Does soaking in a salty hot spring sound like your kind of vacation? Whether you’re looking for a deep tissue massage or a pool with a view, the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region is a place to relax and unwind.
Frankfurt has a long, closely protected tradition of thermal baths and hot springs, around which a culture of rest and relaxation has developed over several centuries. The result is a region dense with high-class spa resorts.
In Bad Homburg, the Kur-Royal Day Spa greets guests from its perch in the middle of a tranquil park, allowing for complete relaxation of both body and mind. Nearby the Taunus Therme offers indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, whirlpools and a fitness room. Local high-end hotels offer packages that include services at the spa; book a room at the Steigenberger Hotel Bad Homburg to take advantage of first-class ambiance.
A short trip south of Bad Homburg, the smaller town of Konigstein offers its own relaxation retreat. Float away in the health spa’s relaxing pools while simultaneously enjoying a spectacular view over the Taunus mountain range and Konigstein’s precious castle ruins. The Taunus area is said to boast “Heilklima,” a soothing, curative climate with a healthy effect on the body. The effect is generated through factors such as altitude or air purity. Take a walk through the Hochtaunus hills to breath in more of this rejuvenating atmosphere.
“Relaxation is the well of beauty,” according to the slogan at the Rhine-Main-Therme resort in Hofheim. Seven saunas and steam saunas cover two floors at this spa, which also offers a range of massage techniques, a wave pool, an open air pool and a lap pool, all tucked into beautiful surroundings.
In the Wetterau district, Bad Nauheim offers the Therme am Park, a facility of three pools bursting with refreshing minerals, as well as four saunas. Bad Nauheim is also home to the Sprudelhof, the largest Art Nouveau bath facility in Europe. Built a century ago, the Sprudelhof constitutes a significant part of Art Nouveau’s architectural history. Russian tsarina Alexandra loved the glamorous marble décor; modern-day visitors can dip into seven different baths. Fans of Art Nouveau will also enjoy the Jugendstil Bath and Spa in Darmstadt, where the midnight sauna event begins with a welcome drink at the sauna restaurant.
Enjoy taking a dip into history? The completely restored Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme in Wiesbaden features original ceramic, frescos and authentic historical surroundings from its debut in 1913. The sauna boasts exotic specialties, like a frigidarium and a tropical zone with freezing rain. Nearby, the Aukammtherme offers both in- and outdoor bathing areas. The must-see sauna area and its Aqua Sauna-Bar offer the perfect environment to relax and feel restored. Spend a night at the Nassauer Hof, one of Germany’s best luxury hotels, and between the gourmet meals and expansive wellness area, you may never even want to leave your hotel.