German spa tradition

If you want to get away from it all and relax, Germany is the place for you. Experience various wellness therapies that will contribute to healing body and soul at over 350 health spas and resorts. These oases are just waiting to pamper you with sensational feel-good experiences in water, in the mountains, or amidst green meadows and forests. 

Sebastian Kneipp and the origin of German wellness 

In Bad Wörishofen, Sebastian Kneipp developed his natural healing method, which consists of much more than just treading water. Guests can take a cure at the birthplace of German wellness and return home in better health. 

Here, people roll up their pant legs and step barefoot into the cool Wörthbach stream, which meanders through the village. They wade leisurely back and forth, stork-like. No trace of any hectic rush. The same scene appears at the water basins in the spa park, indeed everywhere in the town. 

Kneipp is a holistic philosophy of life like Ayurveda or yoga and is considered the only natural healing method of Traditional European Medicine – comparable to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In 2015, the German UNESCO Commission included “Kneippen as traditional knowledge and practice according to the teachings of Sebastian Kneipp” on the nationwide register of intangible cultural heritage. 

Experience extraordinary Spa and wellness moments in Germany 

Enjoy true relaxation  at a holiday destination that offers a multitude of spiritual sites. The island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea offers dreamlike settings including beaches of the finest sand and primeval beech forest, and many hours of daylight in the summer season. You can enjoy meditative and fitness-enhancing activities, as well as practicing yoga to achieve inner peace. 

Hanging out in nature 

You can bathe amongst flowers in the Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg, the Fitchel Mountains in Bayern, or hang out in nature in Saarland. The Upper Black Forest offers healing spas in the forest. In the Fichtel Mountain Nature Park, a qualified forest health trainer can guide you through unspoiled nature. In case you’re looking for an unusual tour, in Saarland you can borrow a hammock for use at specific stations along hiking tours. Whenever forest walkers need a break, they can stretch their hammocks between two trees and indulge in a time-out with a view of the treetops. 

Pathways to the soul 

Relax one step at a time – that’s the motto in the Bavarian mountains. The longest and most well-known meditation path is in the Ammergauer Alps. There are also themed trails, such as breathing trails in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Certified body therapists even offer meditative walks in many Bavarian locations. 

Time-out in the monastery 

An increasing number of religious communities are opening their doors to anyone searching for life’s purpose and meaning. Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, for example, offer a variety of experiences such as cultural excursions, hikes in the region, or a participation in their spiritual program.