It was our last week in Switzerland and final destination. A perfect location because of the charming village, great restaurants, an awesome casino in a very artsy park with fountains, statues, trees with distinctive colors, a thermal bath, and the Best Western Hotel du Parc which was a 5 minute walk from all of the above. Ultimately, we came for relaxation- - -the thermal baths.

We departed the Baden train station in the early afternoon and according to the hotel web site, we were told that we had a 10 minute walk. After many years, I have learned that a 10 minute walk to the Swiss translates as 10 minutes with a NASCAR pace. Two blocks from the station, we encountered du parc avec the casino and it’s breath-taking environs. Our third block was a long block, but the park’s aesthetic attraction made the time go swiftly. Then, all of a sudden to our left on Romerstrasse, in a quiet location, as promised on the internet, was our hotel, the Best Western du Parc.

Upon checking in to this 4 star hotel, we received a welcome glass of champagne and our room was ready in 5 minutes. The room and bathroom were quite spacious, extremely clean, and offered a view of the quiet neighborhood and mountains. This was definitely the perfect room for the culmination of a vigorous, exciting trip. Moreover, one of the only hotels we stayed in that had a warm breakfast, rather than cereal, bread, cold cuts, and cheese. In the evening, we enjoyed Katie’s piano concerts and most of all conversations with the very attractive Claudia who managed the bar/lounge area. Claudia was a charming , interesting and well-traveled, conversationalist. These wonderful ladies made our stay in Hotel Best Western du Parc, most unforgettable.

After settling in das zimmer, we went for a walk. The walk into the town center was in the direction of the train station, but rather than selecting the sidewalk, we opted to walk through the park. among the flowers, statues, fountains, casino and trees, diagonally, and we ended up right at the entrance of this historic town. It has a lively shopping centre, an interesting old covered bridge, a small castle on the banks of the river Limmat which flows from Lake Zurich and interesting statues. The restaurants and pubs were all very unique and offered ample outdoor seating. The city is named Baden which auf deutsch means to bathe/bath because of the natural geothermal springs which were originally ducted into baths by the Romans. The main baths are in Thermalbaden and cost 16CHF + 5CHF returnable deposit. for an adult. After walking the town and shopping the first day, we returned to the hotel and almost the entire walk was filled with the sweet smell of jasmine.

The next day, we walked into town for lunch along the River Limmat. Aesthetically, this is among the top 10 in my book in the category of beautiful/quaint. Shortly after our walk, we returned to our hotel for our bathing suits and we hit the baths. The baths were a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel. Again, I cannot stress enough, the ideal location of this hotel. I need a good night’s sleep in relative calmness when I am on vacation. Also, I need to be within walking distance of the action since most of my traveling in Europe, except for Ireland, is by train. Our short walk to Thermalbaden was lined with beautiful trees and flowers. Upon entering the Spa, we saw two pools, one outdoor and one indoor. The Spa was equipped with thermal whirlpool, Haman steam bath, hot Jacuzzi, cold room, kneip shower, sauna and solarium. Each person was given a large white towel to use for the duration. All for approximately $12 for 2 hours in the pools. Body massages, therapies, and beauty treatments were available at an extra cost and these had to be pre-arranged. We stayed in the pools which contained mineral-rich warm water which bubbled and formed jetties in different sections of the pools for almost 2 hours and then we had lunch in the garden area of the Spa. We felt so relaxed in terms of our muscles and tired bones after 2 and ½ weeks of climbing, hiking, walking and getting on and off trains with our luggage. But, more than curing aches and pains, spas improve physical appearances and emotional well-being. Consequently, the next time I return to Switzerland, I hope to commence and conclude my trip in Baden. This way I will be able to ease away the jet lag and prepare for the way home, in style.

Take a bath in a big pool. Walk in a park where you can see, smell, and listen. Enjoy a river walk listening to the sounds of the water’s movement and looking at the great trees, statues, and quaint houses. Shop. Eat. Drink. Have a cocktail with Claudia and get a good night’s sleep at the Best Western Hotel du Parc the next time you go to Switzerland. You can disembark in Zurich, take a 25 minute train ride to Baden, walk a NASCAR 10 minute pace to your hotel and swim in the healthy, thermal springs, at the bottom of the hill.