The spa tradition in Portorož is not a modern wellness invention but a genuinely ancient practice. The mineral-rich mud and salt water of the bay have been used therapeutically since at least the 13th century, when Benedictine monks from the monastery near Piran began recommending the local fango (therapeutic mud) for joint ailments. Today Terme Portorož is the main wellness complex, offering thalassotherapy, seawater pools, mud wraps, and a full range of treatments in a facility that is substantially less expensive than comparable resorts in Italy, Austria, or Croatia.
Day passes to the pools and thermal baths are available without hotel accommodation. The indoor seawater pool complex is open year-round, making Portorož a viable destination even in the cooler months when the beach is out of season.