In short: Terma Bania is a complex of thermal pools in Białka Tatrzańska. The water comes from a depth of about 2,500 metres, emerges at about 72 degrees, and is 34 to 38 degrees in the pools. There are indoor and outdoor pools, water slides for children and a sauna zone. From Willa pod Smrekiem it is 1.5 km.
You stand in the frosty air, steam rising from your hair, with your whole body from the neck down immersed in bath-warm water. Mist drifts over the pool and beyond it the floodlit slopes loom. You cannot take that feeling home with you, which is why so many guests come back to Białka for precisely that.
Where the warm water comes from
Beneath Podhale lie reserves of geothermal water. In Białka the water is drawn from a well reaching about 2,500 metres into the earth. It reaches the surface hot, at about 72 degrees, and flows to the pools cooled to a pleasant 34 to 38 degrees. That warmth comes from inside the Earth, not from a boiler room.
What you will find at Terma Bania
- Indoor and outdoor pools. In winter the open-air ones are the most exciting.
- Slides and a children’s area. Younger guests have their own attractions here, so parents can rest too.
- A sauna zone. For adults who want to warm up even more.
You can check the current price list, opening hours and rules for each zone on the Terma Bania website. They change depending on the season and the day of the week.
When to go to enjoy it most
- After skiing, but not straight away. Eat something first. Warm water on an empty stomach after a day on the slopes makes you drowsier than you expect.
- In the evening. The lit outdoor pools and the steam over the water create an atmosphere you do not get during the day.
- In summer after a hike. The baths are open all year round and, after a mountain trip, relax your legs just as well as after skiing.
What to bring
- flip-flops and a towel or bathrobe,
- a swimming cap if you plan to swim in the sports pool,
- drinking water, because warm water dehydrates,
- a good mood, because it is hard to get out of the warm water.
Ski + Pools: skiing and thermal baths in one
If you are planning to ski, check out the Tatry Super Ski pass. The Ski + Pools option combines skiing in the resorts covered by the pass with entry to the thermal pools.
15 minutes on foot from Willa pod Smrekiem
From our guesthouse to Terma Bania it is 1.5 km, about a 15-minute walk. You do not need to look for parking or decide who is driving. You come back warm, eat dinner in the kitchen and fall asleep faster than usual.
See also our winter weekend plan and ideas for Białka with kids. Ask about available rooms here.
Sources of information and photos
We checked the facts, figures and opening hours in the sources below. Prices, timetables and admission rules can change, so please check the organisers’ websites before you travel.
Photos (main image and illustrations in the text), used under the licences specified by their authors:
- View from Kotelnica over Białka Tatrzańska: Photo: Andrzej Otrębski, CC BY-SA 4.0, source: Wikimedia Commons
- Terma Bania in Białka Tatrzańska: Photo: dzidek, CC BY 3.0, source: Wikimedia Commons
- Willa pod Smrekiem in the evening: Photo: Willa pod Smrekiem
