The first time I visited Mondariz Spa, I was twenty-six, and I went with my father‑in‑law, who drank its mineromedicinal waters year‑round. It felt like stepping into a romantic film set, with the Grand Hotel building, the shade‑touched garden, and the astonishing Gándara Fountain, where I tasted water that seemed to taste of rusty nails… I was quickly told this was due to the iron content, a mineral renowned for its anaemic‑recovery and restorative properties, ideal for treating anaemia, fatigue and weakness.
Since then I have returned to Mondariz several times and seen how the 1920s Grand Hotel—a century on—has re-emerged with new, luxurious facilities that earned in 2023 the Wellness Experience Award as Europe’s best spa, surpassing icons such as the Széchenyi Baths in Budapest and the Friedrichsbad in Baden‑Baden, Germany.
A town devoted to water and wellbeing
If, in the 1920s, Europe’s royalty and American magnates like John D. Rockefeller II frequented the place, today it attracts health and wellbeing enthusiasts from across the globe.
The Mondariz Spa is set in the heart of Galicia, in the smallest municipality in Spain, Mondariz-Balneario, covering just 2.4 km² and home to a little over 600 residents. The story of Mondariz Spa begins with the discovery of the springs along the Tea River banks. Priest Domingo Blanco Lage identified the Fuente del Troncoso, but the real momentum came when the Peinador brothers, Enrique and Ramón, rediscoved the Fuente de Gándara in 1872. In 1873 the Government declared these waters to be of public utility, laying the foundations for the creation of a spa town unique in Spain.
During the Belle Époque, Mondariz became a social, cultural and political hub that waned under the Franco regime and was finally dealt a blow by a devastating fire in 1973 that destroyed the original Grand Hotel. However, from 1994 the building was revived and expanded with modern facilities, culminating in the inauguration of the Water Palace in 2005 and a complete refurbishment in 2024.
Mondariz’s mineromedicinal waters
What makes the Mondariz Spa unique are its mineromedicinal waters, classified as bicarbonated, carbonated, sodium‑rich and ferruginous. They emerge at a temperature of around 17–18 °C and possess antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory and stimulating properties.
These waters help combat cellular ageing, ease muscular and joint pains, improve respiratory, dermatological and digestive problems, and reduce stress. Studies highlight their renewing and preventive effects. Whether consumed as drinks or applied in baths, inhalations or showers, they act as a natural balm for body and mind. If you stay at the spa you can receive a personalised treatment by a medical team.
The Gándara Fountain
The prime symbol of the spa is the Gándara Fountain, housed in a polished granite pavilion designed by architect Antonio Palacios in 1908. It is a place of water worship open to all, where you can sample the ferruginous waters for free.
Its square pavilion with classical columns invites visitors to “take the waters” in a serene setting. From here, strolls run along the Tea River, linking with the Troncoso Fountain. Visiting it connects you with Mondariz’s historical essence: a rejuvenation ritual that has endured for centuries.
The Grand Hotel by Antonio Palacios
Antonio Palacios, the brilliant architect from Porriño, renowned for Madrid icons such as the Circulo de Bellas Artes, left an indelible mark on Mondariz. He designed the Gándara Fountain’s terminus, the bottling works, and above all the unfinished sanatorium that today houses the main 194‑room hotel, whose reconstruction has preserved the original Art Nouveau elegance. It’s a four‑star accommodation where history breathes in every corridor.
A Spectacular Recent Makeover: the New Water Palace
The crowning glory of the renovation was the Water Palace, opened in 2005 and fully remodelled in 2024. It is a spa of more than 3,000 square metres with a central pool featuring cascades, other pools at different temperatures, jet streams, swan necks, jacuzzis, geysers, a counter‑current river and aromatic saunas. It includes an outdoor Zen pool with views over the Gándara Fountain. For those seeking relaxation beyond the water, golf enthusiasts can enjoy an 18‑hole course.
An incredible natural setting in pristine Galician countryside
Beyond the spa itself, the surrounding natural landscape offers Galician greenery in abundance. The Tea River valley features pools and river beaches, lush forests and walking routes inviting you to connect with nature in its purest form. The Tea River Riverside Trail is a walk that begins at the Troncoso Fountain and allows you to admire old mills and riverine vegetation.
The surrounding hills host recreational areas and paths that climb among oaks and chestnut trees. Hidden pools and small tributaries such as the Xabriña complete an ideal setting for hiking, birdwatching, or forest bathing.
