Hot Springs in Greece: 8 Warm Soaks for Autumn and Winter
When the beaches empty out and the first autumn rain rolls in, a lot of people assume the swimming season in Greece is over. It isn't. The country sits on some of the most active geology in Europe, and that heat underground feeds hundreds of thermal springs, from mountain waterfalls to warm pools at the edge of the sea.
Greeks have bathed in these waters since antiquity, and plenty still swear by an autumn soak for stiff backs and tired joints. You don't need a health reason, though. A warm pool on a cool, grey day is simply one of the nicest things you can do in Greece out of season, and many of the best springs are free or cost just a few euros.
Why autumn and winter are the best time for a soak
Hot springs are hard work in August. Sitting in 40°C water when the air is just as hot is not much of a treat, and the popular spots are crowded. From late October onwards everything changes. The air cools, the steam starts to show, and the water feels exactly as good as it should.
By November in Greece, daytime temperatures across much of the country sit somewhere between about 12°C and 20°C, with cooler nights and more rain in the north. That is perfect weather for a long soak followed by a taverna lunch, and it is also when hotels, roads and ferries are at their quietest.
Lake Vouliagmeni, near Athens
If you are based in Athens, this is the easy one. Lake Vouliagmeni sits on the coast south of the city, tucked under a limestone cliff a short walk from the sea. Its brackish water is fed by underground springs and stays between about 22°C and 29°C through the year, so people swim here even in the middle of winter.
It is a managed site with a paid entry ticket, sunbeds and a lakeside cafe and restaurant, and weekend prices are a little higher than weekdays. From November 10 to March 1 the lake opens from 08:30 to 16:30, and the last ticket is sold an hour and a half before closing, so go in the morning or around lunchtime rather than late in the afternoon.
Thermopylae, on the road north
The name Thermopylae means hot gates, and the springs that gave the famous pass its name still run beside the old national road, right opposite the Leonidas monument. The sulphur-rich water comes out of the ground at about 40°C and spills over the rocks in small cascades and pools.
This is a wild, free spring with no ticket office, changing rooms or toilets, and it is open at all hours. It sits about 15 km from Lamia, a little over two hours' drive from Athens, which makes it an easy stop on any trip between Athens and Thessaloniki. Expect a strong smell of sulphur, slippery mineral deposits underfoot and a mix of locals and road trippers at most times of day.
Loutra Edipsou, Evia
Loutra Edipsou, on the northwest coast of Evia, is the country's best known spa town, and its waters have drawn visitors since antiquity. Dozens of springs rise around the town, and some are very hot at the source, well above any safe bathing temperature, before they cool on their way to the sea.
The real draw is free. In front of the historic Thermae Sylla hotel and along the shore, thermal water runs out of pipes and over yellow and orange stained rocks straight into the sea, so you can move a metre or two and choose your own temperature. Bring water shoes for the pebbles. When you want something more organised, the town has a public hydrotherapy centre and plenty of spa hotels, and ferries cross from Arkitsa on the mainland.
Loutra Pozar, near Aridaia
Up in the north, at the foot of Mount Voras in the Pella region, Loutra Pozar is the most photographed hot spring in Greece, and for good reason. Warm waterfalls pour into turquoise pools next to a cold mountain river, and the water stays at about 37°C all year round.
The baths are open every day of the year, with long opening hours, and a ticket for the outdoor pools costs a few euros, with an all-day ticket also available. There are indoor pools and hammams for private bookings too, and the site's own advice is to keep each soak to around 20 minutes. Winter is the best season here: the ski slopes of Kaimaktsalan are close by, and the villages around Almopia hold chestnut and tsipouro festivals through the colder months.
Eftalou, Lesvos
On the north coast of Lesvos, about 3.5 km from Molyvos, the old bathhouse at Eftalou sits right on the beach. Sunlight falls through small openings in its domed roof onto a stone pool where the water runs at around 43°C to 46°C, hot enough that most people go in and out rather than stay put.
The baths are open to the public from June 15 to November 15, so autumn is the last chance of the year. Lesvos is also home to the springs of Polichnitos, in the south of the island, which are often described as the hottest in Europe, with water reaching about 87°C where it gushes out. That one is strictly for looking, not bathing.
Ikaria and Kos: warm water in the sea
Ikaria is famous for long lives and long lunches, and its hot springs are part of the story. The village of Therma, just outside Agios Kirykos, grew up around them, although the municipal cave spa there is listed as temporarily closed. A short way west of Agios Kirykos, near Glaredo, the spring at Lefkada has been ringed with large stones to form a small free pool in the sea, with red sand underfoot.
Kos has its own version at Therma beach, on the southeast coast about 12 km from Kos town. A steep path leads down to a cove of dark pebbles, where hot water rises into the sea and locals have built a ring of stones to hold it. Water inside the pool can be anywhere from about 30°C to 50°C depending on the waves, so test it with a hand first.
Santorini's volcano springs
The hot springs at Palea Kameni, in the middle of the Santorini caldera, are a different experience. You can only reach them by boat, which anchors offshore, and you swim in through cooler sea to a rust coloured patch of water at roughly 30°C to 35°C. Wear an old, dark swimsuit, because the iron in the water stains.
Boat trips run mainly from spring to October and can be cancelled when the wind is up, so check before you plan around one. A half-day Santorini volcano and hot springs tour from the Old Port below Fira combines a walk on Nea Kameni with the swim, and you need to be comfortable swimming in open water.
How to enjoy a hot spring safely
Test the water first
Natural springs change temperature over very short distances, and the water at a source can be scalding. Feel it with your hand before you step in, sit where the hot water has mixed with cooler water, and never climb into a steaming vent or pipe outlet.
Keep each soak short
Twenty minutes or so at a time is plenty. Get out, cool down and drink some water before going back in. Thermal water is not recommended for everyone, so if you are pregnant or have heart problems or high blood pressure, check with a doctor first, and skip the hottest pools after a big lunch or a few glasses of wine.
Pack for it
Bring water shoes, a towel, a warm layer and a plastic bag for wet things. Leave silver jewellery at home, since sulphur can tarnish it, and use an old swimsuit you don't mind staining. At the wild springs, keep valuables out of sight in the car or with someone you trust.
Planning a hot springs trip
Most of these springs fit neatly into a wider autumn or winter trip. Vouliagmeni works as a morning out from Athens, Thermopylae and Edipsos sit close to the main road north, and Pozar pairs well with Edessa, local wineries and the ski season. On the islands, check ferry and flight timetables early, because services drop in the colder months.
Whichever you pick, check opening times before you set off, since managed baths adjust their hours through the year. Then pack a towel, go on a weekday if you can, and let the water do the rest.
Bonus Tip: Before planning, make sure to check our November weather guides: Athens | Evia | Lamia | Thessaloniki | Lesvos | Ikaria | Kos | Santorini | Crete | More Areas in Greece
