2019 Germany – Day Eleven – THERME Bad Wörishofen

Friday, 20 September

Today is a day of rest although it is not Sunday. Dolora and I slept in a bit since we are not meeting Nicole until lunch today. We headed into the old part of town for breakfast at a Italian cafe, Gabriella. Food was delicious and generous. A walk through the old part of town followed. We visited the church and saw a parade of kindergartners singing. It turns out the parade was a protest for children’s rights? Dolora window shopped as I enjoyed another sunny but cool morning. After walking off breakfast and a short stop at the hotel, off to meet Nicole for lunch.

Today’s plan was a “nero” day. In backpacking language, a “nero” or near zero day is not quite a day of rest. We only planned one destination but it was to relax at a German spa for the afternoon.

After lunch, Anna arrived. Dolora, Anna, Nicole and I took about a 30 minute ride to THERME Bad Wörishofen. This is a large thermal spa with about 18 saunas, different temperatures and themes. There is also an indoor/outdoor pool and various mineral baths. There is also a separate family area which allows children under 16, but the saunas are 16 and over. After checking in, we visited a low temperature dry sauna. After a cooling shower, a warmer dry sauna. Then we all cooled off in the pool, entered the outdoor section and enjoyed some drinks while in the pool.

After drinks, we headed to a high temperature steam sauna where there was a bit of a show as water was added to the heated rocks. You were given honey to rub on yourself as you started to sweat.. After another shower it was time for cooling off on some of the lounges. Dolora wanted to visit the salt sauna, another steam sauna. You grabbed a handful of salt as you entered an rubbed it on yourself as you began to sweat. This is to make your skin soft.

After several saunas, time for the mineral baths. First was the high salt content bath where you nearly floated on the water. There were separate sulfur and iodine baths. Now it was time to shower and head to dinner, the four hours having passed quickly.

Dinner was a restaurant at the spa with Schweinebraten, roast pork with potatoes and Bavarian cabbage, for both Dolora and I. Back to Nicole’s apartment. We said our farewell to Anna. We will see her again on Wednesday morning when she gives us a ride to the airport. Tea and a beer, a short discussion about tomorrow’s plans and we called it a day. As usual, the weather was wonderful, sunny and cool.