Tanque termal Parque Terra Nostra — Attraction in Povoação

❌ A Disgraceful "Thermal Experience" – Strong Warning for Tanque Termal, Parque Terra Nostra €17.50 entry + €5 for a locker? An absolute joke!

I visited this place 9 years ago and again 2 years ago – and sadly, the difference is shocking. What used to be a unique and relaxing thermal pool has turned into an overpriced, shallow puddle for knee-deep soaking – nothing more. And each time it’s worse.

🚫 The Biggest Disappointment:

Water depth is a total joke. What used to be over 1.3 meters deep is now reduced in places to a pathetic 60 cm – just above the knees! Swimming is completely impossible. You just stand around in brown, murky water with nowhere to move. The bottom is now covered with raw concrete, but instead of being smooth, it's rough, scratchy, and uncomfortable to walk on. The original natural surface was much better and actually felt pleasant. Changing rooms? A disaster. There are not enough, no privacy, and the whole system is messy and poorly maintained. Oh, and they’ll charge you €5 for a locker on top of the already steep entrance fee. The botanical park is sadly neglected. Once vibrant and well-kept, it now feels tired, poorly maintained, and far from the serene natural beauty it used to offer. 💸 The Price Is an Insult

For nearly €23 per person (entry + locker), you get:

murky, shallow water, rough concrete floor that hurts your feet, no space to swim, crowded and uncomfortable changing areas, a tired park that lacks care. ⚠️ STRONG WARNING Don’t be fooled by the nice photos! The reality is disappointing and overpriced.

This place used to be something special, but it’s now a sad shadow of what it once was.

If you're looking for a real thermal bath experience, skip this one and go to Poça da Dona Beija instead – smaller, cleaner, deeper, and far...

The park itself is nice. The thermal pool is not as enjoyable due to organization. The change rooms are crowded to the point where you are barely able to change without touching other bodies. I am sure a lot of ppl skip showering just to avoid being in the crowded changing room. We couldn't figure out how to use lockers as there were instructions only in Portuguese. Still, there were practically no lockers available. We were lucky to call in advance to inquire about renting towels and to find out that nothing is provided, Bring your own towels. We borrowed towels from our hotel. It was really nice to be in the warm waters of the pool. We kept all of our clothes on the edge of the pool. We had to go back to our car to leave our wet towels and clothes there before we could go for a walk...

This place was amazing!!! The botanical gardens were the best we’ve ever seen in our life’s. So many winding paths covered with ground cover that it feels mystical and magical. The gardens are large and we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. The hot spring was so cool. The ground has flat rocks so it’s comfortable and easy to walk around, the hottest water is near the entrance to where the spring water is flowing out and the water will stain your clothes so be cautious. With a 10 euro entry price this place...