Launceston Tamar Valley Roman Bath Normally, I would never go to a spa or massage center. However, I was lucky enough to experience the Turkish baths in Budapest and thought I would try the Roman baths in Launceston.

They are still fairly new and the facilities are clean and fresh. The decor is completely done up with Roman sculptures but the marble was the real nice touch.

Apparently, marble spa rooms aren’t just for appearance but help in keeping the temperatures. You go through each of the rooms in the manner prescribed by the Romans.

After the steam room, hot room, sauna, and Jacuzzi, you take a cold shower. It really is a completely relaxing experience.

After that, I didn’t need the hot stone massage that I’d booked. Still, the massage felt fabulous.

On weekends the Roman Baths can be pretty busy but on weekday mornings it is fairly empty.

Your experience begins with the Hot Rooms...

Starting at a modest temperature of about 54C°, the body begins to relax and gradually becomes used to the warmth. In the next room the temperature rises to about 68C° causing the body to perspire copiously and relax. This chamber features the Labrum, a large white marble bowl, containing warm water to splash on the body from time to time, which was a favourite practice of the Romans.

After a few minutes the bather then moves to a very hot air room where the temperature increases to over 80C°. This completely relaxes the body, bringing relief to many aches and pains and benefiting sinus and other similar complaints. After a time the process is reversed and the bather then showers and moves to the sweating room where the warm marble slabs and humid atmosphere open the pores to cleanse the whole body. Now we move to the baths themselves.......

The first of our pools is a 20m swimming pool at a comfortable temperature of 32C°, situated in the Temple of decorated with statues, marble and classical wall reliefs. Also in this pool we have a sofa and thrones for the enjoyment of the air jets that cycle through the pools as well as water jets strategically placed for the relief of aching and tired muscles.

Then we have three smaller baths. The first at 39C° is filled from waterfalls from a marble grotto and a free fall cascade and contains more underwater air beds and thrones. The next is a pleasant spa that massages your back and spine for the relief of aches and pains. Finally the bather plunges into the refreshing waters of a cold bath, closing the pores and completing the cycle.