Loutra Pozar, in the north of Greece, is located in the western part of the municipality of Almopia, 13 km away from the capital and only 100 from Thessaloniki. It is set within a forested landscaped, at the foot of the Vóras Kaimáktsalan mountain, within a natural canyon where the Thermopotamos river creates cascades and natural waterfalls.
Today Loutra Pozar is a modern spa health resort, perfectly integrated within the environment, and with plenty of outdoors activities. The area around the baths and springs houses several hotels, swimming pools, a relaxation beauty centre, restaurants and cafés, along with a folk museums and a system of prehistoric caves inviting visitor to explore its secrets. For the adventurous types, hiking trails and climbing routes, in addition to an important ski resort, are to be found in the forests and mountains close by.
Although hydrotherapy is believed to have been practised in the Almopia area since Antiquity, its development in Loutra did not started until the early decades of 20th century, after the town’s liberation in 1913. Nevertheless, the history of the region is long and full of influences, since it was part of the Ancient Kingdom of Macedonia:it belonged to the First Bulgarian Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire, when it was as important area of exchange between Greece and Turkey, largely inhabited by the Pomaks (Slavic Muslims).
The construction of the Hotel Avra in 1924 set a milestone in the development of Loutra Pozar as a spa destination, starting to welcome visitor attracted by the mild climate and the healing properties of the water. Loutra Pozar kept growing with the development of the Greek tourism industry trough the 1950’s and 1960’s.
The mineral rich waters of Loutra Pozar gush for the banks of the Thermopotamos (“hot river” in Greek) with a temperature that reaches 37ºC. They are used in drinking and bathing treatments for rheumatisms, respiratory problems, sciatica, bachache, diseases of the nervous system, dermatological and gynecological conditions, as well as for sprains and fractures.
The baths in Loutra Pozar are open all through the year, allowing an unforgettable spa experience even against a snowy winter landscape. There are plenty of spa facilities for visitors to enjoy, including the waterfalls and outdoor pools and many private indoor pools and hammans for treatments and bathing. The Alexandrio Hydrotherapy has 11 indoors private swimming pools with artificial waterfall, and the hydrotherapy spa, gathering 48 individual baths, 2 indoor pools and 2 small hammans.