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The thermal water of Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, 35 km from Florianópolis, is considered the second best in the world by Hidrocaldas, emerging from the subsoil at 39.8°C rich in minerals, with a liter at R$ 0.30 at the public fountain, baths at R$ 25 and a thermal water park with entrance at R$ 25.
The second best thermal water on the planet is less than a 40-minute drive from Florianópolis and costs less than a glass of juice at any snack bar in the capital of Santa Catarina. Santo Amaro da Imperatriz holds thermal water springs that emerge from the subsoil at 39.8°C, heated by geothermal processes in which water infiltrates the soil, reaches deep layers, and returns to the surface carrying minerals that confer therapeutic properties recognized since Antiquity, when civilizations such as Rome and Greece already used thermal baths for health and well-being treatment. The recognition as the second best in the world, granted by Hidrocaldas (Caldas da Imperatriz Hydromineral Company), places Santa Catarina’s thermal water only behind the Vichy springs in France, a thermal destination that charges incomparable prices to the R$ 0.30 per liter practiced in Santa Catarina.
The history connecting Santo Amaro’s thermal water to the prestige it carries today began during the Empire. In 1845, Dom Pedro II and Empress Teresa Cristina visited the region and encouraged the creation of a hospital that used the therapeutic properties of the springs, a structure that gave rise to the current Hotel Caldas da Imperatriz, an establishment that remains in operation, preserving bathtubs brought from Italy in 1847 and using thermal water in all taps and pools of the 33 apartments distributed between historical and more recent wings. The title “Imperatriz” (Empress) in the municipality’s name arose after Teresa Cristina took over the protection of the old thermal hospital, a link between royalty and water that consolidated the place’s identity.
What makes this thermal water the second best in the world
The classification of Santo Amaro’s thermal water as the second best on the planet is linked to its mineral composition and physicochemical properties that distinguish it from common springs. Thermal water is rich in mineral salts that are absorbed by the liquid during its underground journey, and the temperature of 39.8°C at emergence indicates a circulation depth that allows the fluid to incorporate elements that surface waters do not carry. The combination of naturally high temperature, specific mineral concentration, and bacteriological purity is what places Santo Amaro’s thermal water on the same level as European springs that charge fortunes for access.
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Thermalism, the name given to the practice of using thermal water for therapeutic purposes, has a millennial tradition that modern science corroborates in various aspects. Immersion in thermal water contributes to muscle relaxation and can aid in relieving pains associated with arthritis, osteoarthritis, and lower back pain, while the vapors released by the heated water help to fluidify secretions and facilitate breathing in people with rhinitis, asthma, and bronchitis. Studies indicate that immersion can also promote the dilation of blood vessels, contributing to circulation and, in some cases, to the reduction of blood pressure, benefits that make thermal water a complementary health resource recognized by various medical traditions.
How to get thermal water for R$ 0.30 per liter in Santo Amaro
Access to thermal water in Santo Amaro da Imperatriz is democratic by design. The public fountain allows anyone to collect thermal water directly from the source using a system that works with coins or credits: about R$ 6 guarantees an average of 20 liters, resulting in an approximate cost of R$ 0.30 per liter of one of the best thermal waters on the planet. For residents of the municipality, the benefit is even greater: through the Hidrocaldas app, each resident is entitled to withdraw up to 40 liters of thermal water per week for free, a volume that can be fractioned as needed.
Its proximity to Florianópolis makes collecting thermal water a viable plan for any free morning. Leaving the capital via BR-282 towards Palhoça and accessing SC-435 to the center of Santo Amaro, the journey takes between 30 and 40 minutes, time that allows one to leave Florianópolis, fill gallons at the fountain, and return before lunchtime. For those who prefer to enjoy the thermal water on-site instead of taking it home, the thermal bathhouse offers individual cabins with a simple bath for R$ 25 and an option with hydromassage and towel for R$ 35, operating daily from 8 am to 7:30 pm.
What to expect from Hotel Caldas da Imperatriz and the thermal water park
Hotel Caldas da Imperatriz is the most immersive way to experience Santo Amaro’s thermal water. All the water used in the hotel, from apartment taps to pools, is thermal, meaning guests bathe, hydrate, and swim in water that emerges from the subsoil at 39.8°C and carries the minerals that make it the second best in the world. According to Hidrocaldas’ CEO, Juceli Martins, the 33 apartments are distributed between wings that preserve the original architecture of the old imperial hospital and more recent structures that offer modern comfort without losing connection to the history that gave rise to the place.
The water park is an option aimed at families who want to enjoy thermal water in a leisure environment. With thermal water pools, green areas, barbecue grills, and a structure that includes security and lifeguards, the space charges an entrance fee of R$ 25 and caters to everyone from local residents to tourists who discover the springs during a visit to Florianópolis and decide to extend their trip to Santo Amaro. The thermal water that fills the pools is the same that supplies the medicinal baths and the public fountain, with zero difference in quality between recreational and therapeutic use.
Why Santo Amaro’s thermal water deserves to be known beyond SC
The combination of internationally recognized quality and accessible price makes Santo Amaro’s thermal water a rare case in global health tourism. While European thermal destinations like Vichy, Baden-Baden, and Budapest charge hundreds of euros for bath and treatment sessions, Santo Amaro offers a comparable thermal experience starting from R$ 25 per bath and R$ 0.30 per liter of water, a democratization that allows residents of popular neighborhoods in Florianópolis to access a resource that in Europe is a privilege of the upper class. The distance of only 35 km from the capital of Santa Catarina makes travel trivial, and the infrastructure combining a public fountain, bathhouse, historic hotel, and water park offers options for all types of visitors.
Santo Amaro’s thermal water also needs to be valued as a heritage that is not always perceived by the Santa Catarina population itself. Many residents of Florianópolis have never visited the springs that are less than an hour from their homes, and the classification as the second best in the world is information that surprises even those who grew up in the region.
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