IMSERSO announces 199,000 places for the 2027 Thermalism Program

The Institute for Seniors and Social Services (IMSERSO) has announced 199,000 places to participate in the Thermalism Program for the 2027 season. The call is published via the Resolution of October 30, 2026 of the aforementioned institute, disseminated in the Official State Gazette number 274, of November 4, 2026, section III, page 148122, with official reference BOE-A-2026-23163.

The call is issued under article 8 of Order SSI/1688/2015, of July 30, which regulates the Thermalism Program (published in the Official State Gazette number 190, of August 10, 2015), which requires the General Directorate of IMSERSO to set the number of places, the duration of the shifts, the prices, the public funding, and the application deadlines each year. The program will take place between February and December 2027 in the spas and shifts listed in annex III of the resolution, and the offer may be expanded with establishments that formalize their contracts with the organization in 2027.

Ten-day shifts and fixed price

Each shift lasts ten days (nine overnight stays) on a full-board basis, from twelve o’clock on the day of arrival until twelve o’clock on the day of departure. The price per place and shift, which varies according to the spa and the month and is listed in annex III, is fixed and includes:

• Accommodation in a shared double room and full-board meals.
• Medical examination upon admission to prescribe the treatment.
• The thermal treatment prescribed by the spa doctor and its follow-up.
• Leisure and free-time activities offered free of charge by the establishment.
• Insurance policy.

The amount is paid directly to the spa. Before admission, 40.00 euros are paid as a place reservation fee, and the difference is settled at the start of the stay. IMSERSO contributes 178.43 euros or 201.63 euros per place depending on the month of the shift, an amount paid directly to the thermal establishment. Travel is at the expense of the users, except in the cases indicated in annex III, where the transfer from the contracted town to the spa is assumed by the establishment.

Requirements and companions

Places may be requested by residents of Spain who are retirement or permanent disability pensioners; widowhood pensioners aged 55 or older; pensioners for other reasons or recipients of unemployment benefits or subsidies aged 60 or older; or persons insured or beneficiaries of the system aged 65 or older. Spaniards residing abroad with a pension from the Spanish system may also participate.

Users must be self-sufficient in basic activities of daily living, require the requested treatments, and have no medical contraindications. They may be accompanied by a spouse or domestic partner and children with a disability of 45% or higher who stay in the same room.

Deadlines, scale, and distribution by province

Applications should preferably be submitted electronically through the IMSERSO headquarters, although they may also be sent to the registries provided for in Order SSI/1688/2015 or to P.O. Box 61.285, 28080 Madrid. The deadlines are:

• February to August shifts: one month from the day following the publication of the resolution.
• September to December shifts: until May 12, 2027.
• Waiting list (February to August): until May 11, 2027.
• Waiting list (September to December): until October 31, 2027.

The assessment applies the scale in Annex IV, which weights the need for thermal treatment, economic situation (up to 50 points), age (one point per year over 60, capped at 20), not having enjoyed a place in previous years (up to 24 points), and membership in a large family (12 or 24 points). The award resolution will be issued within a maximum period of three months from the closing of each deadline and may be appealed through a prior claim to the social jurisdictional route within 30 business days.

Annex V distributes the places by province: Andalucía concentrates 32,611, Cataluña 31,130, Madrid 26,262, the Comunitat Valenciana 21,727, Galicia 14,048, and Castilla y León 12,688, while Ceuta and Melilla receive 229 and 223, respectively. Spaniards residing in Europe have 226 places.

The resolution was signed in Madrid on October 30, 2026, by the Director General of IMSERSO, María Teresa Sancho Castiello.

For pensioners organizing their annual spa stay, this call sets in advance the calendar, prices, and scoring criteria for the 2027 season, meaning that those wishing to opt for winter and spring shifts have barely one month from publication to submit their application.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 274, of November 4, 2026, section III, page 148122 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-23163).