Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój — now administratively part of Jelenia Góra but with its own distinct character — is one of the oldest spa towns in Poland, with thermal springs that have been in use since the twelfth century. The springs produce water at around 44°C, and several treatment centres and hotels make use of them.
The spa district has a pretty park at its centre and a collection of dignified nineteenth-century sanatorium buildings. The atmosphere is gentler and more old-fashioned than the main city. A natural history museum here holds one of Poland's better collections of minerals and gemstones. Cieplice is 5 km south of the Jelenia Góra city centre, easily reached by local bus.