Therma, Ikaria is a spa resort town known since antiquity for its healing radon thermal baths in Greece. In this post, we cover all you need to know about visiting Therma, Greece including one hidden place we discovered at its free public hot springs.

Getting to Therma on Ikaria, Greece

We got to Therma from a small village of Faros. Faros is located near Ikaria’s airport where we came by airplane from Athens. There is not much public transportation on Ikaria. Many tourists get around the island by either renting a car or taking a taxi. Car rental companies are mostly located in major tourist towns as well as at Ikaria’s airport. As for the ferry, it goes from Agios Kirykos to Karkinagri and back with a few stops on the way. We used it and it was super convenient and surprisingly cheap.

We personally decided to explore Ikaria, Greece by foot, while relying on taxi or the ferry to hop from one town to another. Check out all of our other blog posts on Ikaria, Greece.

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Where to Stay in Therma, Ikaria

Curious to learn about Ikaria and the longevity of its inhabitants, we have visited the island for 2 months from May to June.

Therma was very quiet and peaceful in mid-May. There are hotels in Therma, Greece. Many of them looked swanky from the outside, but we have not stayed there. Instead, we booked Alkistis Therma Airbnb of Ikaria perfect for two people right by the beach. The hot springs spas were just steps away from our place as well.

There was a lot of construction in Therma and some of the buildings looked abandoned or in the process of being renovated. As we walked on the streets of Therma we could not help but think about how Ikaria opened up to tourism only recently.

Before the 1980s, electricity was non-existent on the island and there were few roads that connected small villages. Ikarians had to walk along steep mountainous trails to get from town to town. Even today, Ikaria is no Santorini and its infrastructure is still being developed. We, foreign tourists, are very fortunate to have car rentals, roads, electricity and 5G internet available to us on the island.

Where to Eat in Therma, Greece

The first order of business for us was to find water and food in Therma. We did not know if the tap water was drinkable. So, we decided to buy bottled water instead.

Grocery Stores

The town has two mini markets. When we arrived to the mini markets, they were unfortunately closed during that week for repairs.

Peeking through the window, we saw that one of the stores carried pasta, alcohol and some other packaged food. Because we were interested in buying fresh produce, we were out of options in Therma.

Restaurants

Of course, Therma has several restaurants serving traditional Greek food. We counted at least four of them with one right by our Airbnb. Many of them are located by the public beach with beautiful views at sunset.

We remember looking at the menu prices and they seemed reasonable. We were an exception among tourists with our preference for cooking our meals rather than eating out.

Walking for Food to Agios Kirykos

Fortunately, Agios Kirykos, the capital of Ikaria, is within a 30-minute picturesque walk from Therma. There are a few uphill spots, especially when you leave Therma. But, it is flat for the most part afterwards.

And, so, we decided to haul food from Agios Kirykos. Actually, many tourists still go to Agios Kirykos to eat out since there are many more restaurants there. The walk traverses along the rocky Ikarian coast with stunning views on the Icarian sea.

Greece is predominantly Christian Orthodox. When you walk around, you may see these baby churches.

These are called iconostases or kandilakia in Greek. They are small boxlike shrines located on the roadside where an accident or a miracle happened and someone got saved.

On the way, you may even notice free-roaming goats.

Goats eat mostly herbs and shrubs. But, they also munch on olive leaves and other trees, which has even caused some problems in the past. Apparently, there were so many of them roaming the ancient forest of Randi on Ikaria after Covid-19 that they started destroying those old trees. This is because the public food festivities known as Panigiri were cancelled and that meant that less of goat meat was eaten.

There is also this beautiful white and blue Church of the Ascension with a picturesque view on the Icarian sea.

How Radon Hot Springs Work

The main reason people come to Therma, Greece is to enjoy the saline hot mineral springs. These springs contain one of the highest concentrations of radon in Greece or even Europe. Radon is a mildly radioactive gas that helps relieve many ailments and disease symptoms. It is very common for people with arthritis and skin issues to feel relief after several treatments. For instance, here is one study focusing on radon spa therapy for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Radon enters our bodies mostly through inhalation and the remainder through skin when bathing in hot water. Most of it is expelled within an hour, while the remainder lingers in our bodies and induces various therapeutic effects. It is recommended to bathe for no more than 20 minutes at a time on an empty stomach 3 hours after your last meal.

If you are going to visit the hot springs, be aware that the radioactive springs can induce a spa reaction in your body. You may feel various symptoms afterwards, including insomnia and fatigue, which we experienced.

The Ikarian hot springs have a temperature that ranges from 88 to 136 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the water source, the radioactivity can be barely registering or astronomical right next door. You can read scientific research about levels of radioactivity in thermal baths of Ikaria, Greece.

Visiting Hot Springs at Therma, Ikaria

There are several spots to bathe in Therma, Ikaria.

Paid Hot Springs Spas

The cost is around €5. Unfortunately, they were closed in May when we were there. We later learned that they often open towards the end of May and stay open through September. 

Because these hot spring centers capture mineral water right from the source, the radon concentration there is very high. Some of these centers have medical staff on duty that can work out a treatment plan for you.

Free Communal Hot Springs in Therma, Ikaria

Conversely, there is a natural outdoor communal enclave where anyone can bathe for free.

There, the mineral water mixes with the sea water. For this reason, you get at least 5-10x smaller exposure to radon compared to paid spas. So, if you have serious ailments and need intense treatment, paid spas would be a better option.

To get to the free public bath, you may need to come down rocky steps with railings. We saw a few senior women struggling to get down into the water with these steep steps.

Moreover, the communal bath can get really crowded, especially during the day. The water there is mostly cold with a few warm places. People will crowd them out fast.

Therefore, it is best to bathe early morning. But even so, we came there once at 6:30am and there were people.

Hidden Cave Spot with Radon Hot Springs

However, there is a small secret place for two people max at the free communal bath. It is located on the right at the back. Although, you will need to scramble through some rocks.

Unfortunately, the water temperature can be either pleasant or scorching hot. It varies by day. If it is not too hot, you may have this hidden place all to yourself as we did.

Moreover, the mineral water in this pocket does not mix much with the sea water. For this reason, the radon concentration could be higher there.

If you are interested in knowing more about the effect after bathing in thermal hot springs, check out our YouTube video on Therma’s hot springs at the top of the blog post where we share our entire experience.

Swimming to the Shore in Therma, Ikaria

After bathing at our secret place, we used another way of getting to the shore. Instead of getting on land through those stairs, we swam all the way to the beach, passing under the marina boardwalk on the way. The water was refreshingly cold, but very pleasant after the hot mineral springs.

We hope you will visit Ikaria one day. It is an amazing place with beautiful nature and very kind and friendly people. Subscribe to our Blokhin Films YouTube channel to know more about our travels to off the beaten path places around the world.