Ypati Thermal Spring (Loutra Ypatis)

What to expect

Loutra Ypatis is a small spa village at the foot of Mount Oiti, on the south side of the Sperchios valley, 18 km (11 miles) west of Lamia. It grew up around the spring at the end of the 19th century, and it still looks the part: a park of tall trees, a long hydrotherapy building, and streets of modest family hotels, some of them dating from the village’s first boom and some now standing empty.

The spring is owned by the Greek state and run by ETAD (Hellenic Public Properties Company). What a casual visitor can do is simple: buy a ticket and swim in the outdoor thermal pool, or book a session in one of the private tubs.

• The outdoor pool covers 187 m² (about 2,000 sq ft) and is filled with spring water. ETAD renovated it fully before reopening in June 2024. It is the obvious choice for a first visit.
• The hydrotherapy centre is a building of about 2,680 m² (28,800 sq ft) with two classes of individual tubs: luxury tubs with their own waiting and rest rooms, and first-class tubs. Sessions are short and taken one person or group at a time.

The spring itself is worth a look. The water rises in the park from a natural fault in the ground, a round hollow about 30 m (100 ft) across at the top that the operator compares to a volcanic crater. Steam is not the point here; the water is only mildly warm.

The water

The spring emerges at 92°F33.5°C. Its character comes from gas rather than heat: it carries a lot of dissolved carbon dioxide (the operator gives 1.49 g per kg) along with hydrogen sulphide, which puts it in the uncommon class of carbonated sulphur springs. Per kilogram it also holds about 3.2 g of chloride, 1.5 g of sodium, 1.9 g of bicarbonate and smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium.

The operator markets the water for circulation and heart complaints, skin conditions, nerve and muscle problems and arthritis. We make no claims for it. If you have a heart condition, ask your doctor before you book a course of tub baths.

History

An inscription naming Aphrodite shows the spring was in use by the 4th century BC, and local legend ties it to the herb-gathering witches of Oiti. Under Ottoman rule it was known as the baths of Patratzik, the old name of Ypati. A royal decree of 1890 approved the plan for a spa town, and the Fthiotida industrialist and MP Konstantinos Agathoklis leased the springs and built the first hotels and a hydrotherapy building. The royal couple visited in 1905.

Getting there

• By car from Athens: Take the A1 motorway north to Lamia. From Lamia, follow the road west toward Ypati and Karpenisi along the Sperchios valley. Loutra Ypatis is 18 km (11 miles) from Lamia, about 25 minutes. The operator gives 232 km (144 miles) from Athens in total.
• By train: Trains on the Athens-Thessaloniki line stop at Lianokladi, about 9 km (5.6 miles) from the village. Take a taxi from the station.
• By bus: KTEL Fthiotida runs buses between Lamia and Loutra Ypatis several times a day. Check the current timetable in Lamia.

The spa building and pool are at the top of the village beside the park. There is street parking nearby.

When to go

The spring does not open all year. ETAD runs a summer and autumn season and announces the dates each year:

• 2024: 15 June to 15 October, later extended to 31 October, 09:00 to 17:00. ETAD also opened for the weekend of 8 and 9 June.
• 2025: 1 June to 31 October, 09:00 to 17:00, with an extra opening over Easter in April.
• 2026: no dates were posted on the spring’s website when we checked in October 2026.

In the winter of 2021-22 the spring also opened on Fridays, weekends and holidays, but that has not been repeated in the notices since. Call before a long drive.

June, September and October are the pleasant months. July and August in the Sperchios valley are hot, and a 91°F33°C pool is refreshing rather than warming. Weekends bring day-trippers from Lamia.

Prices and booking

The 2025 price list on the spring’s website (municipal tax included):

• Outdoor pool: €7. Children, the unemployed, soldiers, students, large families and people with a disability card over 67% pay €5. Residents of the Municipality of Lamia pay €6.
• First-class tub: €8.
• Luxury tub: €9, or €8 for Lamia residents.

ETAD did not publish a separate 2026 list. No booking is needed for the pool. For tubs, ask at reception or call +30 22310 59526 or +30 22310 59528.

Bring a swimsuit, towel and sandals. A doctor was on duty during opening hours in 2024.

The future of the spa

The spring has been up for privatisation for years. In 2018 the state fund was preparing a tender for Ypati together with Thermopylae and Kamena Vourla. In January 2026 ETAD named Ypati as one of four springs it is studying for wellness tourism, with any new development placed after 2028. Until then, expect the current facilities.

Where to stay nearby

The village is built for overnight stays. The operator lists more than 30 hotels in the former municipality, from the large Xenia to small family places such as the Galaxy, Astron, Anixis and Oiti. Many are simple and some open only in the spa season, so check before you turn up in winter.

Lamia, 18 km (11 miles) east, has city hotels and restaurants. Ypati village, a few minutes up the hill, has more rooms.

Safety notes

• Short sessions. Even warm water is tiring over time. Keep tub sessions to the time staff give you and drink water.
• Carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. Both come out of the water. Do not lean down into the spring hollow, where gas can gather, and leave a tub room if you feel light-headed.
• Medical conditions. The water is marketed for heart and circulation complaints, but carbonated baths affect blood pressure. If you have a heart condition or are pregnant, ask a doctor first.
• Wet floors. Pool decks and tub rooms are slippery. Wear sandals.

Nearby stops worth adding

The village of Ypati has a waterfall a short walk away. Agathonos Monastery sits on the slope of Oiti nearby, and Oiti National Park, with its fir forests, is just above. Gorgopotamos, famous for its railway bridge, is a short drive east.

On the coast south-east of Lamia, the free hot stream at Thermopylae and the free pools at Koniaviti and Kallyntika make an easy day on the way back to Athens, and Kamena Vourla has a full resort spa.