Warm

al.lloveras

Bain naturel de st. Thomas - Pyrénées-Orientales. #pirineus #instapirineos#frança #fontromeu #banys #banysnaturals#termes #termesnaturals #termal #relax#minivacances

Winter is yet again upon us. Following are a few enlightenments on Europe's wintry soaks. Freezing limbs from the cold, meeting the heat. The result: extreme tingling. 

definatalie_travelling from Austria's Maibacherl, but also in winter (?)

Whhhaaat hot springs in the middle of a forest? Ohh yes... it's a very magical and energetic place and forest 🌲💦🌳❄️ when I was a child my mother took us here every time when the creek was active ... ❤️thermal hot spings in Warmbad Austria ❤️thank you @manuelbierbaumer for taking the pic 😘 #austria #warmbad #villach#maibacherl #austrianblogger #forest#hotsprings #creek #termalwater#magicalplace #sonyalpha6000 #snow#magicalmoments #lovethis #fog#travelphotography #photography

leonhotelart at Tuscany's Terme di Petriolo

#boží #prirodnilazne #petriolo #40°C #italy #tuscany #february #naturalhotsprings #thermalbath #blonde #blondgirl #tattoo #tattoogirl #goodlife #goodvibes #createyourownlife

On top

matthewhahnel

Paradise by the beach. Nice to have a hot bath amongst the frozen landscape 🔥

Just a couple of possible examples from the never ending sources from Iceland. Winter soaks work as well.

lien_heart at Reyklaladur

The 3.7 km hike up a snowy mountain was totally worth it. #i❤iceland #hotsprings #mountains # hike #snow #yolo #ontopoftheworld #adventure #wanderlust

lorellamich

One of the best experiences ever 🇮🇸 #Iceland #geothermalbath #krosslaug #naturalpool #42degrees

Nono 

fabian_lentsch

Natural spa in Greece 👌🏽😄 #snowmads🇬🇷 #analog #nohomo #afterski #tb

Above the Greek hot spring of Thermopyles, below a diptych from Andalusia, then over to Armenia.

 

almuzenit at Termas de Santa Fe

8wheels.blog

After visiting the partly frozen waterfall of Jermuk we walked half an hour through the snow to this Geysir. People are writing it is a hot spring with temperatures around 50-60 degrees Celsius. Well, unfortunately it is only around 30 degrees Celsius at the end of November. Obviously, that didn't stop us from getting in. But then suddenly the water floating the pool became more and more and the whole pool started to move beyond us. Volcano saying "hi" we guess. Bathing at 2025 meters. #snow #geysir #naturalpool #hotsprings#jermuk #armenia #8wheelsblog #2000#november #vanlife #volcano #travel#bathing

And finishing off, where we started (lead photo) back in France at the thermal springs of St. Thomas.

sonnrie

Young & wild & free

Turning red

 

Thermal?
When visiting the Thermes de Spa in Spa, Belgium, one could be excused for being confused: is this a hot spring? Or not?

Thermes in French means baths according to google, though Oxford dictionaries also adds thermal baths as a translation. Though the use of thermal oddly does not mean from geothermal origin but merely being warm. 
In German, therme refers to a hot spring. 
And one would think that the name would imply originating from thermal.

The confusion continues. The Thermes de Spa's own website refers to the main pool as being a

'... thermal spring area [Espace thermal]'.  

Wikipedia in it's definitions of a thermal spring notes:

'The water temperature of a hot spring is usually 6.5 °C (12 °F) or more above mean air temperature'.

It's not only me who is confused. One of the best references on hot springs (Erfurt-Cooper & Cooper, 2009) has a sentence or two on the town of Spa and it's thermes:

'It was here in the 14th century AD that a health resort was founded after discovery of a thermal spring with apparent curative properties, and henceforth the name of Spa was connected to hot spring facilities worldwide'.

In this she refers to an article by R. Cordes: 

'April 2004 saw the grand opening of the Thermes de Spa, a EUR 15 million project of which 80 percent was financed by public authorities of Spa and the surrounding area. The rest came from Spa Monopole, producer of the famous Spa mineral water, and Eurothermes, a French company that runs similar facilities in France, Spain and Switzerland.
Investors are betting that within the next two to three years, some 150,000 people will come to swim in the 800 square metres of indoor and outdoor thermal pools every year, and that the wellness, beauty and health centre will administer between 80 and 200 treatments per day'.

Hot spring or not? The Thermes de Spa website reveals it's resources. For the purpose of bathing, it sources the natural waters from three different springs: Clementine (calcium bi-carbonate); Reine (slightly salty) and Marie-Henriette (naturally sparkling, bi-carbonated, iron bearing, manganese bearing) (source). All are piped in from their original spring, none though originate from a hot spring ....

So in conclusion, maybe not a hot spring ...?

Spit

Well the fact that it is not a hot spring need not deter a visit to Spa. After all the town and springs of Spa seem to be the origin of the word spa. So although there are doubts on the thermal origins of its waters, it certainly would be a sort of homecoming. Or not?

But is this homecoming correct? Has the town of Spa given it's name to spa, as in the wellness therapy?

The town of Spa was named after either a Latin word meaning to gush forth or a Germanic word meaning to spit (source). And by chance Spa became a highly regarded place to be, which inspired others to copy at least the concept of bathing buildings and industry and name this a spa, free PR ensured.

However there are others who contend that the word spa has a totally different origin, dating back to the Roman bathing heydays: 

'So the quoted acronym SPA found in the Roman world the culture broth to be interpreted as Salutem per Aquam. The problem is that there is not a reference in the ancient world to the phrase as such  nor the content or concept of water as a means to health'.

So possibly not? Interesting (or not) this discussion can be found here. I can imagine that probably the origin of spa is a mix of both ...

But with the historical context of Spa being the (possible) origin of the word combined with the possibility that the baths are of thermal origin and the need for a break with the availability of sauna visit / and a lengthy walk, we set off for a winter visit to Spa.

 

Historia

Understanding the need to visit Spa, is understanding it's unique history.

Naturally set in a valley in the north of the Belgian Ardennes, the town is still surrounded by large forests which are home to a reputed more than 300 fresh water springs. What's more, many of these springs have unique features, such as heavy on iron or naturally carbonated.

The first record of the fames of Spa's waters is to be found in the Naturalis Historia, written by Pliny the Elder. In the book dated to 77-79 AD:

'Tungri civitas Galliae fontem habet insignem plurimis bullis stillantem, ferruginei saporis, quod ipsum non nisi in fine potus intellegitur. purgat hic corpora, tertianas febres discutit, calculorum vitia. eadem aqua igne admoto turbida fit ac postremo rubescit', 

which translates as:

The state of the Tungri, in Gaul, has a spring of great renown, which sparkles as it bursts forth with bubbles innumerable, and has a certain ferruginous taste, only to be perceived after it has been drunk. This water is strongly purgative, is curative of tertian fevers, and disperses urinary calculi: upon the application of fire it assumes a turbid appearance, and finally turns red. 

However it wasn't until the latter Middle Ages that bathing in Spa's waters became fashionable. Visits are noted from Henry VIII and Peter the Great (source) and by the 18th century the following was said of Spa:

'... such was the flow of well-heeled visitors that Spa became known as “The Café of Europe'.

As wealth was mostly held these gentry back in those days, it's no surprise that Spa also saw the establishment of the first modern casino's of Europe (source).

'Spa reemerged [from Napoleon ruled France] in the late 19th century with a huge urbanism program, including the building of the Thermes (1862), of the Leopold II Gallery and the Pavilions (1878), of the Pouhon-Pierre-le-Grand (1880), of the Villa Marie-Henriette (1885), of the Lake Waarfaz (1892) and of the St. Remacle church (1896). The municipality revamped the Thermes in 1905 and built a new Kursaal in 1908'. (source)

Spa's older bath building

Concerning it's past the Thermes de Spa website adds this to the building of the elder spa building:

'... equipped with 54 bathtubs, opening in 1868'.

However this boom started off earlier. Same website:

'Starting in the 16^th century, Spa pioneered the export of its water to nearby regions then throughout Europe

...

Originally hydrotherapy consisted in swallowing large quantities of these therapeutic waters. Then, starting in the 18^th century, carbonated baths and peat baths took over.

It was at this time that Spa experienced an extremely brilliant period. Czar Peter the Great came to take the waters in 1717 and left having been healed.

...

Somewhat later, it was Belgium’s second queen, Marie-Henriette who linked her name and her destiny to the town. Indeed, she lived in Spa for a number of years and contributed to its renown. She died there in 1902'.

The statue Ondine de Spa stands in the Pouhon Pierre le Grand (the Peter the Great source) building, a former grand building (with winter garden) to accommodate the spring which is now the town's visitor information office. 

The ondine (or undine; it stems from German mythology) is nimf-like elf (or vice versa), don't   know why there are two ondines here. Some would say they are the soaking spirits of Spa ... Note they are noted for having no souls ... (source).

Unculture
But what about the experience? 

The town of Spa itself has still some charm thanks to past construction efforts, though many of the grander buildings are in disuse. 

The baths themselves have given way to modern day version which is constructed on the mount, north of the town. Getting there has been made easier with the use of Belgium's only funicular rail which heads from the foot of the hill into the termes themself. A return ticket will set you back €3. If staying at the Radisson Blu Palace you'll even have your private funicular car to go up.

We arrived both visits at around 18:00, in the dark, to be welcomed by a vicious long line of other potential spa goers. Waits went up to 20 minutes which seems to suggest that customer satisfaction is not high on the Therme's agenda. After payment (€20/3 hours, €30/day), one gets a fiche which electronically gives you entry to the spa. It also functions as a coin for the lockers, for racking up the food and drinks bill (if pesky) and seems to serve as a deterral for corruptable youth wanting to visit the totally naked zone. And if not payed in full by departure, it will keep you locked in!

Anyway, after letting oneself inside, there's a mass of small cubicles for changing, all rather small and claustrophobic, but that's efficiency these days. Once through the changing process, it's off to the pools. Oh, mandatory showering? Yeah let's. Oh we're one of the few who do? Hmmm .....

The spacious pool area has a nice lay out and the tall ceiling is a delight to see. Less inviting, the pool is jam packed! 

On both visits we first head up the stairs to the rather small naked zone. After verifying our ages (we paid full price which means that our fiche indicates that we are over 16) one can proceed to said place. It consists of a larger sauna, a hot jacuzzi, a hot bath, a cold bath, a couple of showers and a steam room. With a couple of benches in between, all packed with towels to indicate that they are reserved ... 
The sauna itself is very hot, the steam room not warm enough, while the other features too small to cater to the amount of visitors. 
Many of the clients are die-hard sauna enthusiasts, though the set-up also allows newcomers while the tourniquet at the entrance ensures that there's not a constant to-ing and fro-ing of mostly curious onlookers / voyeurs. As is common at Thermae 2000 in nearby Valkenburg, Netherlands. New-comers also somehow mean a disregard for sauna etiquette / hygiene: there are some who don't use towels to sit on in the sauna and then after sweating jump straight into the hot pool. And there are those that come for the experience, but are actually clothed all the time.

After an hour or so, we donned the swim suits and went downstairs to the now less busier pools, one indoor, one out. Though the waters are warm (32°C?), they must be using a lot of chlorine as I feel an instant attack on my throat and nose. So much for a healthy (and natural?) experience!
(read Daily Mail, 7 Jan. 2015: What are YOU swimming in? Scientists find insect repellent, caffeine and flame retardant chemicals in public pools)

Dare to compare
With the spa's of Valkenburg (Thermae 2000) and Aachen (Carolus) nearby as well as the downstream Chaudfontaine, it's not so strange to compare between these. 

Below is a comparison based on reviews. 

	Tripadvisor (stars/reviews)	Yelp (stars/reviews)	Zoover (points out of 10 / reviews)	Price
Thermae 2000	4 / 219, source	3 / 3 source	7.2 / 220, source	€32,50 / day
Carolus Thermen	4 / 308 source	4.5 / 64 source	9.3 / 9, source	€12-13 / 2.5 hours; €15-16 / day. Double with entry to sauna's
Chaudfontaine	3.5 / 7 source	no reviews	no reviews	€40 / day

Spa's ratings are as follows: Tripadvisor: 3.5  (364 reviews), Yelp: 4 (7 reviews) and Zoover: 4.4 (4 reviews). It also shows that Dutch consumers are less satisfied. Clearly though, Spa scores are not the best ....

Having now been to Spa, Aachen and Valkenburg, I would also give preference to the Carolus Thermen: clean, well managed, efficient and still one of the cheapest of the four. Valkenburg though does have unclothed days which earns it a bonus point and the setting is also good. Spa though has the best setting and the funicular / town added to the experience. But the least pleasant experience.

Journée aux Thermes de Spa. On commence par les bains carbogazeux C'est parti pour 20 min de bonheur #spa #thermesdespa #bains #carbogazeux #relaxation #zen 

source

One of Spa's trademark therapies is the use of natural bains carbogazeux (carbonated bath) as depicted below. From wellnesstraveling.nl:

'Spa is already long been known for its 'Bain Carbogazeux', ie carbonated and we also want to try. The bath causes a delay of the heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure. What does a man want more! The copper baths in some treatment rooms and sink into the black marble floor. The employee has already run the bath with water from the Marie-Henriette full source, 400 years of the oldest source of Spa. It is ferruginous water and carbon dioxide comes from three different extractions up. A single pipe brings the water to the Baths, directly in my bathtub. That the shell of copper is, is required for the effect. The metal causes a chemical reaction with the water, they knew that a long time ago, even though. And indeed, if I'm in the copper tub lowering, the body is covered with thousands of bubbles. If I just rub my arms and chase the bubbles, they are in no-time back. They provide a slight tingling sensation on the skin. Very relaxing'.

The bath uses carbonated water which reacts to the skin by sizzling.

Postscript 2022: based on the sauna experience only, a 5,5. Facilities are too small, too crowded.

Reference
Erfurt-Cooper, P., Cooper, M. (2009) Health and Wellness Tourism: Spas and Hot Springs. Aspects of Tourism 40. Channel View Publications, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Nature understood

Confusion
Something that never seems to bore me is the variety of bathing fashions applied by the globe's population. Some have evolved through the ages, adjusted to fashions and require some forehand knowledge. Others are rather straightforward and seem to ignore standard health issues.

Myself a natural bathing enthusiast if available or possible I tend to adjust if required (though reluctantly) and the experience is always lesser especially if the logic for non-naturalness is far from, well logic itself.

But that's me.

As enthusiastic as I am, note be that bathing in Europe is very different, varying from type of bath to country-wise to local custom, whereas in some cases it's up to the individual him/herself.

And this seems to confuse. Europeans themselves. And non-Euro's. For instance why are beaches in France liberal, but sauna's often not? Why are Greeks prude but their beaches a haven of freedom? Why are Dutch beaches conservative but their wellness sector often freedom loving?

'N'allez surtout pas croire qu'on allait se baigner nu comme des hippies dans des sources chaudes. De toute facon la photo est floue alors y a pas de preuve que c'est nous'.

French surprise at freer Greek (soaking) spirits. Source

So many questions ...

Trauma
Starting this blog intermezzo off is a report. The icelandweatherreport (Nov. 5). It has an entry on the public institution of Icelandic public and payable hot springs: having to take a public shower, naked, prior to taking the waters (clothed!). 
Note we are talking about gender-segregated showers. So what is the issue?
Apparently Iceland habits require a soaker to be 'clean' before taking the waters. Not so strange. 
And this requires a naked shower. Not so strange.

Unless of course your social setting differs. Excerpt:

'Here in Iceland we are so used to showering naked among strangers at the swimming pool that we think absolutely nothing of it. We’re brought up with it, and most of us have been doing so since before we can remember. And obviously the reasoning behind it is pretty basic – we want our pools, which most of us like to visit regularly, to be clean and to stay clean'.

And the way to ensure this Icelandic basic bathing rule is to have the pool guards check out the showers every now and then to make sure the foreigner adheres! But locals will do the same seemingly making the simple process of showering naked (if already daunting) something to put off the more prudish foreigner. 
The report also refers to a Icelandic language video on the subject which has some interviews with Americans. Quotes on the practice of public gender segregated naked showers: uncomfortable & shocking.

German wholeheartedness at Icelandic natural Hrungalaug hot spring. 

Note that only commercial and more visited (by foreign tourists) hot springs require bathing couture. Source

 
On the same issue (Icelandic hot spring showers), another take from 4 worn passports (Oct. 25):

'When we walked into the locker room, I tried to stare straight ahead. It was hard to look for a locker because every time you glanced around, gaggles of naked woman would be undressing. We eventually found a clothed lady that was friendly enough to tell us what to do. When we found a locker, we undressed and wrapped our towels around ourselves, unlike everyone else. We then made our way to the open showers. No curtains or closed stalls of any kind. But luckily, there were three stalls, sadly without curtains, that we snagged as opposed to open showering.
You could feel the Icelanders and the other Europeans, who were accustomed to this, entertainingly watching our uncomfortableness. After washing ourselves, we made a mad dash for our swimsuits and slipped them on over our wet bodies. With relief, I realized our traumatic Icelandic locker room experience was over'.

Smariorganics (Nov. 7) chips in on the first:

'Icelanders love swimming. They do a lot of it. If you go and visit Iceland, and if you get to experience life as the locals do for a bit, you’ll likely encounter opportunities to take a dip at a local swimming pool. But do not forget to take a shower beforehand. And we don’t mean that brief rinse-off kind of shower that you Americans do at the swimming pool or beach. No, we don’t mean rinse your toes or twirl once beneath the shower head.  We mean:  fill your palm with soap and lather yourself head to toe.  We mean:  remove your bathing suit.  We mean:  be naked, and scrub the areas of your body that sweat the most and grow hair. We’re serious–look at the sign in the shower and you’ll see:  genitals, arm pits, and scalps must be washed!'

Aprons
In Hungary things seem to be adjusting to the rise and rise of tourism. And conservatism. Tourist induced conservatism.
From earlier this year is Gellert Spa (Budapest, Hungary) announcement that their famous lack of dress code has changed:

'The Dress Code in Gellert Spa has recently changed when the thermal baths has turned into a mixed spa bath complex on January 01, 2013. Before Jan 2013, men and women had separate thermal pools, so guests were often nude, or just wearing an apron'. 

A step back? Or how to entice more commercialism?

Coward

An American in Poland. And a salt cavern. Question mark. 

Well nothing out of the ordinary but the author (Sep. 8) combines this with a visit to Termy Maltanskie.

'For slightly more than $29 I could spend the entire day wandering between the traditional Turkish Bath, rose steam bath, salt-water bath, aromatic steam bath with fragrance oils, dry sauna, stone sauna, a snow cave, and Roman Bath cold plunges, among others. In the dressing room I climbed into my bikini and headed for the first sauna. Just as I was abut to open the door I noted a illustration of a bikini-clad woman with a red circle around it and a slantwise slash through the picture. “Oh, this one must be a nude sauna,” I thought, and moved to the next one. But the same sign was posted at the second door, and the next one.  Puzzled, I looked around and realized that the other customers, both men and women, were clad only in towels.

I headed back to the check-in desk and the attendant confirmed my suspicions – the entire facility was nude and co-ed, except for Mondays, which were reserved for women only. Of course, it was Wednesday. What to do? It only took a split second to decide. “Lord hates a coward.” I returned to the dressing room, shed the bikini, and joined the towel-clad throng. By the time I’d tried out the second sauna the only time I wore the towel was moving between the different rooms'.

So no worries in the end.

Czech freedom tasting in the eaux chaudes of Prats Balaguer, France Source

Mimicry
Meanwhile in Germany. Another spa experience. Au naturel.
Ianandebe (Nov 17) got naked with Germans:

'In general , I love German's ability to strip just about anywhere. They treat the human body as if it were nothing more than what it is - a helpful and sometimes attractive tool to walk the earth. (Versus the American view that our bodies are nasty dirty sin-seekers that must be covered lest we lose our immortal souls AT ALL TIMES.) I may not love walking around nude in unfamiliar situations (hello showing a room full of German patients and doctors my nude bottom-half), but I admire the German stoicism and do my best to mimic it (even when I am dying on the inside).
When we entered the spa complex we had no idea what to expect. We tried some weak water foot massages things and generally wandered around, still in swimsuits with towels. When we saw our first nude hot tub with a saggy full moon being submerged, we realized what was happening here. Ohhhh! This is the nude area.
We didn't plan on sharing our bodies with others for the first time on our anniversary - we aren't that interesting. But when the opportunity arose to do so with little fanfare, I figured public nudity was a way better gift to ourselves than fruit, flower or appliances'.

Fact of the matter Europe sees different attitudes towards bathing and bathing naked. Note the more remote and the more wild the higher acceptability of clothing optional. Payable soaking sites might require clothing but not if there is separate wellness area. 

Also note that what makes travel so rewarding is it's ability to show us that the world is varied and it never seeks to show us that thinking outside of our own box is rewarding. And challenging ...

Exposure

Feels like home

Naked bodies are everywhere. Yes, that's what you get when you visit Thermae 2000 on a sans vêtements day! Logical, isn't it?

The large pool which traverses from an inside basin along a canal to a large outside relax and whirl tub from where one can swim back to the start contains a 100 hundred or more of the aforementioned bodies. 
Below on the terraces overlooking the drop to the town of Valkenburg (Netherlands) are also pretty busy with bodies clothed in their birthday suits soaking up the sun. 
And beyond in the adjacent sauna complex where nudity is nearly always obligatory there are ..., well ..., more natural bodies.

This home of hedonism though is temporary, only twice a month does the management of Thermae 2000 allow soakers the ability of an all-natural soak. Other days suits are required with exception of the sauna section. There nakedness is obligatory and afterwards when one wants a swim it's back into your soggy and chilly swimmers!

Note though that every Tuesday the prudes take over, with suits de rigeur everywhere on the complex, sauna included. Apparently this appeals more to the youth!?

It is busy and it does seem to be the case on the naked days, though the non-naked days also have their addicts, so says the Thermae 2000 receptionist. Guessing from the array of assorted tan-lines these are not all customers who practice a natural sun-bath commonly. 
Then there is also the bathrobe brigade who seem to only drop their clothing guard in the brief meters between clothes hook and the pool and feel quite awkward.
So maybe not every one is up to date with today's dress code.

Naturally,  I am completely at comfort with the lack of clothes which enables one to enjoy the thermal waters as nature intended it to be. 

But, as much as this lifts me spiritually, Thermae 2000 is still a mass of steel and cement with no proof of it's natural source. Can this be regarded as a natural soak at all? Hmmm.

Going Dutch

Thermae 2000 is one of the just three natural thermal baths of Holland. Spread along the east of the country (bordering Germany), the northernmost thermal spring are the baths of Nieuweschans; centrally is the Sanadrome of Nijmegen and Valkenburgs Thermae 2000 in the south. 

Nieuweschans has little or no historic reference but Nijmegen as well as Valkenburg trace in some way their soaks back to the Roman times.

In Valkenburgs case archaeological finds of a nearby ancient Roman bath house are to be seen in the Thermen museum of Heerlen. The collection also displays other artefacts from the same period. Note though that the bathhouse had no natural hot water. So no historical connection?

Dating from 1989 Thermae 2000 draws it's waters from a depth of 380m; so not a real naturally occurring hot spring, quelle surprise. The temperature of the water pumped is 33 degrees (source).

Thermae 2000's own web site adds:

'Thermae 2OOO is built on three sources. The healthy water that comes from these sources has been protected from the meteorological cycle around 40.000 years. This means that the water has not been exposed to contaminants. The thermal water from the inside and outside pools has a special beneficial effect on body and mind and it invites the body to relax optimally'.

The Dutch website adds little more on the subject. 

Photography is forbidden and this strict policy is followed through: 

this photo is from the Thermae's own website.

Experience

But there are some draw backs to Thermae 2000:
* Parking fees are €12,50 which seems a bit hefty (but the all the more reason to switch to a push bike, the surroundings are great places to whizz around; beware though of the climb up out of Valkenburg!). 
* Entrance fee is also another €31,50 for a day pass, no counting by hours, though if only for a morning or evening cheaper options are available.

Inside the lay-out of the pools is far from clear. The sauna complex seems not so clean with quite a lot of standing water. And there´s a constant shift of persons coming in, going out making it far from a quiet area. Lot´s of shrieking coming from cold water baths.

Thermae 2000 limits visitors to the over 12, meaning that one won´t see a young family, whether the day is clothed or not. The same applies for youths in general. 

As said there was ample evidence of more prudish visitors which might go some way in explaining the lack of more hues of skin colour. Especially as the prior visit in Aachen showed that there are quite a number of visitors with their roots from elsewhere in Europe, Asia or Africa who equally enjoy a thermal bath. One might believe that the non-clothed option is a no-no. Or that Dutch culture somehow dissuades non-Dutch from soaking?

It´s also the nearness to other such places as Aachen´s Claudius Thermen, Spa´s umm ...  Therme and Chaudfontaines Chateau that leads one to believe that the hot spring bath deal can be had on better terms nearby. 
Note also that these are all of more natural origin.

Disappearance

A discussion on the Dutch language Naturismeforum lists nudists reactions:

Too busy; yeah, no under 10's; not too many old people; visitors on this forum have no respect for elder persons; yesterday a naked day: very busy, waited half an hour to get in.

Conclusion not too positive. ...

Another Dutch language site, zoover, rates Thermae 2000 as 6.0 (out of 10), with 86 reactions. Some of the comments from the last 12 months:

staff friendly; no smoking allowed; not clean; slippery floors; expensive; too many naked people; fun; relaxing; needs to be renovated; sauna's too small!; beautifully located; could be modernized; parking expensive; clothing rules unclear; our towel got stolen; good.

Tripadvisor gives Thermae 2000 a rating of 3,5 stars from 108 reviews. Are international visitors less fussy? Some of the past years reviews on tripadvisor:

dirty; not so nice; staff is friendly; lacking in flair and style [!]; overall, great service, great food; very clean; clean; spotlessly clean; dress code is clearly explained on the website; the infrastructure is very old; not modern and up to date to the latest sauna trends; very crowded is the sauna area and therefore not relaxing at all; too busy; swimming trunks "disappeared" [oops!].

The Spaonline gives it 4.2 stars out of 5 (52 reviews) while Sauna-review notes 5.2 out of 10 (23 reviews).

From the above it's clear that Thermae 2000 seems not to live up to expectations. Maybe expectations are pumped up exceptionally as for instance it's PR functions well (Thermae 2000 also has a Facebook page) and the absence of other Dutch competition.
However many point out that correctly it is expensive and on normal days, the competition is a much cheaper alternative.

What the competition doesn't have is the all-natural day, a winner for sure.

Too

2020 is here, complete with all the Covid-19 restrictions. 

We revisited at the start of the second lockdown (November), mostly because foreign soaking jaunts were out of the question / closed.

Entry fees had dropped and a 4 hour limit was set on visits; as restaurants were closed.

What had changed? It was November, an evening. 

So no surprise it was less crowded, which is quite nice. 

Not many newbies / those unfamiliar with the zero clothing surroundings. 

Thermae 2000 had put in a huge new panoramic sauna; very nice. 

Overall a better experience though now having experienced a lot more sauna complexes, the PR could be better. It's basically where Thermae 2000 misses the plank: they need to attract a larger crowd, hence the swimming pool atmosphere, though the continuing upgrading is trying to emphasize a wellness experience. The result for the latter falls (too) short.

Ratings though have (mostly) increased from the above:

Zoover 6.6 (from 6.0); though reviews fluctuate;

Tripadvisor still stuck on 3.5 stars (though from 10 times as many reviewers; the last two months very good reviews (maybe because of the limited amount of visitors gaining access?), from the summer reviews many mentioning too many visitors ...); 

Sauna Review notes 6.1 (up from 5.2);

Spaonline hands out 4 stars (down from 4.2);

Facebook gives it 4.3 stars;

Google 4.2 stars (lots recent reviews give it more than that average ...).

But bottom line: you have no alternative for thermal water in the south of the Netherlands; but you could find a better (and cheaper) place for a wellness experience.

Postscript 2022: I have my doubts about any figure being appropiated. The difference between the clothed and non-clothed experience also reflects experience. An 8-, based on a six for the clothed expeience and a 9- for the non-clothed situation. Pool, though still coolish, catering non-existent. Crowded?

Aha?

It seems a bit of folly. On one of the hottest days of the year and we are seeking to visit one of Germany's and Europe's hottest hot springs (source). Hmmm ....

History

Besides having a uni, Aachen is is Germany's westernmost town. But it is more famous for it's thermal baths.

Sometimes known as Bad Aachen, the history of it's thermal springs goes back a long way, a very long way.

As is customary in Europe, there's little knowledge of pre-Roman use of hot springs and this applies to Aachen (French prefer Aix-La-Chapelle) as well. Possibly the lack of this can be explained by the fact that the pre-Roman civilisations were less intent on building elaborate facilities for the simple pleasure of being able to soak, nor was writing, recording and/or archiving one of their best skills.

So as elsewhere in Europe, it were the Romans that put the first permanent mark on Aachen. Not many people might notice, but the city's name of Aachen seems to have been derived from Roman:

'After all, Aachen means water, derived from the Roman name of "Aquae granni", which in turn stems from the Celtic god of healing Grannus [God of light and healing]'. 

This sourced from Aachen's city's website with extensive info on it's origin and history. 
There is though an alternative explanation for the city name, which dates the naming from before the Romans:

'Der Name "Aachen" leitet sich übrigens von "ahha", dem germanischen Wort für "Wasser" ab'.

Do I need to translate? Aachen = was Ahha = was Germanic for water.

Anyway, the entwined history of the city of Aachen and it's thermal baths continues. Again from the above mentioned city website:

'The spread of Christianity quickly and permanently put a stop to the physical and pleasure-orientated bathing culture of antique provenance.

Everywhere since the early Middle Ages, the benefits of water and sociability in water became discredited: after all, the concerns of the Church Fathers regarding the salvation in the next life and the corresponding spiritual purification in this life were what counted.

In such a climate of outright hostility towards the body, the pleasures of bathing no longer had a right to exist. Only in Aachen - thanks to Charlemagne - did bathing culture experience a short-lived new high point in the early Middle Ages.

Gladly told time and time again - but only borrowed from the realm of legends - is the story of Charlemagne's trusty horse, that pawed the ground with its hoof to expose the first hot spring and thus triggered the foundation of a residence at the same location. Historically correct, however, is that prior to this, Pippin, Charlemagne's father, was building an estate close to the former Roman cathedral thermal spring to which he would retreat on important special occasions. Like him, Charlemagne, whose swimming abilities were praised far and wide, appreciated relaxing at the hot springs. These were, according to the reports of his biographer Einhard, the reason for Charlemagne choosing Aachen as the permanent residence and political centre of this empire: "This is why he gladly settled in Aachen, and set up house which already had a warm bath in it."

For Charlemagne, a spacious thermal bathing facility was built on the ruins of the old Roman baths and in the immediate vicinity of his palace. He frequented the baths every day, and wherever possible was accompanied by family members, officials or guests.

In this regard at least, Charlemagne was committed to the spirit of antiquity, since, for him, too, besides the therapeutic function, bathing also had an important communicative and social role to play. Following his death, the bathing culture in Aachen diminished noticeably - and it has taken a few centuries for this city - that attracts bathing guests from all over the world - to experience for the third time an era of unspoilt bathing pleasures'.

Karl's (Charlemagne) significance in European history was high as his empire was one of the first to emerge from the post-Roman period, in the 8th / 9th century. Stretching from north Italy, it encompaased modern day France, Germany and the low countries.

 Carl's palace with his own thermen, see top right of the artists impression (source).

After the fall of the Charlemagne it is supposed that bathing in Aachen returned back to that of ruins, however in the latter part of the 16th century, thermal bathing gained in popularity with the European bourgeoisie and Aachen established itself as a main contender in the upcoming Euro bathing industry. It also ensured that Aachen returned to it's former glory with the establishment of parks, bathing facilities and hotels. 

However, it's popularity lead to a increasing numbers of visitors leading the snobs of Europe to seek more exclusive retreats, such as in Baden-Baden. Or possibly the richer soakers moved because the sulphuric nature of Aachen's thermal baths became attractive as a cure for syphilis (Wikipedia). Which somehow meant that many a sex-worker washed up here ...

 

Aachen Kaiserbad 1682 (Wikipedia).

Here's a link to a pdf presentation concerning the history of Aachen's thermal springs. The German wikipedia entry is the most extensive site of online information.

Sedation

Luckily, modern day soaking in Aachen has evolved and is now preferably a sedate affair; it seems that this is what Germans prefer and probably most of Europe's elder clientèle of hot springs. That might be it: in Europe one soaks sedately ...

Harking back to the old days, just outside Aachen's historic and busy center, local authorities have maintained a large park over some rolling hillocks. It's home to amongst others the local casino and exhibition hall. Hid away on the outskirts of the park and accessed from a quite city street are one of the few geothermal bathing facilities remaining in Aachen.
Aachen and environs actually host more than 20 separate hot springs, though many of these have been closed (source)! The city of Aachen (and neighbouring Burtscheid) still have 3 Kürkliniken (medical centers) which use thermal waters (source) as a medicine, but other than that there is just one hot spring in operation.

The aforementioned Charlemagne or Karl in German, was also known as Carolus in Latin. Thus it's the choice for the namesake of this only operating thermal bath in Aachen (source): Carolus Thermen.

The waters of Carolus Thermen are sourced from the Rosenquelle (45ºC). This hot spring is located beneath a store in the center of Aachen. Water is piped from the spring to the Carolus Thermen. Other thermal sources located in the city's center are likewise piped away. For instance for bottling purposes (Kaiserquelle / Kaiserbrunnen) of for the use in cosmetics.

Claiming pure thermal spring water as it's provenance, Carolus Thermen are a very modern affair. Completed in 2001, parking is ensured in it's adjacent parking garage. The entry hall is spacious and very, very large.

This way please

The check-in procedure is highly efficient. All is explained to us in 1 second, after which we handed two coins. Ummm? There doesn't seem to be room for questions so we quickly trot on to the next station.

We exchange notes: 

'So you didn't catch anything either? Nooo'. 

We watch as others put coin in locker and get a bracelet in return. Aha. We do likewise and head off for the changing rooms. Everything is highly efficient and before you know it we are to enter the thermen themselves. Note the mandatory shower sign, a good idea, as we have worked up a good sweat cycling here.

The inside lay-out is very clear. In the center is a large pool (34ºC), with a number of massage showers and overflowing jacuzzi's (36ºC) above. To your right comes an entrance to the outdoor pool (32ºC) with fountains and waterfall, again with a number of massage showers, next to that a chill bassin (18ºC) and a hot bassin (38ºC). Opposite is another outdoor pool and exit to sun decks, one with sand. To your left upstairs are restaurants. Below these are the staff offices.

It's very delightful, taking in all the different baths. Especially the high pressure massage showers are very nice. At the moment of arrival an aquarobics programme is taking place so we research the smaller pools. After the finish of that programme we swim a couple of rounds in the larger pool.

Mandated, ja!
Finally we go up the stairs to the wellness center on the third floor. What usually requires a double payment of the normal Thermen entrance fee of €11 (€12 on weekends; this fee is valid for 2,5 hours, add €1,5 thereafter for each extra hour with a max of €15), now comes for free as it also has an extensive outdoor component which is currently being renovated. 

Because the Carolus Thermen are a municipal business they can not charge a fee for sauna entrance only: this would be an unfair practice for private sauna businesses. A pity ...

Entrance is through a small locker room as here nakedness is mandatory, whereas the pools before it was forbidden. Seems a bit odd?

Sauna = sweating which is best done naked (better sweating / no build up of sweat in swimming clothes), but what about the other baths in the wellness area? Here also the hygiene reasoning? But why then isn't the full thermal complex nude mandatory? 

Especially with current fashions which seem to dictate for men boardies which are worn with underwear underneath (preferably with name of underpants sticking out)! Just the other week one of Hollands largest indoor pool complexes had to close and the water changed as they couldn't maintain healthy levels of swim water quality (source)! Makes you think that naturally bathing might have more merit ... But anyway, local customs, local fore

Behind the entrance to the wellness area stretch two floors of relaxation. The third floor is dedicated to the Baltic sauna: there are a number of sauna's (3), shower rooms, etc.

Down a floor is a huge Oriental bathing area, which is very, very nice. Much has been done to replicate the experience of a true Turkish bath and it certainly works. A great hamam, warm Roman baths and the centerpiece: a peaceful pool (with thermal water, 34ºC) under an arched roof.

And somewhere there are massage facilities and a small area set aside for women.

Hours and hours can be spent in the sauna / Turkish bath area. And that's not even counting the outside area which was out of bounds during our stay. Apparently out there are another 4 sauna's and a small outdoor pool.

Despite the zero entrance fee (which prohibits those not wanting to fork out more cash), there were considerably less visitors than in the thermen; somewhat surprisingly as the experience was certainly great / better!

But possibly the new global prudishness has had it's effects. In the thermal pool, there was a fair representation of locals and tourists: young, old, families, singles, Germans, Dutch but also those of ethnic descent. 
The dress code of the wellness center unfortunately probably precludes the latter, while with the odd exception, families also seem to opt out. Certainly their loss?

After having been sweating, soaking and bathing for hours we are getting pesky; time to head for inner city Aachen for a cafeine buzz and something to fill up on.

We needn't have. Reviews of Carolus Thermen amplty highlight the catering: good and cheap. Next time then?

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Well despite the lack of anything that would remind us of it's natural origins, the facilities of course afford many a visitor an entertaining experience / interaction with hot springs. For instance the German World Cup squad in 2010 mentioned staying here as delightful.

But what do others really think?
Let's look at that leader of traveller feedback opinion, tripadvisor. Tripadvisor has a litany of reviews summarized in the 4.5 stars given. Most use superlatives to describe the place. Interesting are the mostly English comments on the naked experience:

'For those who are apprehensive or fearful about going "textile-free", don't worry. The sauna is a place of rest and relaxation and people here are just minding their own business and relaxing. Within minutes, you'll totally forget your inhibitions and feel comfortable in your own skin. Soon, you'll lose track of time, realize you've spent more time relaxing than you imagined and you'll even find it difficult to leave! 
...
This is not a cheap experience, but it's great value for money. Don't bother with the thermal pools, they're pretty average, and head straight for the sauna. Any self-consciousness about mixed naked bathing disappears in a few minutes.
...
And then there's the upstairs part. For most UKers it's an eye opener, but when in Germany... Removing swimsuits was very liberating.... Steam rooms and outdoor heated pools were simply amazing. So relaxing to wander round with nothing on.
Only disappointment is that after this no UK spa will be able to compete. Feels wrong to wear a swimsuit in a sauna now!
...
Bathing costumes here are not allowed; most people walk around with towels but the saunas and pools themselves are required nude areas. Sexes are mixed and the Germans are very casual and relaxed about nudity here. Accepted etiquette precludes inappropriate behavior, and I found it very natural and comfortable - and wonderfully relaxing in the saunas and pools. 
...
The Germans and social nudity. Truly refreshing. Truly breathtaking. It’s second nature and it’s relaxed. If the whole world had the philosophy towards the naked body as do the Germans, well, then the world would be a safer and a more rewarding place.
Many note the friendly staff, which I must admit, they are everywhere, smiling and maintaing the cleanliness of the facilities'.

And when the reviews switch to those by non-English speakers, there's hardly a sentence on the wellness customs, how come?

Happy (Euro) face? source

So if compared to those facilities in South Europe why the mass appeal of thermal facilities here? 
Much has been done to appeal to all age groups while setting up the facilities, it's not for the sedate only. Modernized and clean it uses modern PR to reach out. For instance Facebook (note 12,000+ likes!). Another initiative: by donating blood at a local hospital, you can gain free entrance to the Carolus Thermen (but not valid for the same day!).
So there are ways to attract visitors is to keep up with in-crowd!

That said I felt the distinct lack of naturalness unearthing. There's little that discerns this from any other wellness / swimming pool experience in Germany. The water's said to be sulfated; well I didn't smell anything.
Yes, it's all very hygienic, clean, etc. Staff nice, not too expensive and yes, a great experience, but natural? Can I say no?

I'll leave you with a youtube intro vid:

Postscript (2022): based solely on the wellness section, the experience could be rated with a seven. Positive, the big bath, the space. Not so good, the catering, small outside section.