Clothes Free Travel

A-Z TRAVEL — Naturist Edition: A is for Aqua Dome in Austria

Nothing says naked in winter like a visit to an Austrian spa

This nakation destination is not a full-out nudie wonderland. But if you’re in for all-out adventure that involves dashing through the snow, fine dining and good wine, and finding a place to try out the phenomenon of sweating it out with the locals, you could hardly do better than this magical winter oasis.

TEXTILE TIP: For you not-so-sure-nudies, Aqua Dome is primarily a textile venue, where swimsuits are required in all the main pools as well as in those amazing suspended baths that are so alluring to hotel guests. You only need to worry about getting naked if you want to use the saunas or adjoining pools. After all, nobody wants to get all hot and bothered in a swimsuit!

So, off we go, on my A-Z journey of naked places around the world. And what better place to start than in the Austrian Alps, or more specifically, at an amazing resort-spa-hotel called Aqua Dome.

We discovered Aqua Dome shortly after we became aware of the amazing thermal spa and sauna complexes that are scattered all over Germany and the Netherlands. Once we learned that those crazy Germans (and Austrians) would go to such great lengths to get naked, even when it’s freezing outside, we had to ask, but where do you sleep?

It turns out that while Austrians might not be as eager to get naked as their northerly neighbors, they have found the balance in a plethora of resort hotels where people freeze their asses off during the day skiing, snowshoeing, and tromping around in the snow. But then, at the end of the day, they come soak in the thermal waters, and if they’re brave enough, drop trou at the doorway to sweat it out in the saunas.

These places are all over Austria, though if you’re hell-bent on sweating with new naked friends in the sauna, you’ll have to read the fine print. We did that and visited a few over the years, and eventually settled on Aqua Dome as our dome away from home.

First of all, I gotta say, this is not your el-cheapo hotel option where you can insert a quarter to activate this vibrating bed. If you fish around the website a bit, you’ll see they specialize in packages, usually with breakfast and dinner included. In each case, they assign you a table and a server you come to know over the course of your stay.

“Would you like us to cork the rest of the wine for tomorrow evening, Mr. Carlson?”

“Why yes, please. And perhaps a nice cognac to go with the tiramisu if you will.”

“But, of course, sir.”

Though my wife learned to ski in the Alps while she was an exchange student in Germany, I am one of those humans who should avoid any device with blades, wheels, or skids of any kind. I have enough trouble staying upright in sneakers.

But the Örtzal Valley has an abundance of hiking trails, many of which follow the valley streams, while others scale the steep canyon walls onto icy paths and snowmobile tracks.

One of the weekly activities during our stay was the trek up the hill to one of the fire huts — a small ski lodge of sorts — where bratwurst, beer, and schnapps awaited our arrival. We ended up across the table from a Russian couple that brought their own bottle of rocket fuel which made everybody pretty excited about the polka unfolding on the dance floor.

The Russian tonic also made the ride down the hill a little less scary — a bunch of newfound friends on benches in the back of an open-air pickup truck as we went hurdling down the snow-covered road toward our hotel. After that, I had an entirely new appreciation for snow tires.

The hotel is gorgeous, with rooms finished with wood floors, soft light, and cushy beds. They provide you with bathrobes so you can make your way to either the saunas or the pool complex. For the second option, you’ll need to have a swimsuit on underneath, but for the first one, most certainly not.

The pools start at around 32°C — think tepid hot tub — and work their way up to 36°C — think hot hot tub! Those are all in the textile area, which is a shame when you have to climb up the spiral staircase to the suspended bowl pools with wet Lycra clinging to your body. I hate wet Lycra in the cold, but it’s worth the sacrifice for the wonder of it all.

If you’re a nervous Nellie about the naked spa thing, this could be an excellent place to give it a try. Down the long, underground corridor leads an illuminated path to a galaxy far, far away. At least, far enough away from all the other guests that you can hang your robe on a hook to sweat it out in the saunas (nudity required) or soak in the outdoor warm pool where you can catch a glimpse of the surrounding mountain peaks.

Exhilarating in every regard.

If you have a car, which you likely will in order to get there in the first place, you need to leave time to drive up the mountain to Gries am Brenner, the most picturesque ski village perched above the Örtzal Valley.

If snow is sparse at Aqua Dome, it will likely be plentiful in Gries.

Once again, more walking paths, ski trails for all ages, and lovely little cafes where you can take a beer or a coffee, depending on who’s driving back down the hill. We made a point to choose a day with blue skies as the photo ops are truly remarkable.

To be clear, this nakation destination that made my A-list is not a full-out nudie wonderland. But if you’re in for full-out adventure that involves dashing through the snow, fine dining and good wine, and finding a place to try out the phenomenon of sweating it out with the locals, you could hardly do better than this magical winter oasis. It’s been a while since we’ve been there, but just writing about it moves it back to my… wait for it… A LIST!

And now, this…

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