Barbarous

Our avid contributor, none other than Sascha, has decided to seek soaking spots on Europe's edge, in this case Azerbaijan. 

What follows, is Sascha's search (and find) mission to Jimi hot spring, located in northern Azerbaijan, not far from the border with Dagestan, in what might be coined a challenging terrain. Sascha:

"While surfing the net back in 2016, I came across a hiking description to some remote hot springs in Azerbaijan. But unfortunately without photos. 

Some months later, this hiking trip disappeared from the internet, so probably not many people got interested in this truly special trip. But for me, it had immediately attracted my interest and a possible future destination. Fortunately, I had printed out the route description and thus I tried to organise the trip to the hot springs on my own. 

This was the beginning of long evenings of research and mail requests. 

Momentarily, no serious hiking maps of the region around the towns of Quba and Qonakend exist. According to the existing maps, there was the risk that the hot springs might be located in the Shahdag national park. 

That means that a permit would be mandatory and this needs to be obtained at least 3 weeks before the departure. The procedure as described in the internet looked quite long and rather discouraging. 

I decided to contact other tour guides in order to know if they could organise the trip. The result was not really successful: most tour operators did not respond at all or promised to provide details of the trip which they never did. Other tour operators admitted that they never heard of the hot springs, despite claiming to know their country and the region very well. 

Hot springs that were not yet visible on the internet, that even local hiking guides did not know? 
At this moment the project became even more interesting and I wanted absolutely to discover these hot springs.

Rigor
Finally, I decided to do the trip on my own, together with my 9 year old daughter. 

We travelled to Azerbaijan's capital of Baku where I rented an off-road car. 

I headed over to the Ministry of Ecology in Baku in order to obtain more information regarding the permit for the Shahdag NP.
A very friendly employee informed me, that permits for the Shahdag NP can also be obtained in Quba. Only those who want to climb up the Shahdag mountain summit need a special permit in advance because the summit is close to the Russian (Dagestan) border. 

It took me about 2 hours by road to get to the town of Quba (sometimes written as Guba), in the northern part of Azerbaijan. 

From Quba, it was again a one hour drive on a new road to Qonakend (Qonaqkənd?).
It was beginning of September and it was raining a lot when I arrived in Qonakend. 

Initially, the idea was to park the car in town and to simply hike to the hot springs, but the strong rains made this plan impossible. In addition, due to absence of a good map, I had no real idea where to start the trip. 

I decided to catch some information at the local police office which was located in a big and quite modern building. 
As none of the policemen spoke English, they called the English teacher of the town for us. 

While waiting, we were offered tea and biscuits and tried to communicate with mobile phones and little drawings. Soon, the complete staff of the police station came into the office and shared a tea with us. The room had a strong smell of cigarettes, but this was not of importance at this moment. The tea warmed us and we felt good. 

The English teacher arrived, an older and rigorous man. He explained us the way to the 3 surrounding hot springs, but allowed us only to go to Jimi hot springs (Cimi isti su). The other two hot springs were too dangerous to hike to, because of the heavy rain. 
Well, that was better than nothing.

The chief policeman decided that one police officer should accompany us for our personal safety. Before starting the trip, the police officer suggested us to have lunch with his family. I was aware that the hospitality in Azerbaijan is remarkable, but on this day my expectations were exceeded; like on the days after. 

The hike from Jimi village to the hot springs takes only 5 km but requires to cross the river several times. 
The police officer decided it was better to ask a friend with an old UAZ [= Russian off-road vehicle] to drive us there. The driver asked for the trip 50₼ (= Manat, roughly 30€) which I first considered as quite high.

However, I was wrong. 
We spent all together more than 2 hours to get to the hot springs. Signs exist for hikers but because of the rain, we used the river to approach the hot springs. Personally, I have never met such an experienced off-road driver and I was happy that we did not take in my off-road rental car!

Several times we were stuck in the river. The water was so high that it flew into the car and made our trousers wet. Some times we had to prepare with stones a path, sometimes we had to leave immediately the UAZ because the engine need to be repaired (which is located under the middle seat).

We decided to walk the last 300m and to climb over the rocks. 
The rain had made these rocks slippery and I was not sure anymore, if the effort was worth it. 
However, our driver was now completely passionate to show us the hot springs. Or was it more a question of honor because he had confirmed to bring us to the hot springs? 

Fifteen minutes later we finally arrived. 

Relax
Two hunters from the village, stayed in a ramshackle hove above the hot springs and had made it here with their donkeys. Not a bad idea. Maybe next time.

Before inspecting the hot springs, we had a tea together and tried to have some conversation. It was a feeling like having found a treasure or having achieved a summit. We felt so happy and moreover we were welcomed by friendly people. 

While our guides preferred to continue to discuss with the hunters, my daughter and I went down to the hot springs. The sulphur smelling water comes out of 40°C and flows into a small pool in the ramshackle. 
After 5 minutes, there was enough water in the pool for a relaxing soak in the pure nature of Azerbaijan. What a great feeling.

The way back was surprisingly easy. 
The policeman offered us to spend a night in his house and again we received hospitality that I never met before. I was happy not to camp in the nature as  I had initially foreseen because it was raining all night long and the policeman told us of wolves in the surroundings.

The next morning we had to decide if we continue to explore the two remaining hot springs in the region.

It was clear that the rain was too heavy to risk this adventure. 

“You cannot walk because your legs will sink into the mud” 

was the argument that convinced me. 

Impressed
I decided to head over to the southern Azerbaijan to the Talysh mountains where also hot springs exist with a stopover in Qobustan where mud volcano's offer the possibility for a different kind of soak. See my next contribution.
I am still not sure if it was the right decision, maybe I should have stayed a couple days more, until the weather conditions became better. 
Anyway, after leaving, I got a call from the English teacher in Qonakend: 

“Why did you not contact me, I feel personally responsible for your safety in the mountains”. 

We agreed that next time I will contact him more regularly.

I hope that other travelers will have the same positive impressions as I had of Azerbaijan. It’s a fascinating country and their people offer a lot of surprises and at the same time we always felt welcome. 

Here are some practical remarks for those who want to visit the same area in search of hot springs (please send photos!):

• Jimi village: 5km hike to the hot springs, there are signs that mark the way. Walking sticks are helpful to cross the river.
• Village of Dahna : 7km hike to Khaldan hot springs.
• Village of Xashi/Khashi: 4km hike to the hot springs.

The best time for visiting these hot springs is in August.

Some additional tips:

• Buy a local SIM card and download WAZE. This app is particularly helpful in Baku and is more reliable in Azerbaijan that Google Maps.
• All the three villages offer simple accommodation for around 30₼.
• A good option to relax in comfort after the hike is the 5 star Quba Palace Hotel with golf court, spa, steam bath, hamam and 2 pools. Compared to Western Europe standard, the prices in low season are very reasonable.
• Do not hire an off-road car, a simple car is sufficient. If hiking is not an option, then try to hire donkeys or the UAZ. In all villages, guides can show you the way to the hot springs but want some money for this service.

Apart from the hot springs, a trip to Azerbaijan is definitively worth your while: tourism infrastructure exists but has not the commonly known negative side effects (as it is already the case in Georgia). There is real hospitality, good food and a lot of history and culture.

Spend at least one day and night in Baku, the old town is worth a visit. My hotel suggestion is Hotel Dinamo which is a renovated gym. Very central and very friendly staff. 
For a budget option, I recommend Hazanov Villas. It is located outside the town but only 10 minutes by car or taxi from the airport and 10 minutes from the sea".

Syrup
Thank you Sascha, it sounds like a terrific adventure; all the more rewarding with finding the hot springs. 

Some additional info I came up on the net (though none actually describing  a visit here!)

Wikipedia has an entry on Cimi village though in Azeri. This what the google translate mash up resulted in:

'Cimi oyk, simple. Guba r-nunun Gonagkend settlement iəv in the countryside. It is located in the foothills along the coast of the Cimi River (Valvalachay River). According to the local population, the village was created in the 16th century as a result of the consolidation of families who had moved from several mountain villages and was called Jamie in Arabic. In fact, the village has its name in the thousands. from the springs'.

With that cleared up, the Azeri version of wikipedia even has an entry on the hot springs themselves:

'It is located in the Cimi village of Guba region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in the subdivision of the Cimi River (Valvalacha River). It consists of two hot and one cold mineral springs. The water is sulfuric. Local people use hot springs for treatment. The body is made of "thin, thin water syrup".

This website adds the next when presenting the tourist attractions of Quba :

'There are hydrogen-sulphidous springs on Hashichay River. Here, in the narrow gorge, hot waters of medicinal features are getting out of the rocks. Nobody remembers now who constructed here something like self-made sanatorium consisting of three bathrooms made in the rock width. Each construction at the size of 2x3 m is faced with the stone wall with the shed of the tree trunks. The stone bed of the bathroom fits to the medicinal procedure strike so much that even tourists spoilt by the city civilization spend their times here great pleasure. Semi-darkness, warm water from the rock makes drunk and lull'.

There's also a fire-worship temple not very far away apparently, surprise-surprise. 

Hotspringsworldwide notes on Azerbaijan, the existence of two soaking spots:

'Jimi-Xashi Hot springs Masalli istisu ( photo)'.

Explore Azerbaijan offers a trip on their Facebook page:

'... From Dahna village trecking up along Utugchay river canyon towards hot sulfurated hydrogen baths (18 km) Tourists move down through the picturesque canyon, covered with bushes of sea buckthorn, barberry, wild rose hips and wild cherry plum (alycha). After 6 hours of trekking tourists descend into the canyon to the hot healing springs that flow down into the canyon from steep cliffs. In the rocks at some height there are a few stone huts with baths that are filled with the hot hydrogen sulphide water that runs down from the rocks.
...
Springs of Xashi – Utugchai river gorge – Utug village (16 km).
...
4. Utug village – Jimichai river canyon – Jimi sulphur-springs ( 6 km). Here tourists could take bath in sulphur-springs and reduce fatigue. Overnight in tents. ________________________________ Day 5. Jimi sulphur-springs – Konagkend settlement (10 km). Trekking along Jimichai river gorge'.

Awe365:

'Other popular Azerbaijan trekking tours feature the hot springs of Xashi in the Utugchai river gorge where most trekkers will spend the night camping the meadow besides them. Nearby are the Jimi sulphur springs that are typically incorporated in the same trek'.

But this more or less is it. Even acclaimed thermalsprings.ru isn't in on the act.
So, not more. Until now.

Fate

The current fate of Germany's Badekultur: failing to invest has left the majority in a time warp with little charm to attract the new generations of bathers.
There are though exceptions; Bad Wildbad seems (to a certain degree) to have adapted to a brighter future.

Sitting in the northern Schwärzwald, in the narrow vale of the Ens river, the hills around Bad Wildbad are dressed with fir trees; not discerning enough to edge out any competition for potential tourists. 
But it's quiet town lanes are still busy in late September, with visitors coming for Bad Wildbad's new side attractions.

Easily reached by fast tram from the city of Pforzheim, visitors to Bad Wildbad can use the Sommerbergbahn funicular rail to head up to the edge of the mounts where the added attractions (besides the extensive forests) are a tree top walk and a long hanging bridge which connects two parts of the forest with little on either side to suggest there is a real need for the bridge (= weird?). But the fact you need to pay for the privilege to cross, seems to entice visitors to take the step(s).

Better still, you can use aforementioned funicular to get a head start to the many trails in the mountains. 

For instance, a 2-hour walk from the Sommerbergstation to Grünehutte would award you with the opportunity to taste the local brew and savior the huge portions, dished out of traditional of Germany's cuisine. Which surprisingly enough includes a vegetarian option. Or you could just stick to sweets: küche galore or take the exceptional pancakes (Heidelbeerpfannkuchen (pictured below), the edges fried crispy with the center packed with local blueberries compote).

And from Grünehutte you could continue to enjoy the High Moor and Wildsee:

So you understand, Bad Wildbad is attracting a new clientele based on new attractions with traditional pastimes thrown into the mix. 
But then again, back in town a young US visitor, ordering a coffee with soy milk was met with a blank stare and a shake of the head: things haven't changed that much.

Using Bad Wildbad as a base to visit the surroundings and utilize the oddity of the downtown Palais Thermal in the evening, could well ensure a great holiday.

Oddity?  
Here's where I apologize for contributions upcoming in German, even in French; reader, you'll just have to use your favorite translator. Or learn a language or two.

Anyway, Palais Thermal is basically a new sauna complex glued to an older bathing complex. Wikiwand on the origins of it's waters:

"Im Kurzentrum tritt Grundwasser aus mehr als 1000 m Tiefe mit einer Temperatur von 36 bis 41 °C an die Oberfläche. Anstelle der natürlichen Quellaustritte wird das Thermalwasser heute aus fünf Tiefbrunnen gefördert".

The main bath building is quite old actually, there aren't many bathhouses from these dates still functional.
Dating back to 1842  (see Wikipedia link below), it contains two larger baths, the Herrenbad and of course the Frauenbad. Both are 32°C, though there are other two-persons affairs located on the sides of the main pools, all just a little hotter.

From the Palais Thermal flickr site, the Herrenbad with naked lady statue ...

In a couple of alcoves, there's some history of the Palais presented, which management coin as a museum. 
This part has been designed in Jugendstil and little has changed; experiencing the architecture and the way light falls, the building is very much worth the visit and a swim.
Or as Wikipedia (German) describes the building as follows:

"In Wildbad sind Badehäuser seit dem Jahr 1521 nachgewiesen. Vermutlich gab es sie schon im 14. und 15. Jahrhundert, da sich Wildbad in dieser Zeit zu einem bekannten Badeort entwickelte. 1545/1546 ließ Herzog Ulrich den Ulrichsbau mit Fürstenbad errichten. Im 17. Jahrhundert bestanden daneben drei Badgebäude: Das Herren- und Bürgerbad, das Frauenbad und das Armenbad vor dem oberen Tor, das später als Pferdebad diente. Am Bestand änderte sich bis zum 19. Jahrhundert nur wenig, da lange Zeit Trinkkuren den Badekuren vorgezogen wurden".

What also contributes to the oddity is that the historic baths are clothing optional; a concept still foreign to Europe: mixing the options is confusing. 
So just enjoying the baths basically means you'll be probably confronted with the naked soul (and body) even though you actually limited yourself to the bath option only, just to avoid this kind of confrontation!

dank_jakes

I'll let you decide whose the Greek goddess 🍑

Bummed
Anyway, what about our own experience? 

On forehand we limited ourselves to evening visits, away from the day tourist crowds, but also to take advantage of the lower entrance fees, post 6 pm. 
On tripadvisor (4.5 stars, 516 reviews, no. 2 of things to do in Bad Wildbad) you'll see a number of complaints concerning front-desk staff, though on the occasions of our visits there was nothing to suggest that they were other than welcoming. 

After breaching this first hurdle and receiving your bracelet (for the locker, buying beverages/food and sauna entrance), you continue onwards to the changing cubicles which are surprisingly small and private affairs despite the CO culture adopted.

From the changing cubicles one passes a hall into the old building where there are gender separate shower stations adjacent the already mentioned Herrenbad. It's the biggest and with the 32°C it's a good starter for the sauna process. Unfortunately the other baths in the older section are very similar in temperature, though with a slightly different setting. 
If you want more, head upstairs where you can bathe in the so-called Bluepool whose's antiquity dates back just 40 odd years, thus one can understand that here's less for the eye to catch. 
Here, at the back there's a small sauna, but for other sauna's one needs to pass the turnstile whereby you get charged an extra €5. 
Beyond the paywall, there are a number of sauna's, a Dampfbad and an outside swimming pool with views of the town and the Sommerberg itself.

The outside pool is a beauty while the adjacent panorama sauna is equally delightful. 
A story lower, there's a large sauna which is used for the Aufguss sessions, on the dot every hour (it's always surprising how quiet the whole place is, but come Aufguss time, the sauna's are extraordinarily packed to bursting). Utilizing the Aufguss option is always fun and tests your stamina.

We also had the enjoyment to use the Bluepool with what management refers to as Klangwassercocktail. While drifting in the pool, a concert with mostly sounds such as didgeridoo, Tibetan bowls and throat singing entice a further relaxation though with the pool packed with bodies there was some bumming around. This happens usually once every 3 months.

Or in other words, Palais Thermal results in a great experience with enjoying the old, savouring the new, discovering the nooks and crannies, etc.

Stated
Well, what do others believe?
I was surprised by some Tripadvisor, whereby complaints were made, concerning other guests and the CO routine maintained:
Some snippets:

"Diese Mischung aus nackten und bekleideten Gästen ist ungewöhnlich, fast schon unerträglich. Zudem die vielen kleinen Becken, in einigen davon tummelten bzw. posieren oder vergnügten sich verliebte Paare".
...
"Bit misleading they say you can wear swimsuits but don’t tell you only on the ground floor".
...
"Some people wore swimwear, others didn't. Surely the whole point of "textile free" is that if everyone is in the same state, there is no embarrassment, there is only embarrassment when some wear swimwear and others don't".

Google reviews (4.5*, 974 reviews) has a similar story:

"Swimwear area and nude area is very unclear. There are no signs whatsoever".
...
" ... if you aren't German, or don't know all the myriad German rules of order, protocol, and obligation, I'd suggest looking for a more accommodating establishment".
...
"... we found it annoying if you want to chill down in the old baths and there are naked people running around and swimming naked at you".
...
"Außerdem ist das ein gemischter Bereich, was ich, ehrlich gesagt, etwas irritierend fand. Ich bin eher für: entweder alle nackt oder alle bekleidet".
...
"At 32°C the pools were pretty cool for me. Also we were asked to leave the sauna because we were wearing swimwear. Would not mind but there were no signs and we were told that swimwear was fine on the way in. Will not be going back that's for sure".
...
"La personne à l'acceuil nous à dis que l'ensemble de l'établissement était nudiste !? Hors sur le site internet il précise qu'il y a des endroits textile et d'autre non !!???? Bref nous ne sommes donc pas entrée".

Though admittedly, the lay-out is confusing, there's little to suggest that the other complaints were nothing more than personal peeves. 

CO routine,  though rather ridicule in my eyes, is clearly stated and the complaints are either traditional German bathers or non-Germans: the traditionalists eschew any move away from naked-only and tolerance of slightly more clothed. Whereas non-Germans are intentionally possibly trying to limit their exposure?

As a widely publicized thermal experience (their slogan: "Deutschlands sinnlichstes Saunabad"), one encounters quite a few tourist unfamiliar with Germany's Badekultur and routine, thereby possibly implying something where there's nothing. 
Both review sites do have very high overall scores from rather a lot of reviewers, so most are satisfied?

Cosy

Press coverage, especially in English is near to non-existent. Only on offer is this article from the Sydney Morning Herald (Oct. 19, 2018):

'We're at the historic Palais Thermal baths in the wonderfully named German town of Bad Wildbad. We've arrived pre-dinner, tuckered out by trail walking in the nearby Black Forest. Having read of the enforced nudity section in a brochure – and via an aggrieved web post from a family thrown out for boldly wearing bathers in the "garment-free" area – we're keen to see this Teutonic action before getting stuck into the fabled smoked trout soup at a local cafe. 
In the mid-19th century, when the Palais Thermal was built, some of its smaller pools were private bathing alcoves known as "Prince Baths" because only those of royal blood could use them. As cosy as this sounds, men and women were at the time strictly segregated: blokes in Herrenbads, women in Frauenbads ("bad" being the German word for bath), suggesting a lot of blue bloods couldn't be as bad as they might have wished. 
Today there are residents of the spa town who've been flopping about naked in mixed baths all their lives. For them, public nudity is as natural as feathered hats, hiking poles and salami for breakfast. But for first-timers like me, it's a strange experience in which anxiety and prurient interest struggle for dominance'. 

But mostly it's tongue-in-cheek-ness concerning anatomic of other guests; somethings never change in Anglo-Saxon media land.

German press is more to the note.

Currently upgrades are taking place apparently, which the PZ.news (May 13, 2019) refers as:

„Staatsbad-4.0-Konzept“.

Though from the article the only thing that's clear is that nothings clear ... Especially for the adjacent mostly empty Neue Eberhardsbad a solution needs to be sought while noted that there were a couple of other buildings in Bad Wildbad requiring renovation.

The Schwarzwaldebote notes (Jul. 10) that there's an additional sauna being installed complete with an ice lounge and shower stations. 

The blogging world seems less interested apparently. Or is the written word dying out?

Anyway, the Traveling Overeducated Housewife shares her experience (Jun. 2017) though it's very much a discussion on public nudity:

'As I enjoyed the warm water and sunshine, I couldn’t help but marvel at how unexpectedly freeing it was to be naked in front of a bunch of strangers. Seriously… I think I was born to be European. It was interesting to see who was at the spa. I saw all kinds of bodies and no one stared or acted embarrassed. I saw old people, thin people, fat people, young people… one thing I did not see was young children, which was a real blessing. The youngest people there were a couple of teenagers. They appeared to be brother and sister and were with a guardian– not egregiously sucking face like I often see at the Mineraltherme. In fact, everyone was behaving themselves. Maybe it has to do with being naked'.

Likewhereyouregoing (Apr. 7):

'As a non-German, I was a little apprehensive to try this experience. But by the end of my two hour soak, I had almost forgotten that myself and the other guests were in the buff'.

Observe
Besides already mentioned activities, there maybe other places of interest to on your sojourn in Bad Wildbad:

- Cycling up and along the mountains. Or on the cycle path of Ens valley. 

 

- Climb up the Hohlohturm. Wikipedia:

'At the northern end of the summit plateau, at a height of 984 m, is the Hohloh Tower (Hohlohturm), officially the Emperor William Tower (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Turm), an observation tower, from which there are often wide views in the Northern Black Forest. It stands about 200 metres north of the summit and on the edge of the steep slope where a better view of the Murg Valley to the northwest may be had'.

- Visiting Nagoldtalsperre, a great place for wildswimming. Or supping. Or hiking.

- Further away, heading towards the Sankenbachwasserfall from Baiersbronn, with a great mountain lake with another wildswim opportunity.

- Baden-Baden (with thermal baths of it's own) is not far away, but due to some failure in communication the two most convenient roads were closed meaning a lengthy detour. And thus no visit alas.

Don't forget the discount for Konus card holders; if staying overnight in Bad Wildbad or nearby, the local tax provides you with this card which gives free public transport in the wider region, discounts on various entrances / rides. And of course a 2€ discount on Palais Thermal.

Postscript 2022: in an act to line up experiences had, we try to translate an unique experience into a figure. Was it an eight? 

Could be more, but the wellness experience is devalued by the allowance of costumes in baths on ground floor, lack of catering, poor reception area while the second floor has a maze. But then there's the new renovated areas, with great large bath, extensive panorama sauna, etc. And the Klangwassercocktail evening was something different.