Balneary Tourism in a Historic and Religious Perspective

People’s concern on getting value to the therapeutic properties of natural health factors to heal or only cure illneses or pains is quite old. Homer is considered to be the first who praised the qualities of bathing in treating different kinds of illneses and Hipocrates (460-370 B.C.), was the initiator of natural therapy. Religion claimed, throughout times, the importance of water for treatment, health and cleanliness. Around thermal and mineral springs or areas with therapeutic mud, in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries were developed health oriented settlements, that, nowadays became modern health spas, which assure the scientific valorification, under medical supervision, of the therapeutic values of natural health factors. Nowadays health tourism is no longer a privilage of wealthy people and has become one of the most complex social phenomena, with important implications in national economy and in international economic relationships.