Caldes de Malavella: Thermal Baths, Nature Trails and Culture
Accommodation in Caldes de Malavella
Caldes de Malavella brings together Roman heritage, a distinctive geological history and routes through the municipality. For planning your trip, the town offers several points of interest: the Roman Baths, the palaeontological site of Camp dels Ninots, and routes of varying lengths and types.
Roman Baths and Local History
The Roman Baths of Puig de Sant Grau were built in the 1st century AD. They are the best-preserved remains of the Roman settlement of Aquae Calidae, now Caldes de Malavella, and its most significant architectural feature. The baths are designated a Cultural Asset of National Interest. Together with the town’s Modernist buildings, associated with the emergence of spa tourism at the end of the 19th century, they represent two clearly distinct historical themes.
Another insight into the natural and cultural heritage is offered by Espai AQUAE. This museum centre is housed in the former castle of Caldes de Malavella, of which a section of wall and three medieval towers remain. Across nine exhibition areas, Espai AQUAE presents the town’s natural and cultural heritage. The route through the municipal heritage is also designed as an extended series of stops, covering 15 sites.
Camp dels Ninots: Volcanic Origins and Fossils
Camp dels Ninots is designated a Cultural Asset of National Interest in the palaeontological zone category. The formation is a volcanic maar-diatreme, formed by hydromagmatic processes, with an irregular shape. The crater measures approximately 275,000 square metres. After volcanic activity ended, it filled with water and formed a lake.
The preserved fauna and flora are also remarkable: the Pliocene palaeontological finds are dated to between 3 and 3.3 million years old. Geology and fossils offer two distinct ways of understanding Camp dels Ninots: the formation of the landscape and the world of life from the distant past. If you are interested in natural history, you can consider it a separate point of interest alongside the buildings and the history of the thermal baths.
Thermal Route and Trails in the Municipality
The Ruta Termal is 13.8 kilometres long, and its urban section runs through Caldes de Malavella. Along this section are three mineral-medicinal thermal springs that emerge naturally from underground and reach an average temperature of 56°C. Thermal water from the springs can be sampled along the route at around 60°C. The two temperature figures refer to different things: the average temperature of the springs and the water offered for tasting along the route.
Another route option is the mountain-biking route near Sant Maurici. It is 8.6 kilometres long, forms a loop and leads to the hilltop of Monte de Sant Maurici. The municipality also has signposted nature trails totalling more than 140 kilometres. These figures help distinguish between different scales: a single loop, a route with a set total length, and the entire network of signposted nature trails. Which one suits your stay depends on the distance you would like to cover.
Malavella Castle and Getting There
Malavella Castle is located at Sant Maurici and along the EuroVelo 8 route. A municipal notice from January 2026 describes restoration and preparation work at the castle. The project, definitively approved in September 2025, is intended to enable safe visits; planned improvements to access, signage and internal paths are designed to facilitate future public visits and make the tour safer and easier to follow. If you are planning a visit, check the latest visitor information in advance.
Caldes de Malavella railway station is served by the Barcelona Sants–Portbou and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat–Figueres/Portbou connections. Check the timetables if you are planning to travel by train. This will help you coordinate your arrival with the focus of your stay—thermal baths, cultural heritage or routes.
Discover more destinations: Franciac, Santa Llogaia D'Ă lguema, Setcases, La Cometa, El Far d'EmpordĂ , Sant TomĂ s De FluviĂ , Sils, Sant MartĂ Del Clot.
For the main travel overview: Girona.
