Health, Hedonism and Hypochondria

Health, Hedonism and Hypochondria looks below the surface and probes the more hidden aspects of the history of spas and their secret sides.

A spa nowadays can be anything from a hot tub in the back garden to an exotic beach resort offering mindfulness and yoga.

New spas are opening around the world at a rate of 8,000 a year and there are now over 150,000 ''spa locations'' and contributing $120 billion annually to the $4.2 trillion global wellness economy. This book is about the historic, traditional spas of Europe. They include such well known resorts as the original Spa in Belgium; Bath, Buxton and Harrogate in Britain; Baden-Baden, Bad Ems and Wiesbaden in Germany; Vichy and Aix-les-Bains in France and many more.

Health, Hedonism and Hypochondria looks below the surface and probes the more hidden aspects of the history of spas and their secret sides. Not only were they always sanctuaries of relaxation, but also places to treat melancholia and hypochondria, entertain mistresses and ''cure'' sterility.