The brightness and warmth of the summer is a chance for us to recharge our batteries. But when the sunny days get shorter and the colder seasons beckon, then we start to need a bit of comfort and calm, making it the perfect time for wellness. There are plenty of ways to top up your energy levels in harmony with nature in Rhineland‑Palatinate: being close to the water, kindling a fire, breathing in fresh air and feeling the earth under your feet. Our journey through the state tracks down the elements and even discovers a fifth one that is typical of Rhineland‑Palatinate.
Water: Bad Ems
There are an impressive 15 mineral springs. The spa resort of Bad Ems sits in an idyllic spot in the lower Lahn valley near Koblenz and is an ideal spot to regain strength from the element of water. Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, Bad Ems was one of the most popular spa resorts in Germany. Many European monarchs and artists had summer residences built in this ‘global spa’ in the 19th century.
Herbal stamp massage in Bad Sobernheim, Nahe
And the tradition lives on. People still flock to Bad Ems to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. The thermal spa featuring the first river sauna in Germany is especially popular. Visitors can swim in 6,600 square metres of thermal waters, leave everyday stresses behind them in the sauna park, enjoy a massage to relieve their tensions and exercise in the fitness area. Or simply daydream while enjoying the view over the Lahn. Heraclitus famously declared ‘panta rhei’ (everything flows), and that is very much in evidence here.
View of the outdoor pool at the Emser Therme thermal baths in Bad Ems, Lahn valley
Relaxing at FlussSauna on the Lahn at the Emser Therme: in Bad Ems, Lahn valley
Fire: Bad Bertrich volcanic Eifel thermal spa
The volcanic spa is an idyllic spot and the perfect place to get closer to the force of fire. There is fire blazing under the ground here, and the Vulkaneifel Therme in Bad Bertrich captures its energy, something that is pretty unique. The swimming pools are filled with healing waters straight from the volcanic depths. Pleasant naturally warm temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and valuable natural minerals are good for the body. The Vulkaneifel Therme is wonderfully relaxing and the only Glauber salt thermal spa in the whole of Germany.
The saunas also lean heavily on volcanic activity. Five saunas from different volcanic springs and a steam bath bring warmth into the depths of your body and increase your feeling of well-being. There are luxurious relaxation rooms where you can enjoy the lasting effects of the heat and let relaxation flow through your body.
Relax in the mineral waters of the Vulkaneifel Therme Bad Bertrich, Eifel
Outside area at the Vulkaneifel Therme in Bad Bertrich, Eifel
Air: Salinental health park in Bad Kreuznach
A stay in Bad Kreuznach is a holiday for the lungs. They once produced salt in the Salinental valley. Not any more. But the works are still there, thanks to doctor Johann Erhard Prieger, who discovered the healing powers of the salt springs in 1817. The brine still trickles more than 1.1 kilometres through the graduation works, losing over nine metres in height, and there is a mist of salt water floating in the air. A walk along the graduation works is like a stroll by the seaside, just in the middle of Rhineland‑Palatinate. Take a deep breath – the fresh breeze is good for the lungs and the bronchial tubes! It is also pleasantly cool here, even on hot days.
Relaxing walk along the graduation works in Salinental, Bad Kreuznach, Nahe
Earth: Felkekur in Bad Sobernheim
People have been coming to Bad Sobernheim for more than 100 years to discover the healing powers of the earth. Why? In 1915, Pastor Emanuel Felke opened a naturopathic practice here to offer his treatment to patients. It is based on a number of elements, but mud plays an important role: when applied to the skin, it is said to strengthen the pores, stimulate circulation and extract acids and toxins. Mud baths are also part of the treatment. This involves diluting the natural product with water and warming it, so the patient feels warm and caressed from all sides. This holistic treatment is said to be especially beneficial for conditions such as gout, rheumatism, arthritis and high blood pressure. Felkekur treatments are still available from a number of places in Bad Sobernheim. The barefoot trail is just one example.
Peeling at the spa
Wine: The fifth element
Wellness in Rhineland‑Palatinate? Of course, you couldn’t do it without a glass of wine. What better way is there to round off a relaxing day than with a fine drop of local wine? It makes absolute sense that wine should form part of this list too. The Palatinate wine region has coined the name ‘WellVinEss’ to express a combination of relaxation and indulgence. Wine is the core product that shapes the environment, from picture-perfect sloping vineyards to cosy wine bars.
But WellVinEss is not just about wandering through the vineyards before enjoying a glass or two; wine and grapes also play a central role in the treatments. These include bathing in Riesling or Pinot Noir (the former stimulates, the latter relaxes), a grapeseed oil massage or a grapeseed peel. A Rhineland‑Palatinate journey for the senses!
