Bad Salzuflen 2012

Our destination was Bad Salzuflen at the foot of the Teutoburg Forest. After hearing lots of good things about the thermal spa and its great sauna area, we set off there for the weekend.

Only 7 kilometres from the A2 motorway, Bad Salzuflen was already in front of us. Our pitch app showed us the way to the Flachsheide motorhome pitch – or so we thought – and we drove into the spa car park. That turned out to be the wrong place; the GPS data was incorrect. We continued along the main road towards the town centre, realised it couldn't be there, turned round and went back. When we got back to the spa, we suddenly saw a sign for the motorhome pitch, which led us to the pitch on the opposite side of the road from the spa. When we registered at the pitch (staffed from 6.30 p.m.), we were told that we weren't the first visitors – and probably won't be the last – to drive past it, as there is no sign coming from the motorway and the GPS data is wrong. Whether a signpost will be put up soon remains to be seen.

A little tip for getting there: coming from the motorway, you'll see the thermal spa on the left. Drive past it and take the next road on the right towards the hospital. At the end of this road, turn right into the motorhome pitch.

Once you finally arrive, it's worth the effort. The large pitch is idyllically situated on the edge of the forest and screened on all sides, so no noise reaches it. The surface is grass or gravel.

Fresh water and waste disposal are available and included in the overnight price. An overnight stay for 2 people costs 14.40 euros in winter: 8 euros for the motorhome including electricity and 3.20 euros per person tourist tax. The spa card you are given entitles you to free use of the bus into the town centre, reduced admission to the thermal spa and free entry to the spa gardens.

The next day we set off on foot towards the town centre. After only 1.4 kilometres we reached the spa gardens, and behind them lay the centre of Bad Salzuflen.

The centre with its beautiful houses stretches along the pedestrian zone.

In the evening we visited the Vitasol thermal spa, only a 3-minute walk away. A 2-hour visit costs 11 euros including the sauna area. The spa has lots of pools at different temperatures with massage jets.

We were very pleased with the many different loungers and the quiet atmosphere in the pool area.

After our visit we have to say that the thermal spa is great for relaxing and unwinding, but personally I didn't find the sauna area inviting and have seen nicer ones.

Information about the Vitasol thermal spa can be found here.