Spa town

A spa town is a town frequented, in times past, for health reasons, to "take the waters". The name derives from the Belgian town Spa, and in continental Europe, a spa was known as a "ville d'eau" (town of water).

In Britain there are a number of spa towns. Some of them use the word Spa (Leamington Spa), others Wells (Llandrindod Wells) or Bath (Matlock Bath) after the placename. A new designation, Spa Heritage Towns, has been established in the United Kingdom.

In Germany, the word Bad implies a spa town, in Italy it is Terme, and in France Bains.