Legend has it that in the 8th century, a crippled and blind old man named Techir, arrived with his wounded donkey on the shore of the lake that today is called Techirghiol. The animal went in to bathe.
The old man struggled for hours to pull him out of the water, but when he got out, he realized he could see the light again and his feet began to listen to him.
Once they found out about this, people came to the lakeshore to bathe and smear themselves with mud to heal themselves.
Because Techir and his donkey were the ones who discovered the miraculous benefits of the lake, it was given the name Techirghiol which means "Techir's Lake".
Since last year I had set myself the goal of reaching Ana Aslan Health Spa because I knew that they are the only ones on the coast that have an outdoor pool with salt water from Lake Techirghiol. The pool is in a very fancy decorated outdoor area of the spa, dedicated to mud treatments.
How in childhood I cured my bronchial asthma with saline and salt water lakes, I was very curious to get into this pool and feel the benefits of the water from the legend of Techir. In addition, for a long time I wanted to do a mud massage - about which we have a lot of articles on the site, written by balneology doctors, but which I had never tried.
When I talked on the phone with Iuliana Tasie, the hotel manager, and I told her that I would like to come to them especially for the mud massage, she suggested that after the mud experience I should do the same a body and facial ritual introduced this year by Dr. Balneologist Mihaela Cucu - Medical Director of the Spa. I couldn't refuse this proposal, so instead of two-three hours, I ended up spending ten incredible hours with them.
I had been to Ana Hotels Europa a few years ago. In addition to the spa, we also took a ride on their boat. I love these outings out on the open sea: sitting on the deck, right in front, in the wind, swaying in the waves. I love the way the waves cut, the way the sea water jumps on me and the feel of the wind as the boat picks up speed. Plus, I also relax quickly, because, just like at the spa, I'm living the moment with my whole being. This time, however, as we only stayed for three days, my boys preferred the bubbles, so I did not repeat the experience.
I arrived at Ana Aslan Health Spa an hour before my appointment. Magda Purdila - Spa Coordinator, was waiting for me in the reception. Because I knew how much changes with them from year to year, I asked her to give me a tour and give me all the details, as if I had never been there before.
It was conceived 18 years ago out of a desire to continue the tradition of the renowned Ana Aslan brand - a legacy also internationally famous for its miraculous anti-aging effects.
They wanted to combine anti-aging therapies with balneotherapy treatment programs, which utilize the unique natural therapeutic factors of the area, and ancient rituals of relaxation and beauty.
For a long time they had more foreign clients than Romanians. It brought them up to the standards of people who chose to come to Romania for treatments based on natural healing factors, even though financially they could afford any other type of treatment anywhere in the world. With such clients, the only solution is to provide quality service at the highest level.
It was the first medical spa on the Romanian Black Sea coast. They migrated to a wellness approach, both in terms of spa menu and cosmetics, as well as spa label.
The design is minimalist, in warm colors, marine-inspired shades. The brightness, the colors, the music, the music, the light wooden furniture - all contribute to the calm and meditative atmosphere, even if you recognize the specific architecture of the spa.
There are 2100 square meters dedicated exclusively to wellness: outdoor freshwater swimming pool in the middle of the lush garden, the 2 pools - indoor and outdoor - Techirghiol Pool - with salt water pumped directly from Lake Techirghiol, water renowned for its rheumatic properties, wet and dry sauna, ice fountain, 45 treatment rooms for relaxation, beauty and health, Jacuzzi and a relaxation area. And, of course, the TECHIRGIOL POOL where I spent the first part of the day and about which I will tell you in detail.
In the Spa bar, you can find fresh products: lemonades, freshly squeezed juices, the smoothie of the day or relaxing teas: ayurvedic, jasmine, Aloe Vera etc.
Up until 10 years ago they were famous for their recovery, balneotherapy and anti-aging treatments with Gerovital. As the offer has considerably diversified with the introduction of wellness and beauty therapies and rituals and due to the quality of the services, the profile of the clients has changed.
Now, in July-August, young families predominate.
In April - June and September - October, when the periods are quieter, with fewer tourists and milder temperatures, clients come for treatment. This is also when various business events take place: team building, conferences, seminars.
In terms of products, I use Gerovital in classic treatments but also luxury ranges: Klapp, Thalgo, the eco-bio range particularly sensorial Lakshmi, Charme dÓrient based on Shea butter and argan oil, BioMer - an organic range made from seaweed at the Manor Sea - targeting different corrections desired by guests in their escapades of relaxation and delight of the senses.
The wellness therapies and rituals are inspired both from the Romanian autochthonous tradition and from traditional oriental medicine. Healing, relaxing, beauty, health and balance. How? With the help of nature and its riches.
The sapropelic Namol from Lake Techirghiol is the spearhead of the therapies at Ana Aslan Health Spa. The most sought-after are the mud massage, the onction and the salt water bath in Lake Techirghiol - which I started my day with. These are therapies with hot-cold contrasting factors and have an intense stimulating and strengthening effect on the immune system.
But because the whole concept of the spa is all about nature and Romania's resources, they have body therapies using clay from the Padurea Craiului Mountains, lavender and almond oil in the Myoritic Trilogy ritual or basil scents with salts and seaweed in the Youth with Basil Aroma ritual.
And because they like to explore oriental areas and interweave them with Romanian concepts, they have created various spa experiences with eco/bio products such as the Berber anti-aging ritual using red clay and vitamin-rich cereals or the new Sakura (Japan - cherry blossom) or Happy Buddha (China - orange) rituals, all designed to offer clients an unforgettable stay that will invigorate, revitalize and regenerate both physically and mentally.
Only from what I know, because we haven't talked about it:
Both medical and relaxation programs are personalized. The medical programs involve a thorough medical consultation - done by their doctors, a complete and correct check-up supported by paraclinical investigations.
For the relaxation treatments, I figured out for myself what this customization means and will describe it in detail. Now, I'll tell you about my amazing experience with mud.
It started with a mud massage, outside, at the TECHIRGHIOL POOL outdoor base, whose design - with lots of greenery - won me over from the first moment. I had no expectations whatsoever, specifically, as I knew that mud dries quickly, I thought they would just spread the mud on me. But they didn't.
My therapist, Maria Pacuraru, started with my feet. The Namolul was warm, almost hot at the first contact with the skin, but as I was sitting in the shade, under the breeze, it felt very pleasant. It was a fully-fledged therapeutic massage, but the only difference is that after the foot and back massage, you don't turn on your back, but it sends you to step no. 2: the mud massage.
There you stand in the sun and in the areas where you don't have mud, the therapist will apply a mud that's a little cooler than the massage mud.
I stood in the sun with the mud for about 30 minutes. During this time I initially hydrated myself with an orange fresh, but as I couldn't get enough, I drank plain water. I read the panels about the history of mud in Techirghiol.
After the mud had dried completely and started to squeeze and crack in places, step 3 followed. Specifically, this is a soak in an individual tub, still there at the outside base. The Namolul is slowly soaked in salt water and removed from the body with abrasive gloves that also act as exfoliators. The skin remains soft and radiant.
I thought it was amazing that they managed to connect the individual hot tubs directly to Lake Techirghiol. The water is heated to 32 C. Although I knew what a salt lake water was, because all my childhood I had bathed in them, it was amazing to realize that I couldn't stand in the tub 🙂 because my feet would automatically stand up no matter what I did. I had so much fun.
The tub is equipped with handles and if I held my hands on them, then my feet would stay in the water, but I had mud on my hands. I said I'd sacrifice my hands, and yet my body began to turn left and right in that tub. All in all, I laughed like I've never laughed in therapy.
Maria, the therapist, also gave me an abrasive glove, but I didn't need to use it because I realized that it removes very well if you soak it long enough.
Plus, like I said, it's a lot of fun. Admittedly, I am also very skinny, Maria was telling me that in general people manage to stay in the tub, even if the water keeps them afloat, it doesn't turn them over like it does me.
After 20 minutes, the tub starts to empty automatically through a specially designed filtration and draining system so they can have these tubs on the outside terrace. Didn't even feel the time fly by.
A shower followed and then the last stage of the experience: the swimming pool with the same salt water from Lake Techirghiol. Needless to say, I had fun here too, I couldn't swim because the water lifted my legs. The water is about 25-26 degrees, but after the warm water in the tub, I found it quite cold until I got used to it. I stayed for the recommended 15 minutes and then went out to continue relaxing on a sezlog in the shade.
Overall my first experience with mud was sensational. I promised myself that whenever I will be in Eforie or nearby, I will go in to repeat it. Because it's not just a mud massage that brings you a multitude of benefits, it's a whole accumulation of sensations and feelings.
After sitting in the shade for an hour, as it was about 1.30 pm, I went to eat.
I love hotels that have outdoor terraces overlooking a gorgeous garden. I had originally chosen a table right on the edge of the garden, but as the sun was even coming through the awning of the terrace and my dress had only suspenders, I moved to a table in the shade.
It was really hard for me to choose because they had all kinds of salads and vegan items that I would have tried. In the end I decided to have a salmon with spinach salad, sesame seeds, rice leaves and soy sauce and yuzu. As the restaurant was also full inside and there were a lot of people outside, I thought it would take a long time to get my salad. But it arrived much sooner than I thought. I combined it with a mint lemonade.
Although I hadn't planned to have dessert, and I wasn't hungry for salmon, I still couldn't resist when I saw mousse au chocolat on the menu. I love the sensation of cold chocolate melting in my mouth.
At dessert I was joined by Iuliana, whom I hadn't seen since before Covid, and then they followed the two rituals dedicated to femininity. It was on this occasion that I felt so clearly the difference between some impeccably executed spa rituals in relaxation spas - where you come out feeling light as a feather and floating - and the same rituals in a medical spa, where the therapist won't let you get off the massage table until he or she has resolved all the contracts and blockages he or she feels while he or she is with his or her hands on you.
It was a fabulous experience, personalized to the maximum to my body's needs. As I would make this article too long, I will write another one in the next days, dedicated only to these two treatments, very sensorial, apparently created for relaxation, but which brought me a lot of health benefits, as they were done at Ana Aslan Health SPA. You can read here article about the two rituals.
Credit Photos (the ones of me in the mud and salt water therapies in Lake Techirghiol): Cristian Mitreanga, high school student, employed during the summer as a lifeguard at Ana Aslan Health SPA.
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