Health and wellbeing

Feel great from head to toe

Crystal-clear water, magnificent views, unspoiled landscapes and pure air. Sometimes you have to allow yourself to stop and take a little time out, breathe in your surroundings and simply allow your senses to take over. As a premium-class climatic health resort and Kneipp spa location, we have a whole raft of outstanding offers for you. Whether healthy exercise, sophisticated spa areas in top hotels, medical wellness or health and beauty treatments, discover health and wellbeing for the body and soul.

Feel like you’re living in a world that is ever-faster moving? One where you’re facing increasing daily demands and have little time for your friends and family? This makes it all the more important to take some time out occasionally, catch your breath and slow things down for a while.

A long hike is a great way to do this. Step by step, you progress at your own pace without any external distractions – except for the spectacular views of the surrounding mountains of course. Often, you are completely alone with your thoughts in the midst of the diverse natural landscape. As you reach the summit, you feel proud of what you’ve achieved. It’s successful experiences like these that bring you happiness and create fond memories. After all, what could be better after a strenuous hike in the mountains than reminiscing about your summit climb over a hearty sandwich in a cosy hut? When taking time out, it’s not about climbing as many mountains as possible, but simply about getting out into nature and enjoying the healing properties of the Oberstdorf air. Spanning over 200 kilometres, the hiking network offers a route for everyone. Choose whether to marvel at the impressive mountain summits from the Oberstdorf side valleys or to start by acclimatising at mid-altitude before venturing up to the high-Alpine peaks. Of course, you don’t have to head out on your own: if you prefer hiking with others, the extensive hiking programme offered by Tourismus Oberstdorf (the Oberstdorf Tourist Association) is the perfect solution.

See and feel the elemental forces of nature in Oberstdorf

Consciously perceive and experience the four elements of fire, water, air and earth with all your senses. Experience new things through mindfulness, sense the diverse elemental forces and enjoy Oberstdorf’s impressive warmth.

Air

Take a deep breath in and slowly exhale in the wonderfully clean air that is low in both pollen and allergens as you let your mind wander and your eyes soak in the views. Oberstdorf has been regarded as a climatic health resort since 1937 – and a premium-class one since 2002.

Whatever your age and whatever the season, there is something alluring about nature that constantly attracts us out into the fresh air and untouched landscapes. Even a brief stint in the great outdoors has a noticeably positive impact on our wellbeing. The fresh air opens up our lungs and makes us happy. The sunshine and glorious natural light trigger our body’s production of serotonin, the “happiness hormone”, and brighten up our mood. Our immune system is strengthened, stress is reduced and the body receives valuable vitamin D. Head out into the fresh air and take a deep breath.

Exercise in the healing air

Fortified vitality and joie de vivre

Regular physical exercise is good for the musculoskeletal system, the cardiovascular system, the digestive organs and the nervous system, with its positive health impacts including:

· Strengthening the immune system
· Increasing endurance
· Stimulating vital functions
· Synthesising vitamin D3

Water

Fortify your senses by babbling brooks, crystal-clear, turquoise lakes and rivers, gushing waterfalls or ice-cold Kneipp facilities. Oberstdorf has been a Kneipp health resort since 1964.

Experience the power of water in special places

Enchanting villages, clear mountain lakes, babbling brooks, raging rivers, rugged cliffs and gushing waterfalls all await your discovery within impressive mountain and natural landscapes. Check out the legendary Christlessee lake, the source of the Iller, the deepest rocky gorge in Central Europe and more. Take a refreshing dip in the inviting Kneipp facilities and natural pools (Freibergsee lake, Moorbad Oberstdorf, Moorschwimmbad Reichenbach) and enjoy the lightness of the water and energising experiences as you naturally boost your immune system.

Oberstdorf tap water

Delightful everyday refreshment

Cool, refreshing and invigorating: Oberstdorf’s water is of the best quality. With its extraordinarily low sodium content of just 1.0 mg per litre, the water in Oberstdorf offers pure goodness for the entire body while gently hydrating it. The outstanding quality even helps to prevent high blood pressure and circulatory disorders as well as to speed up the metabolism. Thanks to its low nitrate, nitrite, sulphate and fluoride levels, the water is also ideal for preparing low-fat dishes and baby food.

Earth

The earth, nature and mountains form the basis of our landscape. Regional produce from local farmers tastes authentic and natural – providing a treat for the body and soul.

Explore the world barefoot

Consciously feel and perceive the elementary force of “earth” – even Sebastian Kneipp recommended walking barefoot. When using the barefoot technique, the forefoot perceives the different ground structures before the foot rolls back onto the heel and pushes off again. This provides a natural foot reflex zone massage that strengthens the foot muscles and the immune system and improves circulation in the feet.

Tip: a barefoot trail with various materials awaits you in the FuggerAktivPark. Why not stop by and try it out?

Forest bathing

The forest – nature’s medicine

Forest bathing? Yes, you read that correctly. This doesn’t mean a lovely, warm bath in the middle of the forest. The Japanese concept of “Shinrin Yoku” literally translates as “forest bathing” and, in simple terms, means consciously taking in the atmosphere of the forest with all your senses. Breathing in the fresh forest air strengthens the immune system.

Forest walks offer multiple health benefits, including:

· Improving the immune system
· Relaxing the body and reducing stress through increased parasympathetic activity
· Reducing the blood pressure
· Strengthening general wellbeing

Take some time out to see the effects for yourself with a hike through the Oberstdorf valley and mountain forests.

Fire

A blazing, open fire, a hot sauna session or the warmth of the sun in the high mountains have a magical draw and an energising effect on our body

Time for some sunshine

High mountain climate for combating neurodermatitis and allergies

Oberstdorf enjoys up to three times as many hours of sunshine as other climate regions. The natural high altitude irradiation from the high mountain sun is rich in UVB radiation (280 – 315 nm, UVA: 315 – 400 nm), which helps alleviate neurodermatitis, for example. Thanks to the lack of humidity, the sunshine and associated warmth are not perceived as humid and oppressive. The local wind systems with their constant alternation between mountain and valley winds also noticeably reduce the perceived temperature of the sun.

The stimulating, high mountain climate is particularly ideal for allergy sufferers. The low air pressure automatically deepens the breathing and stimulates the circulation. The brief cooling effect of the wind combined with the intense sunshine helps the body develop new immune defences. The body gradually acclimatises to the high-altitude climate. As in other regions with a stimulating climate, this acclimatisation should take place little by little with the body increasingly exposed to the climate conditions through a slow, gradual increase in altitude. Excessive changes, such as spending several hours sunbathing at the start of treatment, weaken the body more than they benefit it.

The sun as a source of vitamins and strength

In the summer, the intensity of UV radiation rises by 15 to 20 percent with every 1,000 altitude metres. Whereas 10 percent of the UV radiation can be reflected on natural surfaces such as water or the earth, up to 80 percent of it can be reflected on snow and ice.

Enjoy the sun – but carefully

Caution is required in the mountains on fine, sunny days. The cooler temperatures and frequent breezes often disguise how strong the UV radiation is at high mountain altitudes. It is essential to use factor 30 sun cream as a minimum, wear appropriate head and eye protection and drink plenty of fluids.

FuggerAktivPark Oberstdorf

Promoting activity, regeneration and vitality in the green heart of Oberstdorf

This park offers a diverse range of experiences designed with health promotion and illness prevention in mind. The activity park is located in the Fuggerpark, the green heart of Oberstdorf.

It comprises the following elements:

• Movement and coordination parcours designed to strengthen basic sporting motor skills

• Kneipp area with arm bath and wading pool designed to strengthen the immune system and circulation

• Barefoot parcours designed to strengthen foot muscles and the immune system and to improve circulation in the feet

• Scent and rock garden with native plants with healing properties and various rock types from the region

• Sensory “prism column” play stations to develop the senses

Regular completion of the coordinated and complementary activities on offer in the FuggerAktivPark strengthens the immune system, stimulates the circulation, boosts the metabolism and promotes muscle development. Entrance to the park and some of the equipment is wheelchair-accessible.

The park is open to all between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily from spring to autumn.

The FuggerAktivPark Oberstdorf was developed as part of the “Aktive Zentren” (“Active Centres”) urban development programme funded by the federal government and the Free State of Bavaria. The movement and coordination parcours was funded as part of the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care’s support programme for improving the medical quality of Bavarian healing resorts and health spas.