A Brief History of Thermalism in Slovenia

The Slovenian baths boast a history dating back to different historical periods, the first founded by the ancient Romans. The healing waters of Slovenia linked to numerous legends and stories. Almost every Spa has its own legend concerning the discovery of the springs. At one end of Slovenia, the water with miraculous powers had been discovered by the mythological horse Pegasus, on the other hand, the ladies rejuvenated with the help of spring water.

Slovenian thermalism, as we know it today, dates back to the early nineteenth century, when the healing properties of local waters scientifically ascertained. Around the springs, mostly in the east of Slovenia, the first thermal establishments were built with annexed services to host visitors, including the exponents of the European aristocracy and rulers, e.g., the Bourbons, the Habsburgs or Napoleon Bonaparte. Thermalism in Slovenia, as in other European countries, was initially curative.

From the beginning of the 1900s, the spa resorts were transformed from health centers into resorts and social life, becoming a tourist product, recognized as thermal stations and cities able to attract customers from distant places. They frequented by members of the high society and aristocracy.

The two world wars interrupted the arrival of the tourists who left in the post-war period when the thermal centers increased thanks to the new geological drilling method, which allowed the creation of new springs. The 1960s saw the modernization and creation of tourist facilities and the arrival of international tourists, mainly from Austria, Germany, and Italy.

The consequence of the Balkan Wars in the 1990s was the drastic decline in tourism in Slovenia. The government subsequently encouraged the development of traditional spas towards a new model of holistic centers that include prevention and wellness services. The result was, for example, the construction of large indoor and outdoor pools fed with thermal water and used for fun and no longer solely for treatment. At the beginning of 2000, the political situation stabilized and the tourist industry followed a new development towards the high-quality tourist product, focusing on some sectors, including the spa one.