Călimănești-Căciulata is a twin spa town on the Olt River south of Râmnicu Vâlcea, where mineral springs have drawn health visitors since the 19th century. The waters are rich in sodium chloride, calcium, and magnesium; there are several sanatoriums and hotels offering cures and treatments in the old Romanian style — more clinical than luxurious, but genuinely therapeutic. Romanian doctors still prescribe spa cures here.
The town sits within the Olt gorge, with Cozia Monastery a short walk upstream. It makes a pleasant base for exploring the Olt Valley — the accommodation is plentiful and the setting, with the river and the forested mountains, is lovely. The promenade along the river is good for an evening walk.