Travel Guide Băile Herculane

Băile Herculane is one of Europe's oldest spas. Nestled in the gorge of the River Cerna, surrounded by beautiful wooded mountains, it exudes a strange atmosphere. What a strange town Băile Herculane is! A water town during the Austro-Hungarian and then Communist eras, you'll come across magnificent, decrepit 18th and 19th century townhouses alongside hideous, abandoned Communist concrete complexes, giving the place a ghost-town feel in the off-season. From spring onwards, curists and other visitors breathe new life into the place, which is struggling to restore itself. And yet, with its imposing 18th- and 19th-century spa complexes, it's easy to imagine the historical importance of this health resort, one of the oldest in Europe. Its success is due not only to the quality of its waters, but also to the surrounding region. Nestled in the gorge of the River Cerna, between high limestone walls, people also come here for the nature. Accommodation is plentiful and so are the activities on offer: swimming pools, spa treatments, casinos, discos, fishing, excursions to the Iron Gates or hikes in the superb wooded mountains that encircle the town.