Visitors looking to get some rest have for many years headed to different relaxing spa towns so as to get healthy spring waters, and most of these restorative spots are still standing to this day. There are many historic spa holidays and the following are some of the best in the world.
Baden Baden, Germany
Situated on the Black Forest edge, the spa town of Baden Baden was considered the most glamorous resort across Europe, and was visited by renowned luminaries like Hector Berlioz, Victor Hugo and Johannes Brahms who came here to get a taste of the water as well as revive their spirits. The most famous writer to live in Baden Baden was perhaps Fyodor Dostoevsky who wrote the novel 'The Gambler' while on summer holiday in this upscale resort.
The city was very exclusive to the extent that Wilhelm I, Napoleon III, Victoria and other Kings and Queens patronized its hot thermal baths as well as the natural mineral springs. Though it lost its popularity in the early 20th century, the city's amazing historic architecture of multi-colored palaces, sedate arcades and fairy tale castles has survived to date, and the spa town is now undergoing something like a rebirth. If you are looking to have that private retreat in style, be sure to make your booking into the Baden Casino for refined cocktails, a round of poker, civilized parlor games and beautiful night-time fountains.
Bath, England
This city has been renowned for its thermal springs from AD 43 when the Romans arrived there and established it as the first spa town in England. Bath has been recognized by the UNESCO as a world heritage site and visitors are amazed by the impressive Georgian architecture which includes the Royal Crescent, Pulteney Bridge and The Circus, and was built from local golden limestone.
The most popular attractions for visitors in the city are baths, one being the ancient Roman Bath which still stands today. To get a more modern experience visit the Thermae Bath Sea, which was recently renovated, located in the town centre and features spa treatments rooms, elegant contemporary architecture and open-air rooftop pool that's heated by underground hot springs.
Marienbad, Czech Republic
Also known as Marianske Lazne in Czech, this is a secluded resort town in Czech Republic. Famed for the astonishing belle époque architecture which included mansion houses and apartment blocks, this town's naturally sparkling spring water was drunk by rich and illustrious visitors from around Europe during the 19th century since it was said to have medicinal qualities, with some contemporary sources claiming it had laxative benefits as well.
In the center of Marienbad there are the Neo-classical colonnades and pavilions where some among the town's 100 natural springs are found. Visitors looking for a pampering spot can sip the water, which is rich in iron and magnesium, to their fulfillment or just float in the buoyant, warm baths. To see this resort town at its most surreal, check out Alain Resnais' seminal movie ‘Last Year at Marienbad’, whose setting was in this spa town.