{"id":15682,"date":"2025-01-13T17:20:37","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T17:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/?p=15682"},"modified":"2025-01-21T19:19:47","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T19:19:47","slug":"active-and-luxurious-adventures-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/winter-2025\/active-and-luxurious-adventures-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Active and Luxurious Adventures in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Carolyn Worthington<\/p><\/p>\n

S<\/span>pain has been calling me to explore its diverse countryside for over 10 years. Each time, I discovered something different \u2026 from cycling and hiking, cultural exploration, food and wine tastings, luxurious spas, and more …<\/p>\n

Indulge in a Luxurious Spa<\/h3>\n

If you are researching a spa vacation, consider Spain. The country is known for its thermal waters, which are rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium, and sulfur. Hotels and resorts are often built around these natural springs, which are believed to treat various conditions, from arthritis and skin diseases to respiratory issues.<\/p>\n

There are loads of spas to choose from on the Spain Tourism website<\/a>, but a few highlights are:<\/p>\n

Las Caldas Villa Termal<\/a> is a benchmark for health tourism in Spain thanks to the mineral-medicinal waters that flow from its spring. The complex has two hotels, a spa, a sports center, and three restaurants to enjoy a few days of relaxation and healthy eating. The Royal Spa, an old bath house from the 18th century, the Aquaxana ecothermal center and its exclusive circuit of the Hall of the Columns, make up a wide range of personalised hydrotherapy treatments that focus on physical and emotional well-being.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Palacio del Agua en el Balneario de Mondariz. Photo: Wiki Commons<\/p><\/div>\n

Mondariz<\/a> was founded in the Galician province of Pontevedra<\/a> in 1873. The spa has an amazing \u201cwater palace\u201d with a surface of over 3,000 square meters and the \u201cCeltic circuit,\u201d a spa therapy circuit that combines five relaxing techniques: Peeling shower effect, enclosed shower with powerful water jets for the back and feet; sauna set in the stones of Celtic Galicia; pressure jet to help move the muscles; outdoor contrast bath to achieve harmony of body and mind. As a complement, the Mondariz spa has innovative thermal treatments based on the medicinal mineral water from its springs.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cantabria<\/em><\/a>\u00a0is another of the regions of\u00a0<\/em>Green Spain<\/em><\/a> with extensive spa traditions.<\/em>\u00a0The Gran Hotel Balneario de Puente Viesgo<\/a>, in the region of the Valles Pasiegos, has mineral-medicinal waters and is recommended for the treatment of cardiovascular, respiratory or rheumatological problems, among others. In addition to planning personalized spa programs, its \u201cTemple of Water\u201d spa-leisure space has a large dynamic pool, saunas, hot springs, and contrast baths. The circuit in Cantabria is a sensory experience. Equipped with bubble beds, jets, volcanoes and jacuzzis it is set in the prehistoric caves of the Castle<\/a> and its cave paintings, which can be visited in the same town.<\/em><\/p>\n

Other places to explore, based on my past experiences traveling to Spain, include:<\/p>\n

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Arco romano de C\u00e1parra. Photo: Extremadura Turismo.<\/p><\/div>\n

Bird Watching in Extremadura<\/h3>\n

Take a road trip bird watching in Extremadura<\/a>. Located southwest of Madrid, snuggled next to Portugal and just north of Andalusia, Extremadura called to me. It seemed to offer all of the wonderful things I hoped for in a travel off the beaten path; special regional cuisine and wine; history; and culture. And, of course, birding.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Valencia … The Orchard of Spain<\/h3>\n

Valencia, the orchard of Spain, is featured in\u00a0 Healthy Aging\u00ae Magazine<\/em>‘s five-part active travel series<\/a>. This amazing part of the world offers delightful contrasts, from the beaches along the Mediterranean to the fertile inland and mountainous areas to the west. The cosmopolitan city of Valencia is juxtaposed against the old city and the ancient ones in the region, like Morella and Sant Mateu.<\/p>\n

And, for cycling fans, Valencia sometimes hosts portions of La Vuelta, Spain\u2019s world-class tour similar to the Tour de France, although not in 2025. This year, La Vuelta will pass through the northern regions of Spain, such as Catalonia, Arag\u00f3n, La Rioja, Navarra, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, Castilla y Le\u00f3n, and concludes in Madrid.<\/p>\n

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Romanesque art example. Photo: MNAC<\/p><\/div>\n

Discover Romanesque Art in the Pyrenees<\/h3>\n

On another trip, I discovered Romanesque Art in the Pyrenees<\/a>. If you want to explore art, culture, religious history, and European history; love to seek out chef-owned restaurants in the country; sample artisan foods, wine, and craft beer; and be active by hiking, kayaking, or canoeing, then discovering Romanesque art in the Pyrenees might be your next trip. Discover Romanesque Art in the Pyrenees: An Authentic Adventure – Healthy Aging \u00ae.<\/p>\n

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Town of Taull, Vall de Boi, Catalonia, Spain. Photo: Deposit Photos<\/p><\/div>\n

Catalonia for Active and Wellness Tourism and World-Class Cuisine<\/h3>\n

Imagine riding your bike leisurely from vineyard to vineyard, stopping to taste a full-bodied cabernet, a fruity, or a sparkling white wine. Then, imagine ending your day with a dinner made from local ingredients and prepared by a world-class chef.<\/p>\n

This could be you \u2026 in a place called Catalonia.<\/p>\n

Make Catalonia, Spain,<\/a> your next stop for an active vacation.<\/p>\n

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Majorca. Photo: C. Worthington<\/p><\/div>\n

Cycling and Relaxing in Majorca<\/h3>\n

If you want to get ready for summer cycling, check out Majorca, a hidden gem for cycling.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

San Sebastian – The Gastronomic Jewel of Europe<\/h3>\n

Foodies and seekers of cultural experiences rejoice! San Sebastian, Spain, the cultural and gastronomic jewel of Europe, is an undiscovered destination not to miss and should move to the top of your travel list.<\/p>\n

San Sebastian is for you<\/a> if you are an active traveler who likes to find unique opportunities. We have suggestions<\/a> in our series from sampling local seafood and farm-fresh ingredients to exploring unique historical sites while becoming one with the local culture.<\/p>\n

There are many reasons to put this gem at the top of your bucket list, from location\/location\/location to the tantalizing gastronomic experience and out-of-the-ordinary cultural happenings.<\/p>\n

Located in the Basque region where two languages are spoken (Basque and Spanish), San Sebastian is the perfect destination for those who want to combine the seashore with the country and city life.<\/p>\n

Cycling and Star-Gazing in Tenerife<\/h3>\n

Located about 60 miles off the Moroccan coast in the North Atlantic, Tenerife<\/a> is the largest of the Canary Islands at 785 square miles and stands the tallest amongst its six siblings. We found an amazing and unique trip experience<\/a> that crushes those goals in an adventurous fashion: Cycling in Tenerife.<\/p>\n

The Spain Tourism website offers more ideas for what to do and see in Spain. It offers\u00a0fantastic digital brochures<\/a> on sports and nature, destinations, food, leisure, and culture, as well as suggested routes.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bucket list ideas from luxurious spas, regional culinary discoveries to cycling, hiking and cultural gems<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[196,197],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-2025","category-winter-2025-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15682"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15756,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15682\/revisions\/15756"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}