Japan has onsen, Korea has jjimjiibang, New Zealand has waiariki. But closer to home, Germany’s historic spa towns have therme – or thermal springs – and the impact of these waters has made Germany one of Europe’s most effective wellness destinations. Embracing the physical, mental and emotional benefits of a Heilbad (healing bath) is a fundamental part of the lifestyle here, and dates back more than 2,000 years. As a result, wellbeing, nature and history are so interconnected that many towns in Germany are prefixed with the word ‘Bad’ which, ironically, means something very good indeed: translating as ‘bath’, it recognises each destination’s status as an official spa town. Strict standards are upheld as to what constitutes a spa town: not only must a local remedy that relieves or cures symptoms be present, but the town must also provide facilities such as parks, concert halls and walking trails. You might think that few places would meet such stringent criteria, but Germany is in fact home to 350 spa towns. Here’s why you should explore them all.
Schrecksee, Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany
© DZT / Axel Brunst1. The prestigious history
Health and holidays don’t always go hand in hand, but Germany’s heritage as an internationally recognised wellness destination dates back to the Roman Empire, which had a long-lasting impact on the way Europeans bathe: what was once a simple hygienic practice became a pleasurable, social ritual. In Germany, early emperors built stunning public baths such as the eponymous Caracalla in Baden Baden, where the water is thought to have cured Emperor Caracalla’s rheumatism. Norderney, the oldest North Sea spa resort and one of the earliest in the world to adopt the therapeutic power of salt water, has such powerful healing properties that travellers in the 19th century would spend days on horseback, boat and eventually steam train to come and experience the effects themselves. Today, Norderney and Baden Baden are just two of the 350 certified spa towns in Germany, and both are located in or have been recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
2. The Kneipp cure
Hydrotherapy today comes in many forms and is administered in unique, innovative ways in spas across the world – but many of these methods were originally developed in Germany, including the celebrated Kneipp cure. Pioneered in Bad Wörishofen, it’s named after priest and naturopath Sebastian Kneipp who believed that ‘water contains healing’. His faith taught him to revere nature and its inherent medicinal benefits, and he incorporated phytotherapy, exercise, nutrition and balance for an all-round approach to health. Many spa towns reference Kneipp, but visitors to Bad Wörishofen can stay in KurOase im Kloster, a meditative hotel set in the very monastery where he practised his faith more than 150 years ago.
