A wellness holiday is not only a good idea to escape the gloomy dirty weather in Germany. The holiday offers relaxation for body and soul with various baths, massages and other treatments. The relaxed atmosphere, but also exercise in the fresh air, make you fit, strengthen the immune system and don’t give winter depression a chance. If you want to relax from everyday life and be pampered, you don’t have to go far. There are also a large number of wellness hotels with attractive offers in Germany and neighbouring countries.

Wellness in the cold season

The cold season makes you susceptible to flu, colds and other infections. The skin is severely stressed by the cold air. The gloomy weather brings the mood to its lowest point – winter blues and depression are the result. This also affects the immune system, which is weakened as a result. The dry heating air dries out the mucous membranes. Viruses and bacteria have an easy time settling and spreading in the cold season. This makes it all the more important now to strengthen the immune system and pamper body and soul. Most people associate wellness with sauna visits or spa resorts. However, physical and mental well-being is important. The feel-good factor is completely subjective. While one relies on sauna visits, wellness means relaxation exercises or activities in nature for others. On a wellness holiday, everything can be combined. A holiday with a pampering programme makes you fit, gives you new strength and strengthens your immune system. If you take a wellness break, you can forget the worries of everyday life, get your body going again with exercise and master stress better again.

Current wellness trends of the season

A guest survey of 3,000 wellness enthusiasts Participants of beauty24 and Wellness-Hotels & Resorts, which took place from December 2019 to the beginning of February 2020, will be informed about the new trends. Guests are happy to pay a little more for quality. 139 wellness hoteliers also took part in this survey. At the top of the popularity scale

• supervised outdoor activities
• Digital detox without mobile devices in the spa area
• Wellness with the family
• Environmental awareness and sustainability.

As the survey showed, guests are happy to pay for good care. For example, they take part in guided hikes or rent e-bikes. An important trend with activities and wellness is also cycling holidays with guided bike tours. The renunciation of mobile devices is also an important concern of many guests, but also of many hoteliers. One reason for this is the camera function of smartphones. Since most guests now voluntarily do without their smartphones in the wellness area,

this problem is solved without any prohibitions. In order to reconcile rest periods for relaxation and time for the family, many wellness enthusiasts want wellness offers for the whole family. An important aspect of this is childcare. Sustainability and environmental awareness are increasingly important topics for wellness guests. They want food with organic certification and fair trade products. Nutritional advice and cooking courses are also in vogue among the wellness offers.

Different needs of wellness guests

All wellness guests want to relax, but they have different needs. Relaxation is no longer just about all-round carefree packages with massages, beauty treatments and sauna. Young people value good sleep for relaxation. Sporting activities are of great importance. The older generation is enthusiastic about excursions into nature. The wellness hoteliers have recognized this trend and are responding to the different needs of guests.

Regions with good wellness hotels

South Tyrol is a popular region for wellness holidays at any time of the year. The range of wellness hotels, which also offer the perfect opportunities for the winter, is huge there. The whole family can relax in family-friendly wellness hotels, while romantic hotels with wellness areas are suitable for couples. Germany also has many regions to relax, for example Lower Saxony with the Emsland, East Frisia and the Harz Mountains. Popular German wellness regions are also North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria or Rhineland-Palatinate. Other popular destinations for a wellness holiday in winter are Austria and Switzerland.

Conclusion: Many regions for wellness holidays nearby

Wellness is important in the cold season to strengthen the immune system and forget the stress of everyday life. Current trends in the season are sustainable wellness offers, wellness holidays with the family and supervised activities. If you are planning a wellness holiday in winter, you don’t have to go far. In South Tyrol, Austria and Switzerland, but also in Germany, there are many scenic regions with wellness hotels.

I’m sure you’re familiar with this: although the suitcase was already full to bursting at the start of the trip, you actually come back from your vacation with more luggage. Unfortunately, this phenomenon does not only refer to material things, but is often also physically noticeable. You sweat for months in the gym to show off your bikini figure during the holidays and as soon as you’re back home, your muscles hide under a well-nourished layer of fat. No wonder that frustration returns not only with regard to the work at hand. But be careful, once you know the little pitfalls that smuggle a gram or two onto your hips, you can avoid them. Here’s what you should know the next time you travel.

Calorie trap warm temperatures

Sweat on holiday? At most at 30°C by the pool. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a little lazing around. Once a year it has to be easy, otherwise the vacation wouldn’t be a vacation. Besides, you won’t get fat from a week on the beach towel.
Nevertheless, your calorie turnover in the warm, southern holiday regions drops due to the higher outside temperatures. In order for your body temperature to remain constant at around 36.5°C, your body has to convert calories into heat, i.e. heat it up, so to speak. However, an increased outside temperature partly relieves it of this task.

This is how you can prevent

Boost your calorie consumption even on vacation. Let’s be honest, sunbathing on the lounger all the time also gets boring in the long run. A game of beach volleyball will make you just as tan. Go wild in the sea and try a water sport like kitesurfing. If you have enough discipline, you can go jogging on the beach in the morning even on vacation. It doesn’t have to be long, because the soft sand puts a lot of strain on your calf muscles. As a reward, you can enjoy a colorful sunrise. By the way, exercise can not only be incorporated into your holiday by the sea. Instead of using the bus or cable car, you simply walk the distances. This way you can see more of the landscape, be more flexible and save the ticket on top of that. Last but not least, the elevator in the hotel is also taboo. Better take the stairs. To maintain your water balance, it is important to drink plenty of fluids. Of course, only water and, if necessary, juice spritzers. These drinks also purify your body.

Other temptations

Although it has been proven that heat restricts calorie consumption, you are also exposed to high temperatures at home in summer. So why do you gain weight on vacation?

Calorie trap buffet

How wonderful when you wake up in the morning and smell the scent of freshly baked rolls and scrambled eggs from the covered buffet from afar. And only the sight! With so much choice of colorful foods, your mouth will water. And this is exactly where the danger lurks. Everyone feels the same way as you, you just can’t decide, you’re afraid of missing out on something and you eat everything.
It’s easy to lose track. The buffet is particularly treacherous because your taste buds are always exposed to new stimuli due to the variety of foods. Surely you know the effect that after some time you are full of a single dish. This is because you get used to the taste and lose the cravings for the food. However, if you eat different things together, this process does not occur.

Not to forget the aspect that the food is always available. When the table is cleared at home, your brain is signaled that the meal is over. A feeling of satiety sets in automatically. But if you secretly know that you have the opportunity to snack, you will usually do so. How often do we reach for food out of boredom! And then usually not to fruit, but to sweet sins.

How to prevent

It’s best to set a limit beforehand on how much you want to eat. For example, you treat yourself to three plates. Be careful not to overload them, but only load up on small portions. You can orient yourself by assigning the amount that fits in one hand to a serving. In addition, every gear is known to make you slim. So it’s better to go to the buffet once again to get a second helping. If you eat slowly, you will also feel full faster. Enjoy every bite instead of gobbling it. The staff will make sure that there is enough for everyone. Before you reach out, you should also divide your plate. One half is filled with fresh fruit and vegetables. Of the remaining half, about two-thirds may be filled with protein-rich foods such as cheese and eggs. The last third also allows for a sweet jam roll or whatever you feel like. With this method, you don’t have to do without anything. Nevertheless, the fruit ensures that your stomach fills up relatively quickly and you are full. By the way, whole grain products have the same effect. They keep insulin levels constant and store energy, so you don’t get cravings during the day. Unfortunately, there are often only baked goods made from white flour abroad. Caution is also advised with fruit juices. They are considered secret sugar traps.

Extra tip: At breakfast in the hotel – if allowed – put together a healthy packed lunch for the day. This also saves money and calories.

Calorie trap restaurant

Many love not having to cook on holiday and instead indulge in culinary delights in the restaurant. And because you certainly don’t go out to eat every day, for once you don’t pay attention to the creamy sauce and the greasy steak, but order what you feel like. However, keep in mind that restaurants often serve very large portions. Last but not least, the alcohol in beer and wine also settles on the hips.

How to prevent

Set yourself a limit here as well. If you have already been to the street café at noon after a stroll through the city, you have to provide yourself with a sandwich or a quick home-cooked vegetable stir-fry in the evening. You can save calories both here and abroad if you don’t touch the bread basket. Even if it seems to take forever for the food to be served, you should definitely resist. It’s better to order a glass of water that will fill you up in advance. A soup also fills the stomach in advance. At best, it is particularly spicy, because this stimulates the metabolism. Alternatively, you can usually help yourself with the spices on the table.

How does it feel to experience something previously unknown? Travelling is not only about getting to know new cultures, but also about rediscovering yourself. A new place, a different language, a challenge – and with it the opportunity to develop further. That’s exactly what the travel short film “I AM” is about. The feeling was captured by a creative couple from Stuttgart: filmmaker and cameraman Florian Nick and author and journalist Wiebke Wetschera.

The two 26-year-olds set off on a road trip to South America in October 2019 – six months, four countries, 20,000 kilometers. At the beginning, they bought a car with a roof tent in Santiago de Chile and off they went on a wild journey. With Susi – as the two have christened their car – they drove along the famous Carretera Austral through wild Patagonia, Route 40 through Argentina and the Pan-American Highway in Peru and Chile. Kilometre after kilometre on gravel, mud and tar and when their eyes got tired, they unfolded the tent on Susi’s roof somewhere in nature. It was only exchanged for a normal tent and a backpacking backpack for multi-day hikes – such as through the Chilean Torres del Paine National Park, to the Argentine mountain Fitz Roy or to the famous Machu Picchu in Peru. Life on the road was simple: sleeping in a tent, cooking with the camping stove, all in the middle of nature. The focus was always on the experience. There was one thing they wanted at all costs: to be very close.

A range of new experiences

The couple is united by the passion of wanting to tell something with their creative work. Wiebke with words, Florian in pictures. And that’s why the two wanted to use the joint trip to work together on a project. Always in the back of their minds, they therefore had the mission to creatively capture the feeling of travel. What does a trip do with us? You plunge into something unknown and discover a whole new side of yourself. The two have also experienced this on their trip. For both of them it was the first long-term trip, the first time not having a real home, but being constantly on the move. A new experience that has left its positive mark.

Wiebke spent four weeks alone in Chile before the road trip together. Your first solo trip. This also gave rise to the idea of showing Wiebke herself as the protagonist in the film – symbolic of all those who have a new experience and change as a result. It was a positive experience for her – this is also shown by the voice-over she wrote especially for “I AM”. Florian, on the other hand, certainly devoted himself to the visual implementation. Whenever the light was right and the location was suitable, he pulled out his camera and captured the moment.

A film that is intended to give courage

When Corona came, the two travelers went back to Germany and Florian to his desk. He not only shot the film, but also edited and edited it. The result is a short film of one and a half minutes. “I AM” is intended to encourage you to plunge into the unknown – whether on your travels or in everyday life. It is intended to encourage people not to limit themselves, but to trust in themselves. Because only those who face challenges can also grow, and in the end stand there self-confidently and say: I AM.

https://vimeo.com/flonick/iam

Director / DP / Editor / Colorist – Florian Nick
Writer / Talent / Creative Concept – Wiebke Wetschera
Music / Sounddesign – Julian Lindenmann
Voice Artist – Gloriel Taylor

Originally from the Netherlands , Center Parcs are also becoming increasingly popular in Germany and are primarily aimed at families with children due to their design. At Center Parcs, the individuality of a stay in a holiday home is skilfully combined with the attraction of having many attractions and offers for children right on your doorstep.

The car-free resorts usually offer several hundred holiday homes, which are spread over a large area and surrounded by unspoilt nature. The heart of every Center Parc is the so-called Market Dome, which is either centrally located in the middle of a Center Parc or near its entrance. In addition to a supermarket and other shops, the Market Dome also has restaurants and numerous offers for the whole family, such as bowling or indoor mini golf.

In addition, each Center Parc offers a very spacious fun pool with many highlights for young and old, which is known everywhere under the name Aqua Mundo and is usually also located in the Market Dome. In contrast to some other attractions, a visit to the fun pool is always included in the price of the holiday home, so that nothing stands in the way of regular bathing fun.

Living far away from the hustle and bustle – Center Parcs

Spaciousness and plenty of space characterize all Center Parcs. Several small paths and roads allow guests to take long walks throughout the grounds and visit the many highlights scattered throughout the park. Because in a Center Parc, not only does the Market Dome offer variety and distraction, but children will also always find something interesting in the other parts of the parks. For example, there are usually several playgrounds spread throughout the site in every Center Parc and such popular places to visit as a petting zoo or a climbing park.

Although some facilities such as mini golf or archery are subject to a fee, it is possible to have a good time without higher additional costs than in a conventional holiday home holiday. Due to the enormous extent of most Center Parcs, however, one should not underestimate the distances to be covered within the park. It can take up to 20 minutes to walk from a holiday home on the edge of the complex. In order not to have to walk, it is a good idea to take bicycles with you during a holiday at Center Parc. If this is too time-consuming for you, you can also rent bicycles on site at realistic prices. Furthermore, golf carts are also offered, with which you can move freely in the park, but which are quite expensive. For all those who want to avoid long distances from the outset, it is recommended to choose your desired house when booking for an extra charge based on the respective park plan available on the Internet. However, for all those who decide to be active on holiday and look forward to regular walks, there is a shopping trolley available in each holiday home, with which you can transport your swimming gear to Aqua Mundo, for example. On arrival and departure, it is of course possible to drive directly to the holiday home by car. During the stay, the car can be parked free of charge in a parking space directly at the entrance.

Comfort and convenience are the focus of all holiday homes

The endeavour to make tailor-made offers for a relaxing holiday to as many families as possible is reflected, among other things, in the existing holiday home types. Because in all parks, interested families can choose from different types of holiday homes. On the one hand, this refers to the size and number of bedrooms, but also to the desired comfort. Houses are available to guests that can accommodate up to 20 people.

Most holiday homes with enough space for 4 to 6 people are offered and there are always at least two bedrooms available. In order to be able to spend exactly the holidays that a family wants, it is possible to choose whether a normally equipped comfort holiday home is enough for you or whether you prefer the premium version or even the VIP version. The Comfort cottages at Center Parcs all have a terrace, a flat-screen TV and a fireplace. A well-equipped kitchen is also part of the equipment. The premium holiday homes, on the other hand, are characterised by the fact that the beds are already made on arrival and one of the bedrooms is equipped with an additional TV. In the VIP holiday homes, a towel package is also available and the delivery of fresh bread rolls to the door of your holiday home is just as included as a faster internet connection than in the other house types. Final cleaning is included in the total price for all types of holiday homes.

In some resorts, in addition to the three holiday homes described, there are also exclusive holiday homes, which are characterised by even more luxury than the VIP holiday homes. Individual Center Parcs also have various themed holiday homes or tree houses and houseboats.

The Market Dome – the center of every Center Parcs

In the so-called Market Dome, guests of a Center Parc will find everything they need. As a rule, a well-stocked supermarket is available, which also offers fresh rolls. To ensure that the children don’t miss out, there is of course also a toy shop where you can find everything that makes the little ones’ hearts beat faster. In addition to several shops, the Market Dome also has numerous restaurants and snack bars that cater to all culinary needs. Whether Italian cuisine is preferred or freshly made burgers are the favorite, there is always a wide gastronomic choice at the Market Dome.

The pleasant ordering service, which is available in most Center Parcs and delivers part of the food offered in the Market Dome directly to the holiday homes, is also very well thought out. The Market Dome is also home to numerous attractions such as bowling, indoor mini-golf and a playground. However, the offer may vary from park to park. The diverse experiences in the Center Parcs are rounded off by numerous workshops for children and performances by the mascot Orry, who can be found regularly with his friends in the Market Dome.

Aqua Mundo – bathing fun for the whole family

One of the main reasons for many families to spend their holidays in a Center Parc is the free Aqua Mundo bathing world, which is available in every Center Parc.
Even if the individual fun pools differ somewhat from each other, you can be sure that an Aqua Mundo swimming pool always meets the highest standards and offers many attractions and highlights. For example, there are various slides and in some parks there are even white water rides. Pools with waves and heated outdoor pools are just as much a matter of course as toddler areas and whirlpools. The high service quality of the Aqua Mundo indoor pools is also evident in the life jackets for toddlers available there.

Holidays in scenic places – Center Parcs

There are now 6 Center Parcs in Germany , all of which are located in beautiful landscapes and offer their guests a wonderful nature experience. In addition, there are 4 Center Parcs in Belgium and 6 in France on the European mainland, as well as 9 Center Parcs in the Netherlands, the home of this type of holiday. There are also some Center Parcs in Great Britain, but they are only marketed regionally. Of the German Center Parcs, the Center Parc Eifel in Gunderath is the longest existing park, as it was opened in 1979. The newest park is the Center Parc Allgäu in Leutkirch, which has been welcoming guests since 2018. The other German Center Parcs are located at Bostalsee in Saarland, in Bispingen in the Lüneburg Heath, in Medebach in Hochsauerland and in Tossens on the North Sea coast of Lower Saxony.

The Center Parcs Allgäu and Bispinger Heide – pure action without restrictions

Of the Center Parcs located in Germany, the parks in the Allgäu and Bispingen are particularly known for their very extensive offerings. Both parks have very spacious Aqua Mundos with many highlights that are often not available in other Center Parcs. Due to the number of possible activities, these two Center Parcs are also very popular and often fully booked.

Bostalsee and Hochsauerland

Very nice Center Parcs, which present themselves very modern and fresh, can be found at Bostalsee in Saarland and in Medebach in Hochsauerland. The Center Parc Bostalsee cuts a fine figure all year round, but is especially recommended in summer, as you can swim and swim to your heart’s content in the beautiful Bostalsee. The Center Parc Hochsauerland, on the other hand, is an insider tip, especially in winter, as well-known winter sports resorts such as Willingen and Winterberg can be found nearby. In summer, the park is characterized by the spectacular Aventura playground, which is located on the slope and houses the longest playground equipment in Europe, among many other attractions.

A successful family holiday that benefits all members of the family – Center Parcs

Since the Center Parcs are designed in such a way that everyone can do something they enjoy, they are very suitable for a varied and unforgettable family holiday. The numerous offers of Center Parcs are very well thought out and tailored to families, which also applies to the holiday homes and their furnishings and equipment. Due to the fact that you have the freedom to choose which services and facilities you want to use during a holiday at Center Parc, families with a wide variety of ideas will be happy at Center Parcs.