Looking for a heated outdoor swimming pool? We made the trip to Fortuna in Murcia to visit the hot springs there
Introduction
While southern Spain may be a reliably sunny destination all year-round, outside of the main summer season the temperature can still drop dramatically at night time. As such, outdoor swimming pools remain too cold for all but the bravest for large parts of the year.
Because of this, we are often asked about heated swimming pools during the winter months. While there are a few indoor options in Costa Blanca, for a naturally heated outdoor pool fed by hot springs we headed over the regional border to the town of Fortuna in Murcia. It is one of many fun day trips for kids into Murcia from Costa Blanca.
A spa town since Roman times, the natural hot springs at Los Baños de Fortuna have been bubbling up from underground and enticing visitors to the town ever since. We went to give the heated swimming pools there a try for ourselves to see if they could live up to the hype.
If you are looking for swimming pools in Costa Blanca instead, see our best water parks for kids in Costa Blanca, or our best family restaurants with swimming pools in Costa Blanca.
For a Costa Blanca campsite with great swimming pools, see our review of family camping at the impressive Alannia Resort.
Here though, we are going to review our visit to the hot spring heated swimming pools at Los Baños de Fortuna.
Where is Los Baños de Fortuna?
The hot springs are located at Los Baños de Fortuna, a small settlement just outside of the main town of Fortuna, in the region of Murcia. While just outside of the geographical area of Costa Blanca itself, they are easily accessible for anyone in the south of Costa Blanca, being only a short drive inland from the city of Orihuela.
What are the heated swimming pools like at Los Baños de Fortuna?
While several establishments in town have their own heated swimming pools, arguably the main heated outdoor swimming pools at Los Baños de Fortuna are located at a campsite there, Camping La Fuente. There are 2 good sized pools, both of which are split into 2 with covered sections over one half. Beneath the covered sections are spa jacuzzi pools with bubble and massage water jets.
The water temperature varies a little between the pools, with the outdoor sections kept a bit cooler for swimming and the undercover pools being a bit warmer for relaxing in. The water is maintained around 36°C all year-round, making it warm and comfortable whenever you decide to visit. It can just be cold when you have to get out!
What is the price of entry to the heated swimming pools at Los Baños de Fortuna?
Day tickets are available to purchase for the heated swimming pools at Camping La Fuente, Los Baños de Fortuna. Adult entry is €12 and children are €6.
Alternatively, anyone staying at the campsite, either on a touring pitch or in one of the on-site bungalows, can pay for unlimited use of the pools while they stay. We stayed for 1 night in our motorhome in April with 2 adults and 4 kids. The total cost was €63. This represented good value for us as entry alone would have been €48, so for €15 extra we got to stay overnight and use the pools twice – on both our day of arrival and morning of departure.
For a full list of prices, see their price list.
What is there for kids to do at Camping La Fuente, Fortuna?
Besides the heated swimming pools which are of course the main attraction, Camping La Fuente in Los Baños de Fortuna has several other facilities for guests to use. To keep kids entertained there is an outdoor children’s playground, as well as a sports pitch and paddle tennis courts.
Is there a restaurant at Camping La Fuente, Fortuna?
Camping La Fortuna in Los Baños de Fortuna has a restaurant that serves a fixed price 3 course meal (menu del dia) each day. This looked to be good value but selection was limited and we didn’t eat in the restaurant so I cannot comment on the quality.
There is also a bar area serving a full range of drinks and some basic snacks.
Review of our experiences of visiting Camping La Fuente, Fortuna
We’d heard lots about the hot springs at Fortuna since we’ve been living here in Costa Blanca but, until now, had never managed to get there for ourselves. It was therefore with some excitement that we made the drive there in our faithful old motorhome.
Camping La Fuente
When we arrived, check-in for the campsite was at the same reception desk as entrance for the pools. In my case this was fine but I can imagine it could be a bit frustrating at busier times when a queue can form for people waiting to enter the pool. The staff were all friendly and helpful.
Our pitch was set right up on the hillside, the furthest away from the pools and the centre of the campsite. I was worried this would prove annoying but it actually meant we had more space and a nicer view. The walk was still only quite short to the pools so I came round to thinking of it as an advantage over being more squeezed into the plots down below. We had both electricity and water on our pitch.
The Campsite Swimming Pools
The swimming pools were pleasant and not too crowded when we visited. The water is lovely and warm, especially in the covered spa jacuzzi pools. There are no slides or other entertainment specifically for children, but our kids still had fun swimming around for a couple of hours, just pleased to not be getting cold.
The other facilities on the campsite looked generally well kept, although we didn’t really use any as we’d mainly gone for the heated swimming pools. As I said before, we didn’t eat in the restaurant. There are not really many other options for food around locally either, so be sure to bring some food with you if you plan on cooking for yourself.
Overall, the campsite feels slightly dated but is clean and well kept. The heated swimming pools were great and we all enjoyed our visit to them. Like in most of Spain, entry requirements for swim clothing were pleasingly unfussy and unrestricted. No stupid tight trunks or swim hats required.
Our Overall Impressions
We noticed that the campsite was investing in improvement and expansion works when we visited, demonstrating that the location obviously remains popular with visitors. We’d definitely stay there again with our kids.
In Summary
If you’re looking for an outdoor swimming pool that is heated to use outside of the summer season in this corner of southern Spain, then there is probably none better than at Los Baños de Fortuna. The water is kept beautifully warm and the fact that it comes directly from hot springs makes it feel really rejuvenating.
Being fed by hot springs also makes the pools much better for the environment than the power hungry electric heating systems used at regular heated indoor pools.
Overall, if you’re willing to make the short drive, for a fun day trip from Costa Blanca you shouldn’t be disappointed. Anyone with their own van/caravan to stay in should definitely consider staying at the campsite as well. It represents good value, especially for larger families like ours.
there are a few things to keep in mind. The article doesn’t mention the price of camping, so it’s worth checking into that before you go. Also, the restaurant serves a fixed-price meal, which may or may not work for your family. But overall, this sounds like a great option for a family camping trip.