The Terme Olimia thermal spa is located in the town of Podčetrtek, near the pretty village of Olimje, in the Kozjansko region in the east of Slovenia.
The resort comprises a huge array of facilities including 2 hotels, an apartment hotel and holiday village, the largest Sauna World in Slovenia, 2 spa and beauty centres, a wellness and pool oasis, a health centre, a fitness centre, several cafes and restaurants and more.
Amongst Slovenia’s 14 thermal spas Wellness Centre Orhidelia has won the title of ‘Best Wellness Centre in Slovenia’ for the last 5 years in a row. The name and the purple and black colour scheme of the wellness centre was chosen due to the rare black orchid which grows in the vicinity.
It’s not just Slovenes that know about, and visit, Terme Olimia – word has spread – over 70% of guests come from abroad and I was mighty impressed by the ability of the staff to effortlessly switch between at least 6 foreign languages.
If your budget allows I recommend staying in the four-star superior Wellness Hotel Sotelia, which is the most modern hotel. In fact it is only 10 years old and already a partial refurbishment of rooms is in progress as “in a hotel of this standard, guests expect the best and we must maintain our standards’.
Those wishing to take advantage of the resort’s extensive medical facilities, which particularly specialises in treating back pain, should stay in the four-star Hotel Breza that allows direct access and designated facilities. For families, and/or those who prefer to self-cater, the Vas Lipa holiday village or the Aparthotel Rosa are ideal.
The wellness centre and Hotel Sotelia have grass-covered roofs in keeping with the pristine, green environment and environmentally-friendly ethos. This was the view from my room!
The Armonia Spa offers a very comprehensive range of pampering treatments. I tried one of its speciality massages, the Olimia massage, which combines the expertise of masseurs and physiotherapists and begins with stretching followed by a relaxing massage. There are also Tibetan, Thai, Khanya (African) and Ayurveda massages and treatments, as well as a full range of other beauty treatments.
As part of the Selfness Programme there is a twice- daily ‘House Ritual’, which promotes relaxation and calmness. Both guests and staff are encouraged to take part in the ritual at 10.30am and 4.30pm and everyone literally downs tools for 3 minutes to join in. These 2 staff, below, happened to passing reception at the time of the ritual and I was amazed to see they literally stopped in their tracks to join in! It’s very admirable that this is also afforded to staff!
you can see more of the House Ritual in this video below.
Other activities include Qi Gong, Tai Chi, barefoot walking, guided cycling trips, Nordic walking, and various workshops.
The spa’s thermal water springs from a depth of 520m in the area of the Aqualuna Thermal Park and Camp Natura. The water contains magnesium, calcium and hydrogen-carbonates. It is suitable for drinking and guests are provided with a bottle of spring water daily in their rooms and the water is used in all the pools throughout the resort.
The Aqualuna Thermal Park and Natura Camp, also part of Terme Olimia, are situated just 5 minutes from the main resort.
There is a wealth of things to see in do in the immediate vicinity of the spa, including a well-marked network of walking and cycling paths.
One such path leads up to Podčetrtek Castle, which sits imposingly above the town. The pleasant path leads up through the forest, taking about 30 minutes to reach the castle. However, whilst it looks mighty from the outside, it was disappointing to see the dilapidated state of the remainder of the castle, and venturing further inside isn’t advisable as it could be hazardous. This is an investment project ripe for anyone who has a spare few million euros!
The spotlessly clean compact town centre is within easy reach and has a small selection of shops, a bakery, and numerous restaurants and cafes.
This odd couple can be found outside the school!
Those without their own transport can reach Podčetrtek on the special ‘spa trains’, operated by Slovenian Railways, which run from Ljubljana. Visitors arriving by train are also entitled to special discounts and benefits. More information here – http://www.slo-zeleznice.si/en/passenger-transport/around-slovenia/the-spa-train
You can find information about all the above, and more, here – http://www.terme-olimia.com/gb
If time allows, I thoroughly recommend a visit to the village of Olimje. Since there’s way too much to write about that here, keep an eye out on ‘Adele in Slovenia’ for much more information about what to see and do. Coming soon! – https://adeleinslovenia.com/
© Spas in Slovenia 2016
Spas in Slovenia 