 |
Baden-Baden © BBT |
Overview The playground of Europe's royalty and aristocracy in the early
1800s, Germany's famed holiday resort town of Baden-Baden, in the
heart of the Black Forest, still draws thousands of tourists who
come to relax in the waters and gamble in the casino.
The Friedrichsbad bathhouse has been the scene of much pampering
for over 120 years. Those seeking rest and recuperation on holiday
still enjoy its steamy marble confines, soaking in mineral water in
the nude. Male and female facilities remain separate, and the
roughly three-hour bathing routine follows a strict regimen of
showers, hot-air blasts, steam baths and massages.
Nearby are the equally famous Baths of Caracalla, which features
indoor and outdoor waterfalls, swimming pools and jacuzzis. The
complex houses a 2,000-year-old Roman bath, once used by the
Emperor Caracalla. The Baden-Baden casino was built in the 1850s in
the style of the Palace of Versailles, and is worth seeing while on
holiday, even for those who do not gamble.