Luxury Spas in Europe: 5 to Enjoy

Many vacations, as well as honeymoons, often begin or wind down with a visit to a luxurious spa for some serious pampering. If you are planning to travel in Europe, you may want to spend some time getting your groove back at one of the 5 spas listed.

Prices for entry vary but are usually less than $100. USD, and extra for treatments with packages available. If you are traveling in Britain see the link below for a list of British luxury spas.

Luxury Spas to Enjoy:

Italy:

1 - L'Albereta, Franciacorta, Italy - This spa is known as the L'Albereta Espace Vitalite Henri Chenot Spa and uses principles from Chinese and Western medicine. A former country house, this huge spa is surrounded by its own vineyard, near the shores of Lake Iseo. Water treatments are the main focus: featured are a Turkish bath, whirlpools, a huge swimming pool with counter-flow function and more. The chef here was the first to win 3 Michelin stars. This is the spa most often enjoyed by Sophia Loren and Karl Lagerfield, among others.

2 - Vigilius Mountain Spa and Resort, South Tyrol, Italy - This is truly a mountain spa because you begin your visit here with a cable-car ride up into the Tyrolean mountains. Here you will find indoor and outdoor whirlpools, an indoor swimming pool and spring water from the Vigiljoch Mountains. The spa menu includes body scrubs, shiatsu and watsu - a massage that takes place in the warm spring water.

Germany:

3 - Schloss Elmau Luxury Spa, Bavaria, Germany - This large five-star spa is located in the foothills of the Alps in a nature reserve, where 4 spas offer practically every imaginable treatment. Elmau is a spa haven for authors and artists and plays host to over 170 literary events and concerts each year.

France:

4 - La Clairiere Bio & Spa Hotel, Alsace, France - Located 2 hours south of Paris, La Clairiere is an ultra-chic spa retreat and is the first biohotel in France. The secluded location embraces nature and carries out Ayurvedic treatments, and includes yoga retreats in the surrounding forest. Here you can enjoy French cuisine made with organic ingredients and bathe in the great outdoors of the ancient Alsace mountains as well as walks in the forest. The hotel is equipped with solar panels and a wood heating system.

Iceland:

5 - Blue Lagoon, Grindavik, Iceland - Iceland's popularly known Blue Lagoon is a vast geothermal heated pool that was voted the best medical spa in the world. The piping hot water from the deep underground springs is used to power Iceland's central heating. The lava in the water is filled with rich minerals, algae and silica, all of which can be used for cleansing and exfoliation - even helping with psoriasis and eczema. You can book treatments in the adjoining spa.

Note: For information about thermal springs in the USA, see the link below: