Thermae Sylla, One of the World’s Top 10 Spas

Thermae Sylla Spa and Wellness Hotel is one of the world’s leading thermal spa facilities. Located at Aidipsos, a coastal town on Greece’s second-largest island, Evia, it’s a 2.5-hour drive from Athens, or a short ferry ride away. 

Famous for its healing properties since the 4th Century, the coastal spa town boasts more than 80 natural thermal springs with water flowing from natural wells. Thermae Sylla, voted one of the top 10 spas in the world, is built over these natural thermal springs with outstanding healing properties.

History of Aidipsos 

Since antiquity, Aidipsos is well-known for its thermal springs that help heal, relax and rejuvenate the body, mind, and soul. Ancient Greek philosophers Hippocrates (father of medicine) and Aristotle visited the springs and wrote about the huge benefits and the rare microclimate they create. Since then, Aidipsos has drawn people from all around the world, who come here to experience this wellbeing retreat. 

  • Insights Greece - Thermae Sylla, One of the World’s Top 10 Spas
  • Insights Greece - Thermae Sylla, One of the World’s Top 10 Spas

The hotel 

Beautifully designed by Erricos Tobazis, Thermae Sylla features neoclassical architecture with hints of Art Nouveau. The grand building, which opened its doors in 1896, is constructed of local stone from Evia and during the construction process, ruins of a Roman spa were discovered. Over the years, the hotel has welcomed famous guests including Greta Garbo, Omar Sharif, Winston Churchill, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas. 

Therapeutic waters of Aidipsos

Thermae Sylla has one of the most therapeutic spa waters in the world, with thermal springs which flow from a depth of 3,000 metres at a temperature of 75º C to 85º C. The water under the property is particularly rich with different metals and elements; including traces of Radon. The waters also contain calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and sulfate, as well as manganese, iron, and strontium. These therapeutic elements in the waters are said to help those with muscular, bone and skin conditions. 

  • Insights Greece - Thermae Sylla, One of the World’s Top 10 Spas
  • Insights Greece - Thermae Sylla, One of the World’s Top 10 Spas

Thermal spa 

Thermal waters from the sea wall crash against the hotel, forming natural terraced pools of scalding therapeutic water. The pools mix with seawater, becoming the perfect temperature, as they reach the open sea. Guest are able to see the steam rising from the pools, making it a memorable experience. 

Thermal facilities

Two large pools (outdoor and indoor) fed by hot mineral springs have a range of massage and wave features, and there’s a spa centre where treatments, using the hotel’s own products, include tailored wellness and medical therapies. There’s also a Farmer’s Steambath, which is filled with eucalyptus and local mountain herbs. 

Therapeutic treatments 

Therapeutic and medical treatments such as massage, mud therapy, physiotherapy, and natural nutrition therapies are on offer, as well as body peeling, Ozonotherapy with thermal water, local seaweed massage and reflexology. 

  • Insights Greece - Thermae Sylla, One of the World’s Top 10 Spas
  • Insights Greece - Thermae Sylla, One of the World’s Top 10 Spas

Rooms

Every room or suite at Thermae Sylla, along with its bathroom, is spacious and inviting. It includes room service and minibar to afternoon turn-down service and wifi internet. Each room at Thermae Sylla has individually controlled air conditioning so that you can set the temperature that’s right for you. 

Food & Drinks 

The cuisine served across the property is based on fresh, local ingredients, many of which come from Thermae Sylla’s private farm. The hotel also produces its own extra virgin olive oil for exclusive use in its dishes. With four restaurants and two bars, there is a great range of dishes available for breakfast through to dinner. 

A: Posidonos St, Loutra Edipsou, Evia

Greece’s GRACE-ful Gin

It took around nine months of experimenting with over 50 herbs and spices until an alchemical trio of Greek women came up with their award-winning gin, hand-crafted recipe. 

With a family background in distillation, sisters Hara and Katerina Katsou formed the ideal team with Lila Dimopolou in 2016, who had a broad experience from working with her Scottish husband in the global drinks industry.

Insights Greece - Greece’s GRACE-ful Gin

In its four years of existence, GRACE gin has already made a strong impact among international aficionados of the juniper-based drink. The bottle in itself is both stylish and playful, immediately revealing that this is a drink with a bold and sophisticated personality. Featuring three women in 18th Century-style clothes, one of whom is holding a Greek flag (with an owl on her shoulder), it stands out in appearance as much as in its flavour.

Although gin is not an alcoholic beverage one would normally associate with Greece – or
anything Greek for that matter, this particular gin, created by Avantes distillery in Evia, has a very strong Greek character.

The gin contains ingredients that are characteristically native, such as sea samphire (kritamo), the wild herb that grows on the craggy edges of sea-spritzed rocks, orange blossom from Evia and Schinos. The base spirit is a blend of botanicals such as juniper berries, angelica root, lemon and orange peels, cardamom, orris, coriander, cinnamon, and cassia bark.

But why gin of all things? Why not distill something more traditional like say, tsipouro? The graceful gin-makers answer that for them this very concoction, apart from the immense gin-savviness and encouragement it was infused with by Lila’s Scottish husband John, presented them with an exhilarating way of reflecting the varied aromas and flavour profiles of Greece’s multifaceted flora.

Insights Greece - Greece’s GRACE-ful Gin

Indeed, GRACE gin has been described and awarded for its taste factor by several international experts and sells very well to the US, Switzerland, England, Cyprus and Germany.

GRACE Gin offers its fans some of its favourite recipes, ideal for a night in:

GRACE

45ml Grace Gin

45ml Dry Vermouth

3 Dashes Cherry bitters

Glass: Martini

Method: Stirred

Garnish : 2 maraschino cherries