Roman Sulphur baths of Hedionda

The Roman Sulphur baths of Hedionda are located in the valley below Manilva. The high sulphur content is due to a suphur spring which flows from the limestone ridge of the Sierra Utera situated above the valley. The sulphur turns the water a milky white colour.

2000 years ago this spring attracted the attention of the Romans who built an arched bathing complex of which four chambers still exist today. Other adjacent water channels can be seen which suggest the complex was once much larger. A small first chamber leads via an archway and tunnel into a much larger inner chamber. The concrete lid is a recent addition to preserve the remains.

Pure sulphur is odourless, but when combined with hydrogen it produces hydrogen sulphide which has an odour of rotten eggs! Sulphur is renowned for its medicinal properties and bathing in sulphur springs to improve the condition of the skin or cure epidermal complaints is an ancient tradition. Julius Caesar was reputed as bathing here between 63 and 60 BC to cure himself of a skin infection.

The river flows from the baths and if you cross the river there is a high bank of hardened clay. The idea is that you soak in the baths to soften the skin, then cover yourself in mud from the bank and bake in the sun and then soak in the river or baths again to wash the mud off.

So here is a selfie of me standing on the bank of the river with the clay wall to the right. I decided to blip this one where I have just covered my legs in mud rather than the full body treatment shot! A few more images of the baths are here.

The baths are very popular with the locals on Sunday afternoons, who picnic under the shade of the eucalyptus trees and bathe in the waters.

A few metres downstream there is an old but recently restored single-arch aqueduct which is also of Roman origin. This was used to help irrigate the fertile valley below.