa and wellness centers. At the Dead Sea, spa centers feature the region’s black mud and mineral waters. At Ga’ash in the center of Israel and at Hamei Yoav further south, underground mineral water feeds the sites’ thermal pools to relax away aches and pains. Not far from Kibbutz Sde Boker, underground mineral waters from thousands of years ago, are piped into a desert spa. Thermo-mineral water pools are naturally rich in sulfur and other minerals with water temperatures of 37 – 39° C (98.6° F – 102.2° F). The water reaches the pools directly from the depths of the earth, 1500 m below ground.

Applying black mud at the Dead Sea

Spa Treatments After the Tour

There are also spa facilities at many of the hotels. We suggest to pre-book massages and treatments for the end of the day when you return to the hotel. Pictured below is the Turkish spa – Hammam – at the Scots Hotel at the Sea of Galilee.

Hammam, Scots Hotel, Israel