stan1162

Any info on being a day visitor to one of the hot spring spas??

I've read there are 18, but some connected to hotels.

I've also read there are "public" ones. Has anyone had personal experience with one??

Thanks in advance.

Alsacienne

I've not been to Baden in Switzerland but I have been to several thermal baths in the Black Forest near where I live and in Germany and Iceland. If you are a day visitor, you will probably have to buy a timed ticket for a certain length of stay. If you had wanted to book 'treatments' - massage, mud, facials etc - you'd probably need to reserve ahead of time.

Bring your own costume and towel, but check the 'dress' code .... for gents, are only 'speedo' style trunks permitted (ie no bermudas) for ladies, are swimsuits with skirts permitted as distinct from one pieces or bikinis (my home pool forbids swimming skirts for ladies), and what is the rule as regards wearing swimming caps .... some pools require them for both gents and ladies.

You may need to bring shampoo and conditioner for your hair afterwards, and sometimes coins for lockers, but my experience in all of this time of pool is that it is easy to follow the rules and that you are required to shower before entering the pool. Only in Iceland have I found it necessary to shower naked before entering the water, and there are stalls where you can change and shower without inviting a crowd of spectators! Facilities are usually very clean and inviting and there's usually plenty of mirrors and hair dryers to make yourself beautiful before you hit the road again after your swim!

greg5

YMMV on this. I've worn surfer shorts that I picked up in Hawaii to one of the thermal baths in Switzerland without any issues. And there certainly weren't many guys wearing 'speedo' style shorts there. Switzerland tends to be a good bit different than Germany with respect to what folks wear.