Note: I wrote this post after a trip I took last May, but I forgot to post it until recently, when a friend mentioned she’s planning a trip there.

This weekend, Thomas went on a company retreat to the South of Spain – spouses were not invited – so instead, I spent the weekend pampering myself at the spa in Baden-Baden. Baden-Baden, meaning “bath bath,” is a small town tucked away in the Black Forest of Germany. There are natural springs there that release hot thermal mineral water, which is used at the local spas.

Panoramic View of the Two Spas

One of the new experiences for me in my trip was that some of the spas promoted public nudity, even when men and women were together. Europeans seem much more open with the human body than Americans – all people have body parts under their clothes, some with hair, some that sag, and even some with flabby parts. There, it didn’t seem unnatural – there was no reason to gawk.

Walking Path Along the River

There are 2 spas – Friedrichsbad and Caracalla. You can see what Friedrichsbad is like in Rick Steve’s video, but I went to Caracalla, the less structured of the two.

Caracalla has 2 levels – downstairs is swimsuit required and upstairs is nudity required – just leave your swimsuit at the door. Note: You don’t have to go upstairs if it doesn’t suit your fancy, but it’s an interesting experience, and honestly, you’re never going to see those people again. :)

Dandelion Field

Caracalla is best described as a playground of pools, showers, jets, streams, waterfalls and saunas. You can try them all or just pick out the ones you like, spending as much time as you want at each. For 3-hours, it cost about $20.  By the end of my time there, I tried them all, upstairs and down. My favorites were the hot pool and the icy grottos – hopping from one to the other takes your breath away.

Snail at the Rose Garden

I also got to try more types of saunas than I knew existed – aromatherapy, menthol, crystal, steam, fire-burning, and glass. My favorite was the fire-burning which was outdoors. It felt a little weird to walk outdoors without clothes on, take an icy shower, and then step into the sauna with others sitting in there, but the surrounding heat and crackling fire was very relaxing.

Flower-lined Bridge over River

Speaking of relaxing, there were also a few places to take a nap – under heat lamps, on a rooftop garden, in the nature filled bamboo room, and in the blue space. The blue space (also upstairs) was a little trippy – it was lit with blue lights and playing peaceful new age music. you just spread out on white pots for a rest.

Wildflowers in the Hills

Overall, the spa was a great experience – fun, relaxing and culturally different. I also enjoyed a gorgeous hike in the nearby Natur Park Schwarzwald. The views were amazing of nearby towns and the fields were covered in wildflowers. Baden-Baden is a beautiful town – flowers everywhere, a babbling river, gorgeous architecture that reminded me of a mini-Rome. I can’t wait until I can take Thomas back there and explore more of it. There’s also a casino, castle, and monastery all within bicycling distance – plenty to do for a long weekend.

If you’d like to see more of my photos from the trip, I’ve posted them on Flickr.  And no, there are no photos from within the Spa – cameras are not allowed.

• Weekend Alone in Baden-Baden (29 photos)

Related posts:

1. Holiday Wrap-up
2. Frankfurt, plus some random thoughts
3. Beautiful Northern Bohemia