The healing waters in Bad Ems and Baden-Baden have attracted royals, writers and celebrities for centuries
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Stepping into the steamy shower area, I take a deep breath before hanging up my robe and entering buck naked into the coed Friedrichsbad spa.
I’m in Baden-Baden where the deeply ingrained German sauna culture means bathing suits and towels are not allowed in mixed-sex, “textile-free” zones. The locals don’t bat an eye, but with my prudish Canadian sensibilities, the idea takes some getting used to.
In Europe, historic spa towns combine tradition, culture and medical science centered on mineral-rich springs that provide therapeutic treatments and balneotherapy (bathing). Hot thermal waters bursting with beneficial micronutrients have gurgled below the ground for millions of years, with centres of well-being springing up around them since Roman times. But the healing spa phenomenon with its tradition of “taking the cure” (sipping, inhaling or bathing in thermal water) really reached its peak in the 18th and 19th centuries when the crème de la crème of European society flocked to these spa towns for a little R&R in high style.
The fashionable resorts, with their opulent bath houses, drinking halls, shaded colonnade-lined promenades and lavish hotels, were the place to see and be seen for well-heeled aristocrats, artists, bon vivants and royalty. They were also glamorous meeting places among influential heads of state who conducted international diplomacy in their bathrobes and, when not power broking, spent days strolling spa gardens sipping healing waters, and nights at concert halls or gilded casinos. It was here the spa holiday was born, when swaths of the middle classes joined these luminaries, kicking off a boom in wellness travel and pioneering modern tourism.
In 2021 UNESCO designated 11 of the roughly 400 towns along the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns as World Heritage sites. These Great Spa Towns of Europe are in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Czechia, U.K. and Germany.
Bad Ems
Tucked on the banks of the River Lahn in a lush valley about 100 kilometres northwest of Frankfurt, this picturesque town may be small, but its history is mighty.
Known as Germany’s “Imperial Spa,” Bad Ems boasts impressive spa architecture and a storied past as a health resort frequented by emperors, nobles and Europe’s elite on their restorative tours of the continent. Tsar Alexander II, his uncle Kaiser Wilhelm I and Richard Wagner all regularly came to soak up the beneficial effects of the thermal waters.
Dotted with grand hotels and villas, marble halls, bathing complexes and historic gardens, the town and its natural mineral springs are just as beguiling today. Fifteen natural alkaline-muriatic acidulous springs (the only ones of this type in Germany) bubble up from the geological Bad Emser Quellsattel forming the town’s thermal network.
Tip: Pick up a souvenir drinking glass from the tourism office to try the mineral-rich waters from public fountains around the centre.
The star of the hot springs show is the Robert-Kampe-Sprudel whose 57˚ C water flows by pipeline to the Emser Therme, a modern thermal pool complex home to Germany’s first floating river sauna.
With a long history of bottling its mineral water, Bad Ems has also been turning leftover mineral salts into lozenges for 150 years. The famous Emser pastilles, made by steaming and pressing the salts after the water evaporates, are a perfect memento to pop in your suitcase.
If you can tear yourself away from the waters, don’t miss the Kurwaldbahn funicular, one of the steepest in the world, which rises 132 metres in two minutes, and one of oldest casinos in Germany, the 300-year-old Spielbank.
Baden-Baden
Nestled in the Black Forest foothills, Germany’s poshest spa town is utterly charming.
Known as the “Summer capital of Europe” in its heyday, the cultural elite met here for holidays in the 19th century. That belle époque old-money cachet lives on in stately hotels, glittery casino, spa hall and parks lined with horse-drawn carriages. But far from a shrine to a bygone era, Baden-Baden packs a contemporary punch with vibrant music and theatre scenes, cosmopolitan art, outdoor activities and sophisticated shopping.
Its magical thermal waters rich in sodium chloride have attracted royals, writers (Dostoyevsky sold The Gambler to settle debts racked up in the casino) and celebrities for millenniums. The 800,000 litres that rise to the surface daily through 12 springs, some as hot as 68˚ C, help with rheumatism, arthritis, respiratory and skin issues.
Note: Soap and brush massage must be booked in advance. No need to bring anything — towels, slippers, shampoo are provided.
The oldest pharmacy in town, Alte Hof, is the spot for medicinal, herbal and grooming needs. The beautiful Apotheke, built in 1690, is lined with old-fashioned apothecary cabinets and stunning ceiling. Pick up some Traumeel to bring home — the original formula of the anti-inflammatory cream (no longer available in Canada) is manufactured in Baden-Baden.
In the evening go for broke in baroque splendour at the Casino, proclaimed “the most beautiful in the world” by Marlene Dietrich. Reminiscent of a French palace, its richly decorated Red Room and Salon Pompadour come courtesy of Parisian interior designers inspired by Fontainebleau and Versailles. Take a spin on the roulette wheel in jaw-dropping opulence where shimmering chandeliers drip from hand-painted ceilings, their lights reflected in gold leaf mirrors. Very Casino Royale. To fully appreciate the glam architecture and rich history, take one of the daily guided tours — the 1 p.m. is in English.
Note: Dress code is smart casual for the slot machines. To join the fashionable crowd in the gaming area, break out the elegant evening wear à la James Bond. Passport required for entry.
If you go
The writer was a guest of the German National Tourist Board and Condor Airlines. No one from either company read or approved this article before publication.