Thermal spa resorts in western Romania plan new projects with EU funds

The Sînmartin commune, close to the western Romania city of Oradea, has received EU funding to kick off projects that would further develop the two thermal spa resorts in the area, namely Băile Felix and Băile 1 Mai. Overall, the Sînmartin City Hall has projects amounting to EUR 18 million which it plans to roll out using EU funding, Digi24 reported. The two resorts will have promenade areas, cycle lanes and refurbished access roads. Besides the projects in the two thermal spa resorts, funds would go towards the Betfia crater area as well. One of the projects that already received funding concerns the main artery in Băile Felix, which will be refurbished with EUR 3.5 million. Here, a fountain will be built, set to become one of the main attractions of the resort. The works are to start in October of this year and end in 2019. “The local public administration needs to keep up with the private investment, something that will happen in the coming period,” the commune’s mayor, Cristian Laza, told Digi24. The commune previously refurbished six schools, with RON 2 million (EUR 430,107) received from the Government. The number of foreign tourists who visited the thermal spa resorts in Romania went up 10% in 2016 compared to the previous year. Băile Felix attracted 4,604 foreign tourists. Which are the best spa resorts in Romania? First five-star thermal spa complex opens in western Romania editor@romania-insider.com