Baden Baden

Saturday March 19th we headed out to explore Baden Baden, a German town famous for its mineral water spas.  During the Roman empire Baden Baden was a royalty hotspot.  They designed bath houses to be used for the upper class of citizens and the royal families that lived and visited the German city.

 In front of the Spa

Baden Baden Spa retreat

Looking across the courtyard into the town of Baden Baden

Today the spa is a relaxing, modern and upscale building with marble floors and vaulted ceilings.  You walk upstairs to check in, go through the changing rooms and emerge in a giant domed indoor pool facility.  The dome itself was built to mimic the domed structures the Romans built.  Around the pool were classical columns and classical sculptures of nude Roman women.  Directly under the dome is the largest pool.  It had a shallow area in the center and a fountain in the middle where you can sit under it and splash in the water.  The water has many natural minerals in it and was kept quite warm.  The building was surrounded by large windows to look outside and feel part of nature and the surrounding town.

The main pool area

Looking up at the dome

A water fall you could sit under

There was also an indoor/outdoor pool.  You swam under a little window to emerge in the crisp March air. The outdoor pool also had fountains in the center and little showers to sit under.  There was a water fall that turned on and a jacuzzi section that had very forceful water bubbling out.   The combination of the brisk air and the warm water was very relaxing.

The pool house also had two little pools with tall water falls and rock walls.  One was very hot and one was freezing cool.  The guys tried out both the cold and hot pools while us girls stayed where it was warm in the hot pool area.  There was a sauna room that was very steamy.  It had a center area with a concentrated steam basin with four little sitting areas around the edge with little niches filled with Roman goddesses bathing in the steam.  Also at Baden Baden was a brine room that is good for clearing up nasal passages, a lounging area under warm sun bathing lights and last but not least was an upstairs pool where clothing was not permitted.  The last pool we did not check out.  Ha ha!

This is the very hot pool with a water fall

A view of the outer pool area

It was a great experience.  We all felt very refreshed and relaxed after leaving the spa.