Fountains of Youth? The Truth Behind These Mysterious Waters

Throughout many different periods of history, the Fountain of Youth has played an almost mythical role. It's entirely fair that the idea that drinking water would provide eternal life might sound silly. Still, it was enough of a legend to set in motion dozens of historical missions to try and locate the fountain for various monarchies and military leaders. 

A major tourist stop in the Middle East, the Dead Sea has long been one of the world’s most popular health destinations. Situated at 1,412 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is one of the lowest land-based elevations on Earth. The area's salinity of 34.2% has helped make it one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world and, therefore, allows people to float in the water effortlessly.

As part of the mystery around the Dead Sea, Herod the Great had declared the area an opportunity for restorative health. People seek out the Dead Sea for its restorative properties as a natural spa. While not necessarily a granter of youth, there has long been a belief that this area can help with various skin conditions, diseases, and pain.

When Bernadette Soubirous started reporting visions of seeing the Virgin Mary at the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France, it established the location as one of the world’s most important religious sites. A place of pilgrimage, the Grotto is believed to have been the site of miraculous healings, with up to four million people visiting every year.

Flowing from a spring where Bernadette discovered it during her apparitions, the Grotto of Massabielle is now protected by a glass screen. Instead, those who pilgrimage to Lourdes can drink the water rather than be bathed in it. Though science has indicated Lourdes water has no specific healing properties, it’s believed the spiritual nature of the water is what heals and not the physical.

An area rich in minerals, Pamukkale, Turkey, has long been thought to have healing powers. People have ventured to this spot for centuries to see the natural formations. Translated to “cotton castle,” Pamukkale, Turkey, is located in the southwest part of the country and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

If you’re wondering why they call this area “cotton giants,” it’s because of the snow-white limestone shaped by calcite-rich springs. As these springs drip into the mountainside, they create pools of water that look like giant cotton balls. Pamukkale has been believed to help heal people with skin conditions and arthritis.

A geothermal spa in the southwestern part of Iceland, the location has long been praised for its high silica content. As this silica forms into white mud, bathers have rubbed it on themselves for decades. The bathing facilities started in 1987, making it the most recent fountain of youth-like location.

In 1981, a person suffering from psoriasis bathed in the water and publicly noted that the water cleared up his symptoms. This immediately made the area popular, leading to the establishment of the Blue Lagoon company in 1992. Surprisingly, a 1995 study confirmed that the lagoon positively affected psoriasis patients, which means over 1 million visitors annually.

Believed to be more than 2,000 years old, the Chalice Well in Somerset, England, had religious and spiritual beginnings. Long considered to be the location where Joseph of Arimathea hid the holy grail, it’s believed this work infused the water in the area with healing properties. It’s this spiritual belief that Christians believe represent the rusty iron nails used at the crucifixion.

If you visit the area, the first stop for many people is to see the Lion’s Head Fountain, where you can drink from the red water or take a bottle of water home with you. The well and the surrounding gardens are hidden so as not to be a major tourist destination. There is no parking nor a bus stop immediately nearby. Instead, you must take a 10-minute walk from Glastonbury to the Chalice Well.

Revered by the Ktunaxa First Nations people who first settled in British Columbia, the Ainsworth Hot Springs is said to have healing powers. To the Ktunaxa people, the hot springs were used to restore and refresh their bodies when they would spend their days hunting and fishing. With an average temperature between 95 and 108 degrees, there is no doubt this is a “hot spring.”

Ainsworth, founded in 1883, is considered the best commercial hot spring in British Columbia. While the town has had its share of ups and downs, the healing power of the water has long been a destination for tourists. The water is full of rich minerals which have helped anyone with stress, skin conditions, and joint pain feel renewed when exiting the water.

A group of thermal springs in New Mexico, the Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs, have been used by the natives for generations. Used by people as far back as prehistoric times, the native Pueblo people are said to have used the Ojo Caliente Hot Springs long before Spanish settlers arrived. When Spanish settlers arrived in 1534, the area was renamed the Ojo Caliente Hot Springs.

When Coronado’s soldiers soaked in the water around the hot springs, they were believed to have healed various injuries and ailments. The water ranges from 86 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit and includes a variety of minerals that feed into soaking and mud pools.

Setting sail in March 1513 in search of new land, Ponce de Leon anchored off Florida. When he finally came ashore, de Leon named the land “La Florida” and journeyed up and down the western Florida coast. Ultimately, it’s believed that Ponce de Leon never actually searched for the Fountain of Youth, as the story first emerged after his death.

Located in St. Augustine, Florida, the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park has proven to be anything but. There is a 15-acre park that recreates de Leon’s Spanish mission, but no real-world example of any Fountain of Youth exists in the area. Even so, the fountain remains a beautiful mystery that draws visitors annually.