The thermal environment offers a variety of activities that were born of the continual search for physical and spiritual well-being. Rooted in very ancient times, this  ritual has been increasingly requested and practised in recent years  due to its undisputed benefits for the body.  Aufguss began almost a thousand years ago, in Finland.   In those wondrous lands that extend beyond the Polar Circle, the sauna has been an important social activity since time immemorial; the Finnish Sauna at our exclusive  Arquà Petrarca SPA,  gives new life to this ceremony of leisure and psychophysical purification.

For information about all the activities at our sauna centre, you can  write here  or call (+39)  049 8668099.

Oxana, our Sauna Instructor tells of Aufguss and its benefits

Preparing an Aufguss is the exclusive responsibility of an  Aufgussmeister a knowledgeable  sauna instructor.  At the marvellous Hotel Tritone SPA, Oxana will guide guests in a moment of purification with wondrous music, perfumes and movements. Her account is powerfully inspiring:

The powerful benefits of Aufguss increase significantly during the dispersion of essential oils. Following the rhythm of the songs, I begin to spray the stove’s hot stones with water. I lay on them spheres of ice sprinkled with oil, which I then break to create the steam. At this point, with rhythmic movements of the towel, I direct the boiling and aromatic steam towards the guests.

Essential oils are the key to the hidden benefits of Aufguss, because of the effects of their properties on human physiology. Some experts say the oils contain the same life force as the plants they come from.

Lasting about 12 minutes, the ritual involves three cycles of increasing vigorous oil spraying, to involve the participants in an intense multi-sensory experience.  

The effects of Aufguss are extraordinary:

• dilation of peripheral blood vessels;
• lower blood pressure;
• increased cardiac frequency;
• higher body temperature;
• loss of excess liquids.

Although it is relaxing, participation in the ritual is comparable to conducting  beneficial cardio-circulatory activity.

The experience is even more authentic if, at the end of the time spent in the sauna, the guest wants to try the inimitable  snow cave: one of its kind and available in the  Arquà Petrarca SPA at Hotel Tritone.  As if they were at an isolated Lapland lake or a luxurious high-mountain retreat, guests can immerse themselves in a room where the miracle of the snow is repeated incessantly; they can experience  the typical natural thermoregulation of the Finnish sauna ritual.

Later, refreshments with fruit and herbal teas  will welcome the participants, invigorating them with flavours of nature that have been carefully selected for this sensory journey. Tuesday’s refreshments offer more surprises as vodka is also served: on Tuesdays, Russian Aufguss is available. This Aufguss is a ceremony inspired by the most mysterious and remote Russian Siberian regions.

The ritual of the Finnish sauna

Relax, collect yourself, put away your cares Let the world around you fade into indistinctness.
(Italo Calvino)

At Hotel Tritone, Aufguss  comes to life  every day at 18:00; on Friday and Saturday there are two sessions scheduled (17:45 and 18:30). The first session of the weekend calls for lower temperatures, for basking and releasing feelings of peace. The second, more energetic session, is dedicated to lovers of overwhelming emotions and extreme temperatures.

To increase the wonders of a Finnish sauna, there is a different Aufguss theme every day.   The Ancient Greek Aufguss is staged on Thursday, the Gipsy Aufguss on Saturday, the Energy Aufguss on Monday. True to their authenticity, each of these rituals involves the use of  essential oils and theme music  to recreate the most diverse and wonderfully uplifting choreographies.Wednesday is Thai Aufguss day and Oxana gives way to a Thai sauna instructor who prepares an even more authentic and intense atmosphere.

Whatever Aufguss our guests choose, they will certainly know they are at a distinct point in space and time that is dedicated to exploring the most intimate and strong sensations that a body could desire.The Finnish sauna offers moments of true epiphany and deep meditation, where the real world fades into an ethereal landscape of notes and gestures, and the full breath of the soul fills every sense and frees every thought.

Oxana is emotional as she concludes this account:

Even the most sceptical guests emerge so happy. For some it is challenging, but I am always attentive to everyone’s needs and, in the end, everyone finds something they did not expect. Some cry for joy, so strong is their emotion.

And she has no doubts in remembering the most beautiful moment:

It was when a guest told me: “It gave me goose bumps: it was a total relaxation of the muscles and the mind.”

For more information on the Aufguss ritual and on the sauna centre, our staff will be at your complete disposal: write here  or call (+39)  049 8668099.