Infinity Pool mit Festungsblick im Paraceslusbad | © Paracelsusbad / Wöckinger

Sweating above the rooftops of the city

Salzburg is famous, or rather infamous to be more exact, for the persistent rain that sometimes engulfs the city. Wet, cold, simply dreadful. Definitely not conducive to outdoor activities – meaning there’s an urgent need for an alternative. Which is where the Paracelsusbad comes in. Just recently opened, I’ve heard lots of good things about it. That’s why I – an avowed wellness-phobe – have decided to take a leap of faith and perhaps learn the error of my ways.

Modern architecture meets cozy

Because the Paracelsusbad is smack dab in the middle of the city, my boyfriend and I ride over there on the bus. Simply get off at the Kongresshaus stop, stumble a couple of times and you’ll be there. That’s particularly important to my friend, who takes relaxation very “seriously” and doesn’t want to walk one step more than absolutely necessary. But when we’re standing in front of the building itself, he can’t hold back his enthusiasm. “Wow, the architecture’s amazing!” And he is quite right. The Paracelsusbad is a real jewel. Despite its modern style, it radiates an incredible atmosphere of warmth and coziness. The bright colors are also really inviting.

When we enter, they give us a small transponder to put on our wrists – it serves as a key for the lockers in the changing rooms and as a method of payment in the restaurant, the nice lady at the ticket desk explains. At that point, we are finally ready to get started with our bathing enjoyment: Even the blue-and-white striped changing area has a maritime touch and makes you feel like you’re on vacation.

Bathing enjoyment and total well-being

My friend would like to begin in the sauna area, but I personally think that a good sweat is something you have to work up to. That said, we start out by swimming a few laps in the pool.
Half an hour later and my friend gets what he’s been waiting for, as we make our way up to the sauna one floor above. We first find ourselves a nice spot in the relaxation area. Monitors show us the sauna schedule and when they will be doing infusions – very practical. But since the next one isn’t until 2 o’clock, which is still a while away, we opt for the sauna with a view of the fortress. Even on wet, foggy days, the view is sensational.

Immediately after the sauna, we pay a visit to the outdoor infinity pool. Who knew those great views would get even better: In addition to the fortress, we can now also gaze at Schloss Mönchstein and the church in Mülln. But it isn’t just the scenery that allows us to tolerate the disagreeable weather – the temperature of the saltwater pool is also pleasantly warm and you feel like you are bobbing about in the Dead Sea. When we’re done, we head back inside and give our loungers in the quiet area a test drive. They are so comfortable, before either of us knows what has happened, we’re dozing off. Which puts an end to our plans for the infusion – we simply oversleep.

Perfect pampering program

Fully awake and perky again, our tummies slowly begin to grumble. In the sauna restaurant, we treat ourselves to some fresh-pressed orange juice and a healthy salad. In addition to a selection of regional products, they also offer cocktails, isotonic drinks and mineral water. Needless to say, after all that sweating, the body’s inner energy reserves need to be topped back up.

Happy as clams, it’s finally time to go. This day has simply flown by! At the Paracelsusbad, the focus is squarely on the relaxation and comfort of guests. Grumpy wellness skeptic that I was, they even managed to convince me!