Terme Čatež

Terme Čatež is a large thermal spa resort in Čatež ob Savi, Slovenia, set beside the Sava river. It combines an extensive water park with an adults-only sauna and wellness area, several hotels, and a medically oriented health centre, and it operates 365 days a year.

The water

The resort draws on 11 wells that reach thermal water at depths of roughly 300 to 600 metres, with a combined flow of about 60 litres per second. The water emerges at the source at temperatures between 58 and 63 degrees Celsius, and is delivered into the pools within a bathing range of about 32 to 36 degrees. Thermal water at Čatež was documented as known since 1802, and in 1962 the Ministry of Health designated Terme Čatež as a natural health resort.

Pools and water parks

The Summer Thermal Riviera offers roughly 10,000 m2 of water surface across about a dozen pools and attractions. These include an Olympic-size pool measuring 50 by 22 metres (about 1,250 m2, 1.2 to 2.1 metres deep) kept at 27 to 29 degrees, a wave pool of about 1,250 m2 at 30 to 31 degrees, a 450-metre lazy river at around 31 degrees, a children's water park, and warmer pools reaching up to 34 to 36 degrees. It runs from mid-April into September, with hours extending as the season progresses (from 10:00 to 18:00 in spring up to 8:00 to 20:00 in high summer). The indoor Winter Thermal Riviera provides more than 6,500 m2 of water surface and stays open every day, with pool temperatures from about 31 to 36 degrees. Its attractions include the Kong slide, described by the resort as the country's longest indoor slide at 77 metres, along with wave pools, a whirlpool and children's areas.

Saunas and wellness

The Wellness Riviera occupies almost 1,000 m2 and is reserved for guests over 16 years of age. It brings together several sauna types, including a large Finnish sauna, an outdoor-terrace Finnish sauna, a Turkish steam bath, a salt-steam bath, an extreme sauna and an infrared sauna. The area also has a whirlpool, a cold pool, a large hot relaxation pool, a relaxation room, heated booths, foot baths, an ice fountain, water beds and an outdoor terrace with a zen garden. Additional spa and swimming facilities are offered at the Grand Spa Terme, whose pools are open daily from 8:00 to 21:00 and which also has a fitness centre.

Health centre

Terme Čatež runs a health centre providing therapies, diagnostics, rehabilitation and preventive programmes. The indications it addresses include locomotor conditions after injury or surgery, the aftermath of sports injuries, inflammatory rheumatic diseases, degenerative extra-articular rheumatism, neurological disorders after stroke, and gynaecological rehabilitation including recovery after breast cancer surgery.

Staying and dining

Accommodation on site ranges from four-star hotels (Hotel Terme, Hotel Toplice and the Toplice Family Inn) to the three-star Hotel Čatež, plus apartments, mobile homes, family suites and a camping area.

Visiting

The Summer Thermal Riviera opens roughly from mid-April to mid-September; the Winter Thermal Riviera is open daily from 9:00 to 21:00. Wellness Riviera hours are seasonal and limited (for example Friday and weekend afternoons and evenings in June). Grand Spa Terme pools run daily from 8:00 to 21:00.