Pearl Escapes
Hydrotherapy
As remarked in my guide to Thalassotherapy, we use an awful lot of words to mean any treatment which involves water. Although Thalassotherapy is a bit more specific, as it relates to using sea water (or seaweed) Hydrotherapy is a much broader term relating to the use of all kinds of water.
The word “spa”, although there are several opinions, is usually taken as the abbreviation of the latin “salus per aquae” - or health through water. Simple, isn’t it, even though so many spas now don’t even have a water element.
In France they use the term balneotherapy which means any kind of bathing treatment, or even drinking medicinal waters. In Italy you’ll often see the word “terme” which relates specifically to thermal waters or springs, which, as in Bath, can either be drunk or lounged around in, depending on your fancy. (Check out my trip to Chianciano Terme which is reputed to be one of Italy’s oldest spa towns in my accompanying book "Weird And Wonderful Spa Breaks – The Guide From Pearl Escapes 2014".)
See also Thermal Spa and Mineral Spa.
For Hydrotherapy I recommend Thermae Bath Spa.
Other spas that offer great treatments:
The Spa At Mandarin Oriental London
Acquapura Thalasso and Spa Centre
Salon Sensoriale in the Terme di Chianciano Spa
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Email pearl@pearlescapes.co.uk
© Pearl Howie 2015. All rights reserved.