Today we take you to a thermal city, do you know Caldes de Montbui? Located in Vallès Oriental, it is a town that is approximately an hour’s drive from Barcelona. As you stroll through its streets, you will see different signs that say: «Caldes de Montbui, el poble que bull» («Caldes de Montbui, the town that boils»).
CALDES DE MONTBUI WITH FAMILY
And why does it boil? Well, this town is known for its thermal waters. To give you an idea of what you will find, there are several spas, well-preserved Roman baths, and a fountain whose water comes out at 74º. Now we’ll tell you what you can do in Caldes in a day.
STROLLING AROUND CALDES
You can visit the streets of Caldes de Montbui in a short amount of time, although of course you can extend your visit if you stay at one of its spas or decide to take the day easy and spend a good time at the Parc Can Rius. Of the two times we have been there, we have combined the visit to Caldes with something else. This last time, for example, we visited the town calmly and then took a route to the Red Tower, which is one of the different family itineraries proposed from Caldes (I will tell you more about it later). Oh, and a practical tip!
If you go by car, you can park it in a parking lot near the municipal sports facilities and the Parc de Can Rius. It is a perfect place not only to go to the park but also to explore the old town of Caldes.
Thermalia
A good starting point to explore Caldes is the thermalism museum, Thermalia, located in Plaça de la Font del Lleó, 20. In the same building, formerly known as the Hospital de Santa Susanna, there are the Thermalia Museum and the Tourist Office. Thermalia has thermalism as its central theme, but the two upper floors are dedicated to art: the works of Manuel Hugué and also of Picasso.
I recommend that you first stop by the Tourist Office, as they organize guided tours to get to know the town better. One of them is a route through the Roman baths, the Font del Lleó, the old Can Rius spa, the Portalera laundry, the thermal laundry for the sick, and the Molí de l’Esclop.
Roman Baths
In the same square where Thermalia is located, you can find the Roman baths, the Font del Lleó, and the Broquetas SPA Termal RV Hotels, which I will talk about later. During the Roman period, sick people from different parts of Roman Hispania came to Caldes to be cured by its thermal waters. What we see today of the baths is only a part of what existed. As I mentioned before, at the Tourist Office you can book the guided tour «Thermal Circuit», which includes a visit to the Roman baths.
Font del Lleó
Opposite the thermal baths is the Font del Lléo, dating back to 1581 (although it has undergone subsequent renovations). The water from the fountain flows out at 74ºC.
Lavadero La Portalera
Not far from the square, you can find La Portalera Washhouse, whose water comes from Font del Lleó. Access is free in the mornings from Monday to Saturday, and some people still use it as a washhouse. We found it quite curious (especially that it is still being used today) and we were amused that the water was so hot.
Another laundry that can be visited is La Canaleta (1929), but we didn’t go inside. It is open to the public on weekday mornings.
El Safareig
A little further ahead of Lavadero La Portalera are the El Safareig thermal baths. Children are allowed to enter, but always with prior reservation. We advise you to book in advance, as the maximum capacity is 15 people, and when we tried to reserve, there was no availability. To find out about rates, schedules, and rules, it is best to visit their website.
OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST
Other points of interest that you can visit in Caldes are: the Codina Pharmacy, the Delger Museum, the remains of the medieval wall, the Esclop Mill, and the Romanesque Bridge.
You cannot end your tour without trying the carquinyolis. Although it is a typical sweet in Catalonia, in some places they are especially famous, and this is the case in Caldes.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY SPAS
In Caldes, as expected, there are spas, and they are as follows:
If you are traveling with children, you can stay at RV Hoteles Broquetas SPA Termal, located in Plaça del Lleó,1. This spa offers triple and quadruple family rooms, and children can use the heated outdoor pool located in the garden, although thermal treatments are not recommended for children under 12 years old. Additionally, there is a children’s play area, including a playground and a game room with ping-pong and foosball. The hotel restaurant has a children’s menu.
Hotel Balneari Termes Victòria. The Termes Victoria Hotel is a thermal hotel that has an outdoor swimming pool, a playground, and a children’s club with activities and games for the little ones. It also has family rooms with a capacity of up to four people and some of them with a kitchen. In addition, it offers entertainment programs and activities for the whole family, such as excursions to nearby places, guided tours of the city, cooking classes, and sports activities.
RV Hotels Spa Vila de Caldes. This hotel offers a wide variety of services for families with children, such as family rooms with a capacity for 4 people, an outdoor swimming pool, a children’s play area with swings, slides, and other games, and an animation service for children in high season.
EL PARC DE CAN RIUS
You probably know about Can Rius Park, as it appears in many publications featuring a children’s area with very cool wooden constructions.
I had seen photos and it seemed like the most spectacular park than it actually is. The children’s area is not very wide and some things seemed not to be in their best moment (the zip line, for example, could not be used).
However, it is worth it because it is large and there are other things besides the children’s area. You can play basketball, table tennis, and there are also goals for playing soccer. There is also a lot of trees and several tables for a picnic with a nearby bar. And also, if you have a dog, it’s great because there is an area for running with an agility circuit. In short, it is not a bad park and if you are in Caldes, it is worth spending a few hours there. My son liked playing in the children’s area and we took advantage of a table in the shade for a picnic.
ROUTES FROM CALDES DE MONTBUI
IBERIAN SETTLEMENT OF TORRE VERMELLA
There are different routes starting from Caldes. The Tourist Office will provide you with information about them, and on their website, you can download a PDF with the different options. Next to Can Rius Park, in Taunusstein Square, there is a marked trail with yellow and white markers that leads to the Iberian settlement of Torre Vermella. I recommend downloading a route from Wikiloc, as we did.
It is not a very demanding route, but there are some slightly more difficult sections (it is also true that on the Wikiloc route, we were warned that we could choose between a longer and easier route or a shorter one with more incline). According to information from VisiteuCaldes, it is a 4 km route, with a slope of 200 m and a duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes. This route takes you to the remains of an Iberian settlement. We enjoyed it a lot, and the views are incredible.
You can also go cycling in Caldes. Again, I recommend that you visit the website to download the MTB itineraries.
