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WORTH KNOWING

Tourist tax - what is it?

More than 500 years ago, people in Baden-Baden already had to pay a spa tax. But what does "spa tax" actually mean and what is it used for?

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What does spa tax mean: explained in one sentence

The spa tax (Middle Latin taxa = estimated price; tax) is used to finance the infrastructure (spa houses, thermal baths, public toilets, cleanliness of the beach, parking lots, playgrounds, ...) of a place or city.

Personal opinion of Basti:

I think the word Kurtaxe is already a bit cryptic. Kurtaxe is not the dog of Asterix. Kurtaxe is also not the cab to the health resort. But Kurtaxe is simply an ancient Latin term for beach tax :D

Which resort charges spa tax?

Most beach and seaside resorts are also state-approved health resorts. This means that these resorts have the right to charge a visitor's tax. This is charged per person and is valid for at least the entire day or for several days. The price varies between two and five euros per day.

In order to answer the question "Which beach is subject to tax?" well, it is rather necessary to ask: Which resorts do not charge a tourist tax? Because this list is surprisingly short. In most cases, tax-free beaches are so-called 'natural beaches'. In other words, there are no public toilets, no garbage collection, and no other services that you would expect from a taxed beach.

List of beaches without tourist tax