Caldas de Canavezes

Caldas de Canavezes (Termas de Canavezes) is one of Portugal's oldest thermal places, set on the banks of the River Tâmega in Sobretâmega, Marco de Canaveses. Its medicinal springs were known and bathed in by the Romans, who called them Aquae Tamacanae for their proximity to the Tâmega, and the site later drew royal patronage: Queen Mafalda of Savoy, the first queen of Portugal, is said to have built a residence here to treat a skin condition. The Company Águas das Caldas de Canavezes was founded in 1902, and the surrounding thermal station grew around its grand hotel in the early 20th century.

Thermal water and springs

The water rises from two sources, Fonte Andrães and Pontinha, and is classed as a sulphurous, sodium-rich mineral water. Historic analyses also describe it as bicarbonate, calcium, lithium, chloride, arsenical, siliceous and radon-bearing, hypomineralized and hypothermal, emerging at roughly 33-36°C.

• Nature: sulphurous sodic, arsenical mineral water
• Springs: Fonte Andrães and Pontinha
• Traditional indications: skin conditions (dermatoses), rheumatism and ear-nose-throat (ORL) ailments

Baths and thermal clinic

The complex historically centred on its bath houses, where the spring water was tempered and piped for treatments. The long experience in hydrotherapy has inspired an ongoing revival of the site as the Canavezes Thermal Clinic, envisaged as a centre specialised in the prevention and treatment of skin diseases, pairing the Água Termal de Canavezes with specialised medical care and dermatological research through the Canavezes laboratories and skincare brand.

Wellness

Alongside its dermatological focus, the planned clinic is designed for physical and emotional well-being, offering relaxation and rehabilitation through complementary anti-stress treatments and aesthetic care.

Hotel

The Hotel Palácio de Canavezes, built in the early 1900s beside the springs, is a national heritage building undergoing restoration to revive it as a thermal palace hotel, combining classic furnishings with contemporary comfort and views over the Tâmega valley.

Setting

The thermal grounds sit within a wooded park overlooking the River Tâmega, a quiet valley landscape that has framed visits to these waters for centuries.