Friedrichsbad

The highlight of a visit to Baden-Baden is taking the kur, partaking of the curative waters. Pluck up your courage and opt for the *Friedrichsbad (Roman-Irish Bath), a two-hour ritual involving a complex routine which is explained in the blue English instruction sheet that you pick up as you purchase your ticket (it’s well worth the extra small charge to include the soap-and-brush massage). Up the stairs (men one side, women the other), insert your ticket to gain admission, put your clothes in the basket, put your card in the locker to get a key, walk self-consciously to the showers, grab a towel, don slippers, and follow the numbers (and English explanation) on the walls. Relax in a hot room for 20 minutes, followed by an even hotter steam room (remember to lie on your towel—it’s that hot); inhale steam from the curative waters; forget your modesty as you enter the pool (station 9)—it’s men and women mixed (this came as quite a surprise); enjoy an invigorating massage; suffer a cold plunge; and finish with a relaxing rest wrapped in a warm towel beneath a blanket in a dimly lit room. (9 am–10 pm, 2–10 pm, Sunday, last entry 7 pm.)