Balneario de Lanjarón
Lanjarón is famous in Spain and abroad for its drinking water, bottled and sold nationwide. The Spa is one of the best known in Andalucia thanks to the successful marketing of its drinking water. It has five natural springs of medicinal waters and is often referred to as the 'Fountain of Health'. The water originates from the Sierra Nevada (Snow Mountains) and the town is often referred to as the main gateway to the 'Alpujarra' mountains, which back on to the Sierra Nevada ski station.
The Spa is in the centre of the town of Lanjarón, which is 43 kilometers from Granada. It is 500 meters above sea level. The climate is fresh in summer, with temperatures rarely going above 28ºC and winters are generally mild, with minimum temperatures of around 12ºC.
The properties of the waters include: sodium/calcium, bicarbonates, diuretic, digestive and iron.
Therapies offered for: digestive system, rheumatism, respiratory problems, stress and nervous system.
Treatments on offer: Drinking water, Jacuzzi baths, underwater massage, jet and circular sprays, inhalation, steam, mud baths, massage, reflexology, electrotherapy and lymphatic drainage.
There are numerous hotels and hostels in the village of Langaron. The Spa has a large ballroom and magnificent chandeliers which testify to the importance of the Spa in a bygone age.
The spa is open from March to December.
Tel: + (34) 958 770 454
History of the Balneario
From the mid-nineteenth century, the powers of water as a healing resource would end up significantly changing the appearance of the town and the lifestyle of its inhabitants. During the last third of the century, the population already had numerous cheap accommodations in private homes and rooms for modest families, also having three inns (La Granadina, San Rafael and Reguera), whose classification fluctuated according to the mood and experience of the travelers.
From the 1920s onwards, the Lanjarón spa lived its most glorious era. Driven by the important reforms initiated, new hotels began to be built, which radically modernised the local offer and gave the town the appearance of a large tourist center. The construction drive of that decade made it possible to fill the border space between the town center and the spa, creating a hotel strip with the dimensions and uniqueness of another new town.
During the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera and the Second Republic, Lanjarón would end up being the most important summer resort in Granada, where the most select of its petite bourgeoisie came; the spa had established itself as the main factor attracting visitors, thereby creating a source of wealth and seasonal work that supported many domestic economies.
The Spanish Civil War and the long post-war period meant not only a tragic interruption of this tourist trajectory and of this peaceful world built around the waters, but also a change of ownership and management of the Spa. Following the purchase of the establishment in 1947 by another Granada businessman, Manuel Gallardo Torrens, a new era began, characterized by the growing consideration of water as a commodity for domestic consumption. This inaugurated a new productive and commercial activity, the bottling of mineral water.
The reactivation of the spa enclave as a tourist centre in the process of modernisation had to promote the influx of a greater number of visitors. In 1950, the number of visitors rose to 4,559, experiencing constant growth throughout the decade, reaching over 7,000 people in 1960. Today, the Lanjarón Spa is based on remodelled services and new ideas regarding the management of tourism and spa activities. The number of discovered springs has now reached 32, although only five are under the control of the centre’s management, as the rest are considered only drinkable. The properties of the five springs that are marketed are extremely varied. It is located on Avenida de Madrid.
Capuchina Spring: Chlorinated, bicarbonated and sodium-calcium. It is used for digestive problems.
Capilla Spring: Chlorinated, bicarbonated and ferruginous. It activates the hepatic muscular system and is ideal for diabetics and people with high cholesterol.
San Vicente Spring: Bicarbonated-calcium. It helps overcome kidney deficiencies, reduces blood pressure and promotes weight loss.
Salud Spring: Chlorinated sodium-calcium bicarbonate. It is ideal for facilitating digestion.
El Salado Spring: Chlorinated sodium-calcium, ferruginous magnesium (strongly mineralised). It is used for thermal baths. It comes out at an average temperature of 27º C. It has anti-inflammatory properties and eliminates stress, fatigue, helps with respiratory problems and greatly attenuates the effects of osteoarthritis.