The spa is the most important spa in Belgium, which experienced the peak of its popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries. Hot mineral water springs here, and in historical and modern sanatoriums they are used for medical procedures.
The local mineral and thermal waters were known in ancient times. The Spa at the foot of the Ardennes also visited patients in the Middle Ages, when its notable guest was the English king Henry VIII. Later, Tsar Peter I, Joseph II Habsburg and composer Antonio Monteverdi also visited here.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the spa experienced an invasion of patients from all over Europe, and soon its name became synonymous with the resort, and is now used to describe centers using mineral waters. During the boom, many of the city's monuments have survived, including the octagonal pavilion with mineral springs, Le Pouhon Pierre-le-Grand, the baths and the Casino building.
Surrounded by wooded hills, the Spa also offers walks in natural surroundings and is a good starting point to the Hautes Fagnes National Park. The Annette et Lubin hill towering over the city can be reached by a funicular. The city is experiencing a real invasion at the beginning of August, when the Formula 1 race takes place at the Spa-Francorchamps track.
