100% Romanian Spa

Spring is a time of renewal, so you are invited to discover some Romanian domestic spa treatments

Ana-Maria Cononovici, 05.07.2022, 13:55

Spring is a time of renewal, so you are invited to discover some Romanian domestic spa treatments. We go across the country, from the seaside to the mountains, looking for nature cures and local creativity, as well as herbal treatments based in local experience.

Ioana Marian, founder of the platform called desprespa.ro, is today our guide on this trip:

“I think that this is now the perfect moment for people to seek a mixture of relaxation, revival, which is what we need during this period. I would recommend spa treatments that are unique in the world, they are only available in our country, they are rooted in the history of the place, and are based on local ingredients. These can be plants, salt, clays, natural muds, thermal or mineral waters. It should be a mix of these riches, and the point is that they are only available in local spas in this country.

With a view to cover the entire country, in order to allow us to discover the most interesting spas, Ioana Marian provided us with a wide range of suggestions:

“I would propose to start at the seaside, we all really miss the beach right now. I would start with a spa ritual available at the resort of Eforie Nord, on the Black Sea coast, called Romanian Organic Body Experience. It starts with a sea salt and basil scrub, followed by a massage with grape seed oil and basil, ending with a seaweed wrap. It leaves you energized, with younger skin. One other ritual is also at the seaside, in the Mamaia-Navodari region, which is a hamam inspired ritual. It starts with a sauna, followed by exfoliation with wheat bran, brown sugar, and rosemary water, which is done on a heated marble slab, a very pleasant experience. It is followed by a steam bath, then a wrap with crushed grape seed from local vineyards, ending with a foot massage with crushed seashells. It is a ritual of relaxation, switching off, and inner peace.

After that, Ioana Marian takes us to the west of the country:

“I would suggest going to a big city next. Close to Cluj I picked two rituals, out of many available. One ritual is called Purity in Mures Valley. It takes two hours, it starts with exfoliation with salt from the Praid salt mine, combined with curative plants and oil. It is followed by a wrap with blue clay from Raciu, which is unique in the world with its 41 minerals and oligominerals, mixed with spring water. In the end they have a massage with lavender oil. Overall, the ritual has a calming effect, contributing to skin health and deep relaxation. A second ritual, Freshness from the Apuseni Mountains, includes a bath with medicinal plants from those mountains. It uses fir tree seeds, aromatic plants, and it also features a white clay mask, rich in calcium. It is mixed in with honey and royal jelly. It is followed by an energizing massage with mint oil, bringing in the freshness of the mountains, and overall the ritual is revitalizing and regenerative.

Ioana Marian invited us to discover Romania following the trail of these rituals:

“I would love for your listeners to take the time and go on a few days of vacation, simply stopping over in several spa centers in the country, trying out this or the other ritual, because there are so many of them. I would continue in a mountain resort, Poiana Brasov, where you can try to an aromatherapy massage with pasture flowers, blueberries, daisies, and lilies of the valley. The massage releases the tension in the entire body, and these essential oils act subtly, but efficiently, and deeply. I have another example of a spa, which combines a thermal mineral water spa, with a high concentration of sulfur, and an energetic massage. It takes place in the spa resort of Herculane, it is a called Hercules Is Me, and is a manly revitalizing massage. It also has a version for ladies, which includes a chain of mineral baths, with lots of local herbs, like basil, rosemary, and sage, followed by a honey based massage. This ritual is called Aphrodite.

As usual, all these places are making preparations for Global Wellness Day, as Ioana Marian told us:

“Global Wellness Day will be this year in the second Saturday of June, on June 11th, and we invite all your listeners to take part. In many spas they can find all sorts of experiences, starting with short term spa therapy activities, along with all kinds of exercise, such as breathing and yoga, as part of wellness workshops. We will post online this schedule, most likely in May, and you can schedule ahead of time.