Situated just off the Portimao to Monchique road, 6 kms short of Monchique, Caldas de Monchique is a charming little Spa nestling at the head of a ravine.
The natural spring water that flows from the hills of the Serra de Monchique emerge here at a temperature of 32C creating a lush wooded environment in which the Romans first created a Spa more than 2000 years ago. People have been coming here ever since to take the waters and seek cures for all sorts of ailments.
In the nineteenth century the Spa became a popular resort of bourgeois Portuguese and Spanish and many of the lovely buildings reflect this period including a casino that now serves as a handicraft centre. Today a modern Spa exists below the main square situated in beautiful gardens. There are shops and hotels and visitors can walk up through the wooded footpaths behind the Square to sample the water or relax under the trees with a picnic. For those wishing to try something stronger, the local firewater, Medronho, can be sampled in the cafes, while local Algarvian dishes are served in the restaurants.
As well as using the therapeutic properties of the water for treatments within the Spa, the mineral water is bottled here and sold as table water throughout the Algarve.
Situated just off the Portimao to Monchique road, 6 kms short of 
In the nineteenth century the Spa became a popular resort of bourgeois Portuguese and Spanish and many of the lovely buildings reflect this period including a casino that now serves as a handicraft centre. Today a modern Spa exists below the main square situated in beautiful gardens. There are shops and hotels and visitors can walk up through the wooded footpaths behind the Square to sample the water or relax under the trees with a picnic. For those wishing to try something stronger, the local firewater, Medronho, can be sampled in the cafes, while local Algarvian dishes are served in the restaurants.
