I’m sitting on my towel in the sauna at the Alpiana hotel in the beautiful South Tyrol. Its Aufguss world championships and our Aufguss facilitator, Patricia, is a Slovakian who has chosen some beautiful music to perform to.

When I first experienced Aufguss, I was amazed by how it engaged all my senses. This unique sauna ritual lasts about 15 minutes, but it feels like a complete journey. The Aufguss master, with practiced skill, uses water and a towel to move the heat around the sauna, creating an ever-changing atmosphere.

There are six elements that make each session special.

• Heat: The temperature rises until I can feel my heart getting faster and a rush of endorphins flood my body, leaving me both energized and relaxed.

• Essential oils: The air fills with wonderful scents, each chosen for their unique benefits, and I find myself breathing more deeply.

• Towel work: Watching the master’s graceful towel movements is almost hypnotic—there’s a real artistry to it that I never expected.

• Lighting and ambience: The sauna can be bathed in soft natural light, other times in dramatic colours, each setting a different mood.

• Music: The towel’s movements are perfectly timed to the music, turning the whole experience into a performance that I feel very privileged to witness.

• Style: Ultimately, it’s the Aufguss master’s personal touch that brings everything together, guiding us through a ritual that feels both communal and deeply individual.

Every time I took part, I was reminded how powerful these simple elements can be when combined with care and intention. It’s more than just a sauna—it’s a moment of connection, relaxation, and sensory delight.

As sauna participants settle in, some closing their eyes, others simply listening as Patricia begins her performance. With practiced movements, she wafts the hot air using a small towel, synchronizing each gesture with the music. Nearby, a wooden bucket holds three ice balls, each infused with a different essential oil. Patricia uses a large ladle to place the ice balls onto the heated plates, releasing waves of bergamot, rosemary, and citrus into the air. The aroma mingles with the music, creating a truly immersive atmosphere.

My last Alpiana Aufguss session, aptly named “Taste of Summer,” is a sensory delight. I find myself smiling, fully absorbed in the harmonious blend of sound and scent. The air circulates just enough to keep me comfortable throughout, allowing me to enjoy the experience from start to finish.

As the session ends, I step into the iced water dipping pool, feeling instantly refreshed. Afterwards, we gather for Farmers Tea, a fragrant blend served with fresh fruit—a perfect conclusion to our shared ritual.

Discovering that the Alpiana and other Dolce Vita Hotels in the region offer this unique ritual to their guests made the experience all the more memorable. Trust me, you will want to try it!

There are many activities on offer at the Alpiana as well as sauna and cold dips. There is a weekly programme for guests – morning hikes, yoga, Pilates, chestnut roasting, meditation, and aqua gym – the list goes on….

There are guided walks as well as cycle paths to wander along. The countryside was a welcome respite from the busy city I live in. I enjoyed exploring the locality - chestnut groves, apple orchards, churches, and forests - a mixture of culture and nature. Just breathing in the fresh air made me feel so good.

Fun fact, I learnt that South Tyrol is the largest supplier of organic apples in the whole EU: some 25 % of all of the organic apples grown in Europe originate from South Tyrol.

Staying at the Alpiana, with its choice of outdoor pools, (for those who know me) will understand that I was in my element – cold water immersion, swims, followed by sauna. The hotel has a wonderful spa too, offering treatments to guests. The restaurant offers culinary delights – headed by chef Arnold Nussbaumer. Dishes are served by the team who are extremely attentive and professional. I loved the fusion of Tyrolean and Italian dishes.

The Alpiana is the perfect place for a retreat. The staff are incredibly friendly with the Margesin family actively working within the property. Would I return? In a heartbeat.

 Karen stayed at the Alpiana in South Tyrol in November 2025 courtesy of Dolce Vita Hotels.  Please email or call us on Tel 0208 675 7878 to discuss your stay. We will share ideas of getting there and combining a break with other places.   

Images credit to Dolce Vita Hotels & Karen Simmonds

Copenhagen Canal Quayside

What a privilege to visit Copenhagen. I hadn't discovered a new city since 2019 and when you are in my industry, that's quite a long time. The joy of packing the suitcase and heading off to investigate a new country filled me with such joy. A flight to Copenhagen is super quick with a very straight forward transfer from the Danish airport to the city centre. A civilized flight mid morning allowed us to be in the city mid afternoon with time to jump on some bikes and adventure around.  Our base for the next couple of days was the iconic hotel D’Angleterre - a beauty of a property if I have ever seen one. Central, grand, homely, not stuffy - its staff oozed welcome with friendly engaging smiles and caring attitudes - oh and I should add home to the Michelin star restaurant Marchal.  

Karen outside the Hotel D’Angleterre, Copenhagen

Photo by Febiyan

I had been curious to visit Copenhagen and Denmark overall - my knowledge of the country was somewhat limited - think Lego, Carlsberg lager and the Nordi series on Netflix The Bridge!! I love a Scandi thriller! Incidentally that bridge, over 8 kms long, links Denmark to Sweden allowing many Swedes and Danes easy access to live and work in both countries. Back to my curiosity of the country - I had heard good things about the Danes and their way of life, their attitude to community and happiness. You are probably well acquainted by the term Hygge - meaning connection, coziness and enjoying the simple pleasures of life with those you love.

The City of Happiness

Did you know that there is the Research Institute of Happiness headed up by Meik Wiking? The organization is an independent think tank exploring why some societies are happier than others. Their mission is to inform decision makers of the causes and effects of human happiness, making well-being part of the public policy debate, and improving quality of life for everyone on the planet. They partner with cities, governments and organisations to set the agenda to improve quality of life. With so much care in a society it’s obvious that its citizens would find suitable ways to look after their environment too, which is reflected in their living choices and behaviour - the Danes are leading in sustainability especially with building infrastructure and how it affects their environment. Another fun fact I learnt is the new cable, 760kms long - yes you read that correctly (the world's longest high voltage cable) is being laid under the sea between Denmark and the UK which is going to supply us with renewable energy from the Danes wind farms  - how cool is that? A great scheme that will help the environment and help us Brits come away from fossil fuels.

Karen in Christianhavn

Copenhagen really is a beautiful city -  full of eco-friendly buildings using renewable energy initiatives - green roofing, solar, rainwater harvesting systems, urban gardens and green space galore. I thought most novel is the waste plant which has a secondary function of offering a ski slope - a truly innovative and pioneering idea. On the subject of cleaner living - did you know that 9 out of 10 Danes own a bicycle? And 26% of families living with two children in the city of Copenhagen own a cargo bike. Londoner’s - we could do so much better than we do and take a leaf out of the Copenhagener’s book and come away from our dirty polluting cars.

The Hotel D’Angleterre offers their guests bikes for free so it was a pleasure to pedal off and meander around the city on the generously wide bike lanes. One unique cycle super highway crosses the canal. We had to wait as the bridge closed for the cyclists and was raised in order to let a tall ship pass along the canal. It was an awesome sight! 

The bicycle super highways of Copenhagen, by Aurora Ferreira

What else are the Danes doing right, you may ask - well free education for students, free health care, low criminality and a general good work/life balance. It's that feeling of Hygge again. So with the backdrop of understanding why Denmark had drawn me in, let me highlight a few experiences I tried when in the capital of happiness. 

I biked to the picturesque district of Christianshavn. An idyllic place to immerse yourself in the pretty and colourful neighbourhood which is made up of small islands.

The beautiful canals of Copenhagen

I participated in a sea plane excursion, boarding close to the Little Mermaid - it was a 20 minute excursion over the harbour, allowing fantastic views of Copenhagen and beyond. The sea plane excursion with Nordic Seaplanes was followed by a boat ride with Hey Captain- a more intimate boat excursion where you can talk with the captain offering a very personal way to cruise the canals.

Photo by Rolands Varsbergs

100% take a  guided food tour. Danish food wasn't particularly known globally until a new wave of chefs brought restaurants like Noma into international attention. Joining a Food Tour Copenhagen you’ll meet the  locals and be given local insight. There is so much diversity in Copenhagen’s food scene.   In 2021 14 of Copenhagen's restaurants had 23 Micheln stars between them!  I was fortunate to visit La Glace - the oldest patisserie in Denmark, Aamanns 1921 a famous Danish restaurant and the food markets at Tovehallerne.

Time in Copenhagen would not be complete without a visit to Tivoil Gardens, the oldest theme park in the world. 

My last evening was spent at the Balthazar champagne bar where they are renowned for their signature champagne cocktails - I had a Downton Abbey - very in keeping with the release of the new Downton Abbey movie recently released!

Swimming at Islands Brugge, Copenhagen

Swimming at Islands Brugge, Copenhagen

I could have done with a few more hours in this glorious capital - my last morning I headed to the area called Islands Brygge - which translates as Iceland’s Quay - a gorgeous stretch of waterfront where outdoor bathing and swimmers gather all year round. It was a magical experience for me.

 Karen travelled in April 2022 to Copenhagen in the company of Flospitality and stayed at D'Angleterre Hotel.  

South Korea, in the heart of East Asia, is one the continent’s economic and cultural leaders. It is visited by millions of Asian tourists yearly, although it is still not as developed for international tourism compared to popular Asians destinations for Westerners such as Thailand or Japan.

Buddhist Temple

I visited South Korea in April 2019. It was my first trip to an Asian country! Why did I choose this destination? That’s easy - Think ancient temples, spotlessly clean streets, cherry blossom, modern skyscrapers, Korean cuisine and a country enriched with history (and let’s not forget premium skincare).

The incredible Gyeongbokgung Palace

One of the first things I noticed in the capital city Seoul, where I spent my hotel stay, was the Koreans’ sense of community. As an English & French native and speaking fluent Spanish, I was quite surprised to find out most Koreans do not speak any European languages! It was a challenge to speak with them but so rewarding, as it was the first time I went to a country where I could not properly communicate with a local community. It is important here to respect Koreans, to be patient in understanding each other and using body language.  

However, the locals are so welcoming and will help you if you get lost in the City. They are not used to seeing Westerners, so they feel privileged to see responsible visitors come to their small, traditional restaurants and are eager to share their culture.  

(Travel Matters Tip: Koreans love their spicy food, so if they tell you that Ramen is not very spicy, watch out, you may need a few glasses of water on the side!)

Seoul Suburbs

A contentious topic that I was determined to understand a little more about was regarding the use of the Hanbok (or Chosŏn-ot - a traditional clothing worn during formal occasions) by tourists -

Do you think international tourists should be given a choice to wear this traditional clothing?

Is it considered as cultural appropriation?

The Hanbok (pictured below) is an ancient traditional attire consisting of the dress, headgear and accessories. I asked locals regarding this subject, and whilst everyone can have their own opinion, Koreans mostly do not mind it. In fact, they encourage travellers to try on the dress as they feel proud it is part of their national culture and they love to share this with foreigners. Indeed, it is very common to pass by small shops that offer a day Hanbok rental!

Hanbok, or Chosŏn-ot

So, is South Korea on your bucket list of responsible travels?

(Sophie travelled to South Korea in April 2019)