Spilaio Cave Spa (Therma, Ikaria)

Which spring this is

“Spilaio” simply means cave, so the name could fit more than one Greek spring. The one officially called the Spilaio spring is at Therma, the small spa village on Ikaria, about 2 km (1.2 miles) northeast of the port town of Agios Kirykos. The Greek Ministry of Tourism referred to it by that name in a 2019 reply to Parliament, when the state committee for therapeutic natural resources gave a positive opinion on recognising it as a healing spring. The municipal spa that uses it, the Spilaio Spa (OpenStreetMap calls it Spilia Spa), is literally built inside a cave on the beach. That is the place this page covers.

It has nothing to do with the Pozar baths in Pella, northern Greece, which have their own page: Loutra Pozar.

What to expect

Therma is the spa quarter of Ikaria: a strip of houses, tavernas and bakeries along a sandy bay, with a small marina at one end. Greek Wikipedia counts five main thermal springs in the village, three of them in use (Spilia, Apollon and Kratsa). A study by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki found these saline waters carry the highest radon concentration in Greece, between 65 and 557 Mache units, which is why the tourism site classes Spilaio’s water as “radioactive alipigi” (salty, with dissolved salts such as iodine).

The Spilaio Spa sits on the beach right by the marina, inside a natural cave. The tourism site calls it fully renovated and lists:

• a reception area,
• one hamam holding up to 15 people,
• two pools with jets, each for 6 or 7 people, filled with refreshed spring water,
• four fresh-water showers, and toilets, including an accessible shower and toilet.

A timer outside each room keeps track of your session. The spa has a contract with Greece’s public health insurance, and most bathers come on a doctor’s prescription for a course of baths.

What a casual visitor can do: if it is open, book a hamam session or a bath. While it is closed, the Apollon municipal spa in the village square, a few metres from the beach, has two cabins with two tubs each where you can choose Spilaio water, Apollon water or a mix. OpenStreetMap also marks spots where hot water reaches the shore along the bay.

Getting there

Ikaria’s airport is about 12 km (7.5 miles) from Agios Kirykos, with flights from Athens, and ferries call at Agios Kirykos. Check seasonal timetables before you plan around them.

From Agios Kirykos, Therma is about 2 km (1.2 miles) northeast. The tourism site says a local bus runs about every 15 minutes, or you can take a taxi, drive, or go by boat from Agios Kirykos. The spa has no parking of its own, so leave the car where you can in the village and walk along the seafront to the cave by the marina.

When to go

Greek Wikipedia says the Therma springs are open to visitors from May to November. Ikaria’s municipal spas have historically worked in the warm half of the year, and in 2021 the Apollon spa opened daily in summer, by appointment, from 09:00 to 15:00 and 16:30 to 20:30.

• May, June and September are the easiest months: warm, but quieter than August.
• August is the busiest month.
• Winter: expect the spas to be shut.

Always call before you go. The Spilaio page shows “Temporary closed” for its hours, and the tourism site has not posted newer timetables.

Prices and booking

The latest published prices are from 2019:

Service	Price (2019)
Bath	€4.50
Hamam	€3.00

For comparison, the Apollon spa charged €4.50 for a tub and €6.00 for its sauna and pool in 2021. Treat all of these as a rough guide.

• Phone: Spilaio +30 22750 24048; Apollon +30 22750 24049.
• Prescription: Needed for balneotherapy; show it at reception.
• Bring: A shower cap, non-slip slippers and a towel or bathrobe.
• House rules: Shower before you get in, bathe on an empty stomach or 3 hours after a meal, and do not use cosmetics or oils, which spoil the water.

Where to stay nearby

• Therma has guesthouses and rooms a few minutes’ walk from the spa.
• Agios Kirykos, 2 km (1.2 miles) away, is the island capital, with hotels, tavernas, shops and the ferry port.
• Evdilos, about 34 km (21 miles) away on the north coast, is the other port and a base for the north-coast beaches.

Safety notes

• Radon: The water is naturally radioactive. Short, prescribed sessions are the local practice; ask a doctor before a course of baths, especially if you are pregnant.
• Heat: Keep sessions short and stand up slowly afterwards.
• Slippery floors: Cave floors and wet tiles are slick. Wear the non-slip slippers the spa asks for.

Nearby stops worth adding

West of Agios Kirykos, the free shoreline pool at Lefkada hot spring (Therma Lefkados) is a boulder-ringed basin in the sea, open to anyone. In Agios Kirykos itself, the municipal Asclepius spa uses a 104.5°F40.3°C spring. Ikaria’s north coast villages and beaches, around Evdilos, are a winding drive over the mountains.