Most of us are familiar with the word spa; some of us have even visited and enjoyed the benefits of spa treatment, yet few know the origin of this word and the evolution of spa in time. A common misconception related to its growing popularity is the fact that many consider it to be a modern trend. In fact the spa-treatment (bathing using healing waters) has been used for thousands of years all over the world.

The first spas appeared and flourished around natural hot springs. Some of the earliest and best known springs in Europe are the ones located in the Valley of Ardennes Mountains. The "mother" of all the spas in the world is the attractive Belgian town Spa located in the eastern part of Wallonia region often referred to as "the pearl of Ardennes". The origin of the name town is the Wallon word espa that means spring or fountain. In time, the elegant town in southern Belgium has become a common noun referring to any place that has thermal water sources as all of them have been named after the town Spa.

The quality of the water in this region was known to men and has been used in various forms since the Iron Age. The curative properties of Spa waters were used by the Romans for a combination of hot and cold baths, skin treatment and relaxation. The first reference to the springs was made by the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder in his work "Natural History": "In Tungria, a territory of Gaul, there exists a famous spring, the water of which, effervescing with bubbles, tastes of iron, but which is not apparent until one has finished drinking. This water purges the body, cures tertian fevers and dispels renal calculi ailments."

The mineral springs were rediscovered in the 14th century and became famous in the 16th century due to Henry VIII who promoted them for their curative powers. The first to transform the hot springs into business was Simon Saveur who managed to set up a rudimentary resort around 1676. Due to the immediate success of his business, more and more such resorts appeared over time. It was also in the 16th century when the water from Spa started to be marketed and exported. Nowadays, due to its mineral qualities, the water from the springs in the region is bottled and is very popular especially in Western Europe.

In the 18th and 19th centuries most of the royalty and aristocracy from Europe (including Charles II and Peter the Great) along with the intelligentsia visited the town for treatment and relaxation. The flow of high-class visitors was so big that Spa was called "the café of Europe". The vast majority of visitors who travelled to Spa were British. This is how some of the streets, springs and places received British sounding names.

Spa is also connected with some important historical events. The town was the headquarters of the delegates from the German Army who participated in the meetings which resulted in the armistice that ended the First World War (1918) while in 1920 it hosted the discussions of the Supreme Council where war reparations were negotiated.

Presently spas are becoming more and more popular all over the world; spa-bathing regained its popularity due to a society interested in prevention, relaxation and a healthy lifestyle. The town Spa offers just that due to its modern thermal centers with mineral water pools, saunas, treatment rooms, the most famous of them being without doubt les Thermes de Spa where the visitors can choose between a large variety of massage and beauty therapies, body treatments, relaxation and wellness activities that combine the advantages of hydrotherapy and balneotherapy.