I unleashed my ‘korper freiheit’ at a naked Italian spa where swimwear is banned

As a half German, I’ve never felt the self-consciousness that many Brits experience about stripping off in public.

Whether it’s a gym changing room or on a girls holiday, I’m perfectly comfortable bearing it all. 

This sense of ‘korper freiheit’ (loosely translated as ‘body freedom’) served me very well on a recent trip to South Tyrol, in Northern Italy, the only area of the country that speaks German and incorporates a lot of Austrian culture into day to day life – namely its hugely popular pastime of visiting the spa. 

Anyone who knows me, will say I’m an absolute sucker for anything pampering adjacent, so where better to indulge my spoiled princess nature than arguably the world’s best spa destination?  

 

Visiting in June, my Brat Summer started at ALPIANA, part of the Dolce Vita hotel collection, in South Tyrol, about 40km north of Bolzano, the largest city in the region.

Dolce Vita is a collection of four family-run active and wellness resorts – ALPIANA, Preidlhof, Lindenhof and Feldhof – located in the towns of Lana and Naturno.

A lesser-known enclave of Italy, South Tyroleans speak German like their Austrian neighbours, which was quite the revelation to me.

The easiest way to get to ALPIANA is to fly directly into Verona: a Ryanair flight from Stansted costs as little as £50 one way in October, which is a great time to visit because of the lower temperatures ideal for hiking and biking, followed by sweating out toxins. The hotel is then a short car ride away – or flying into Bolzano is even quicker via SkyAlps, and costs around €219 return in October. 

With its laundry-fresh air, lush green surroundings, and eco-friendly design, ALPIANA screams wellness, with a stay starting at around €189 per person, per night.

Sipping on local white wine, eating pasta for every meal, and taking a dip in an outdoor pool surrounded by sloping hills and flower-dotted pastures are the everyday indulgences you can expect here.  

What’s more, by booking with just one hotel in the collection, you can enjoy day trips to all five local Dolce Vita properties to enjoy extra spa time, its Dine and Wine around concept, and other top notch facilities. One not to be missed is the mind blowing Preidlhof Luxury Dolce Vita Resort, winner of quite literally a cabinet full of awards, and it’s easy to see why.  

 

Preidlhof’s recently built spa tower complements an already jam-packed offering of sauna’s, pools, and jacuzzis. There’s just one caveat – all the spas in this region ban swimwear. Personally, I wasn’t deterred one bit, and was super keen to sample probably the best spa I’ve ever visited (and there have been a few).  

During my naked journey, I soak up the healing vibes in a relaxation room which has been built on the site said to have the ‘highest energy’ in the area, sip on water infused with gemstones, and slip into the promisingly-named wine sauna.

There’s no space for embarrassment here, (at least not for me), as I embrace local customs by running naked through ice cold waterfall jets – screaming optional.  

Priedelhof has an extensive menu of treatments ranging from the conventional to the unusual. I opt for a ‘face modelling’ treatment similar to the iconic Face Gym workouts. The therapist stretches my skin with her palms, uses her thumbs to dig deep into my facial muscles, and even pops her fingers in my mouth to massage from the inside. This makes small talk rather awkward.   

Unlike anything I’ve experienced before, the 30-minute ‘facelift’ leaves me looking ‘snatched’ according to the rest of the group. A 60-minute facial will set you back €150, or €190 for 90 minutes which includes a buccal massage.

But the biggest draw for South Tyrol’s spas is the cultural phenomenon of ‘aufguss’. Although a little tricky to get your head around, aufguss is a tradition that people from the region are very proud of.

Specially trained ‘sauna masters’- who can be male or female – host sessions in the spa where they use a combination of ice, towels and fans to make the air as hot as possible, often accompanied by aromatic oils thrown onto the coals to clear the airwaves, or music, singing or storytelling.  

Not for the faint-hearted, temperatures get so hot, that I feel like I finally understand what it’s like to be roasted in an oven. While a hammam sauna tends to reach a humid 42C, these ‘event saunas’ can hit 95C.

Not to mention that a lot of very private anatomical parts are freely on show- however, no one looks or even bats an eyelid. But the health benefits are numerous; from glowing skin, to weight loss, to a better immune system. 

 

Outside of pool and spa time, there’s plenty of other ways to spoil yourself. I visited a quirky family-owned vineyard, Kränzelhof, to sample some of its finest organic reds and whites, with dreamlike names like Aries, Aurora and Polaris.

Led by the owner himself, I learned how to make my fondness for fermented grapes look like an art form.

Aside from sipping fine plonk, there’s the whimsical ‘7 Gardens’ to explore, inspired by the oases of southern england. I unleash my inner Kate Bush, frolicking through strips of coloured fabric blowing in the wind, make sweet music by brushing my hand along suspended cowbells to make them clang, and get hopelessly lost in the maze, which apparently even a child can solve.  

 

My next stop is just two hours away by car or train to see another Dolce Vita property, the recently opened Cape of Senses, built on a hilltop overlooking the stunning Lake Garda.

While ALPIANA feels very Austrian, Cape of Senses is its glamorous Italian sister, with its sexy curved shapes, natural wood furniture adorned with faux fur throws, and expansive glass windows for gobbling up the scenery. A fire crackles away in the main bar, as the suave waiter serves me spicy margaritas, and I glance down and across the lake, towards the snow-capped mountains beyond.  

First up, I check out yet another luxurious spa, taking in the sauna overlooking the expansive gardens fringed with olive trees; practice being a mermaid swimming in the saltwater pool, and float towards the horizon in the heated infinity option. As with Alpiana, this is a fully-nude spa area, but wrapping yourself in a towel is considered acceptable. 

This is all capped off by a heavenly rub down in a treatment area where you could hear a pin drop, aside from the soothing tinkle of the background music. A 30 minute back, neck and shoulder massage costs €70 and is well worth your hard-earned pennies. Afterwards, hit the spa buffet (who knew this was a thing?), for herbal teas, nuts, and dried fruits. 

 

Run, don’t walk, to the hotel’s Il Tramonto restaurant, best experienced at sunset, when the floor to ceiling windows bathe the room in a golden hour glow, ideal for snapping selfies or envy-inducing food pics.

I gorge on seasonal specialities including tagliatelle with rich bolognese, seared broccoli drizzled with flavourful jus, and pigeon breast South Tyrolean style, topped off with local rose. 

Let’s not forget an important component of the famed Mediterranean diet – the liquid gold that us mere mortals know as olive oil. This part of Italy is famed for its olive groves, so I took an afternoon trip to Le Prandine. Alongside oil, the grove also makes a host of beauty products such as soaps, hand creams and body lotions, many of which you can find in your bathroom at Cape of Senses to leave you baby soft.  

A 30-minute tour of the grove and its idyllic gardens is followed by an extended sampling session.

Just like a wine tasting, I swirl, sniff and chug the olive oil, with plenty of bread, vegetables, cheeses and meats for dipping and snacking. The tour plus light lunch is €50 per adult, a bargain considering the amount of food I consumed alone.  

For me, Italy never disappoints with its beauty, diversity of experiences, and enviable food and drink. But the unique spa culture is something many UK travellers don’t have an inkling about which is a crying shame in my opinion.  

If you’re not as bold as me, being in the buff in front of strangers is always optional at Cape of Senses, which is perfect if you want try something outside of the standard lux holiday experience.

You can cover your modesty with an expertly placed towel, but please, for the love of god, don’t be so British about it.  

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