Bavarian Beauty

Bavaria’s reputation for outstanding Alpine hiking and great beer may be unsurpassed, but this region of Germany has far more to offer. In the charming spa town of Bad Reichenhall, where the uber-luxurious Steigenberger Axelmannstein Hotel and Spa has attained worldwide recognition for its wellness offerings. The Axelmannstein boasts an onsite medical bathing and massage center with a sauna complex and ASLAN rejuvenation health facility, where the healthy aging therapies developed by Romanian biologist and physician Ana Aslan are offered. Besides a host of spa therapies, there’s also the regionally themed Alpine Wellness program, featuring salt brine and pine from the majestic Alps. Bad Reichenhall itself is historically significant for its salt caves and underground springs. In keeping with this heritage, the town’s serene central spa park features a magnificent ‘inhalation wall’ used for inhalation therapy. Called the Graidierwerk, this mist-producing salt evaporation structure resembles a long, winding wall covered with hanging foliage and trickling salt water. Spa guests and local residents alike can be found sitting in front of the wall, breathing in the cleansing saline air. In addition, the hotel has its own extensive spa park with a private lake. Choose from morning activities that include nordic walking, aqua training, and Qi Gong. The Axelmannstein opens onto a quiet pedestrian mall lined with trees and shops, with an extensive public wellness facility a few short steps across the street. Here, you’ll find a sleep disorder research center, a sports research facility, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, sound therapy, and an impressive selection of massages and other therapies. The glamorous Axelmannstein, meanwhile, offers plenty to keep you busy, and provides the perfect setting for a European wellness getaway. For more information visit www.bad-reichenhall.steigenberger.de