Hotel Termas at the Balneario de Archena
Why we like it: Nineteenth-century four-star hotel inside the spa, with a dome and neo-Nasrid courtyards, direct access to the thermal gallery and pools included.
From €62
View details
Duration2 nights
From Alicante1 h 15 by car (estimated)
Best timeOctober – May
Budget€250–370 pp
DifficultyLow
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive on Friday afternoon and sleep two nights inside the spa. Saturday is for the water; Sunday, for walking the valley and having lunch in Ricote before heading back.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival at the spa
From Alicante to Archena in an hour and a quarter. Hotel check-in from 15:00 and a night-time dip: for the rest of the year the pools stay open until 22:00.
Saturday
- 110:00Thermal pools
The indoor Termalium pool, with current channels and jets, and the outdoor one with valley views. Swimming cap, swimsuit and flip-flops are compulsory.
- 212:30Balnea circuit
A two-hour session: saunas, the 50 °C steam room, pools from 20 to 34 °C and the igloo. From age 14; book your slot on arrival.
- 314:45Lunch at the spa
Restaurante del Agua or the hotel dining room. Free afternoon: a nap, a massage from the thermal gallery or more water.
Sunday
- 109:00Moriscos trail
From Archena to Ricote in twenty minutes. The route starts next to El Sordo: about 8 km in a loop through orchard and pine forest, with the Solvente and Fuente Buena viewpoints.
- 214:00Lunch at El Sordo and the drive back
Kid or suckling pig roasted in a wood-fired oven. Book and confirm before 12:00. Then a stroll around Ricote and back to Alicante via Archena and the A-30.
From Alicante, the Archena Spa is an hour and a quarter away via the A-7 and A-30. It is a 19th-century thermal complex on the banks of the Segura, with its own spring at around 32 degrees, three hotels within the grounds and the thermal pools included for guests. Above the spa begins the Ricote Valley: lemon groves, Morisco villages and short trails. Two nights give you time for the water without hurrying and for a day in the valley. From Murcia it is half an hour; from Albacete, a little under an hour and a half.
What is in the weekend?
| What | Time | Price in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal pools | As long as you like | Included with your stay |
| Balnea Thermal Circuit | 2 h | €30 weekdays · €40 weekends |
| Moriscos trail | A morning | Free |
| Ricote and its old town | 1 h 30 | Free |
| Ojós bridges | 1–2 h | Free |
| Rafting from Cieza to Blanca | 4 h | From €20 with lunch |
Where to sleep?
Inside the spa, so you don't need the car all Saturday. The four-star Hotel Termas is the 19th-century building with a dome and neo-Nasrid courtyards; the three-star Hotel León is the cheapest option and has a buffet. According to 2026 rates, a double room costs €62 to €102 per person per night at the Termas and €50 to €90 at the León, accommodation only; children up to 11 sleep free in a bed with two adults. If you are travelling as a couple and prefer the orchard, La Joya del Valle de Ricote has adults-only apartments in Villanueva, from €155 a night with a two-night minimum stay.
With children
Swap the Sunday trail for the shorter Ojós bridges or, from April to October, the rafting from Cieza to Blanca, from age 6. The Balnea circuit is only for ages 14 and over: little ones have a children's pool and, at weekends, a mini club for ages 3 to 11 for hotel guests.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Ricote Valley and the Archena Spa, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Ricote Valley and the Archena Spa
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
The Car Links It All in Half an Hour
Archena, Villanueva, Ojós, Ricote and Blanca are less than twenty minutes from each other along orchard roads. With a car you can bathe in the morning, have lunch in Ricote and walk in the afternoon.
70–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotels Termas and León, inside…
- Getting aroundA-30 from Murcia and exit…
- Where to eatEl Sordo, in Ricote, for…
- ServicesInformation point at the Ayuntamiento…
Where to sleep
- Hotels Termas and León, inside the spa, with the pools included
- La Joya del Valle de Ricote, adults-only apartments in Villanueva
Getting around
- A-30 from Murcia and exit for Archena; then the MU-522 towards Villanueva, Ojós and Ricote
- Paid spa car park: €2 an hour, €8 a day
Where to eat
- El Sordo, in Ricote, for a long Sunday lunch
- Jardines de Villanueva, chargrill and valley tapas
Services
- Information point at the Ayuntamiento de Ricote
By Bus from Murcia to the Spa Door
Without a car, the plan that works is the spa: Interbus line 36 leaves Murcia station and some services reach the spa itself, even on Sundays. Ricote and Ojós, on the other hand, need a car or a taxi.
60–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Termas or Hotel León…
- Getting aroundLine 36 Murcia – Archena…
- Where to eatRestaurante del Agua and the…
- ServicesInterbus: 618 640 733
Where to sleep
- Hotel Termas or Hotel León, inside the grounds: no need to travel anywhere
Getting around
- Line 36 Murcia – Archena; some departures stop at the spa
- For Ricote and Ojós, a taxi from Archena
Where to eat
- Restaurante del Agua and the hotel dining rooms, inside the spa
Services
- Interbus: 618 640 733
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel León at the Balneario de Archena
Why we like it: The three-star hotel at the Balneario de Archena: 117 rooms, buffet dining room, direct access to the thermal gallery and thermal pools included.
From €50
View details
La Joya del Valle de Ricote
Why we like it: Three adults-only apartments on a citrus farm beside the Segura, in Villanueva del Río Segura, with terrace, kitchen and breakfast kit.
From €155
View details
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Archena | The spa and its three hotels | |
| Villanueva and Ulea | Market gardens, apartments and grill | |
| Ojós and Ricote | Small villages, bridges and routes | |
| Blanca | Rafting start |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Ricote Valley and the Archena Spa
El Sordo Restaurant
What to order: the roast kid or suckling pig, ordered when you book; without ordering, the aged beef chuletón or the €60 tasting menu
Jardines de Villanueva Restaurant
What to order: the sopaícas board (zarangollo, pipirrana and pisto) and then chuletón, presa or sea bass from the grill with potatoes al montón
Restaurante del Agua at the Balneario de Archena
What to order: the caldo con pelotas or a tomato with tuna belly, and the paparajote with nougat ice cream for dessert
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Book more than 45 days ahead: the spa takes 15% off the accommodation.
We'd skip it
The maintenance dates: the indoor pool closes from 9 to 18 December 2026 and the outdoor one from 11 to 22 January 2027; the Balnea circuit, from 17 to 27 May 2027.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Alicante to Archena?
An hour and a quarter by car, via the A-7 and A-30, by our estimate.
Does the hotel include the thermal pools?
Yes, all three hotels at the spa include free entry to the Thermal Pools Spa.
How much does the weekend cost?
Two nights in a double room, meals, the Balnea circuit and lunch in Ricote: between €250 and €370 per person.
Can I go without a car?
To the spa, yes, by bus from Murcia on line 36. For Ricote, take a taxi from Archena.