Baden-Baden, what to visit?

The timeless elegance of a spa town in the Black Forest

In the heart of the Black Forest, shrouded in an aura of charm and history, lies Baden-Baden, the queen of Germany's spa towns, renowned for its timeless elegance and aristocratic atmosphere. For centuries, this city has been a favorite destination for the European elite, who came to benefit from its thermal springs and to be captivated by its refined beauty. With its neoclassical villas, lush parks and world-class cultural offerings, Baden-Baden is a destination that continues to evoke images of grandeur and serenity.

The all-pedestrian and car-free city centre is a true architectural masterpiece, an ode to the golden age of the Belle Époque, when Baden-Baden was known as the "Summer Capital of Europe". Walking along the famous Lichtentaler Allee, a tree-lined avenue of over two kilometers, you can admire majestic villas, historic buildings and carefully maintained gardens.

Casinò di Baden-Baden Copyright © Baden-Baden Kur & Tourismus GmbH

Along the way, you will also find the Kurhaus, an iconic symbol of the city, with its neoclassical façade and the sumptuous Baden-Baden casino, the oldest in Germany and one of the most charming in Europe. This place, which has hosted aristocrats and celebrities, exudes a luxury of yesteryear and offers a dip in the elegance of a bygone era. At the gaming tables, in splendid richly decorated rooms reminiscent of French royal palaces, you can play roulette, blackjack and poker, in an elegant, sumptuous and private environment.

Trinkhalle, la Pump Room di Baden-Baden, con pilastri corinzi e affreschi. Copyright © Avion Tourism Magazine

No less fascinating are the famous thermal baths of Baden-Baden, which attract visitors from all over the world. It is no coincidence that in 2021, the International World Heritage Committee inscribed Baden-Baden on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Great Spa Towns of Europe.

Terme Friedrichsbad a Baden-Baden Copyright © Baden-Baden Kur & Tourismus GmbH

The historic nudist-only Friedrichsbad thermal baths, with their Roman-Irish architecture, have been offering a unique wellness experience for over 145 years, a thermal ritual combining hot baths, saunas and massages, while the modern Caracalla Therme, with their large indoor and outdoor thermal pools, are an oasis of relaxation surrounded by greenery.

Terme Caracalla a Baden-Baden Copyright © Baden-Baden Kur & Tourismus GmbH

Here, thermal water flows from the depths of the earth, enriched with beneficial minerals that have made Baden-Baden famous since the times of ancient Rome, in fact, the city was founded by the Romans 2,000 years ago. Both architecturally impressive baths offer water that flows from twelve springs at a depth of about 2,000 meters underground, pushing out about 800,000 liters a day, at temperatures reaching 68 °C.

Teatro di Baden-Baden Copyright © Baden-Baden Kur & Tourismus GmbH

The city is not only a place of health and relaxation, but also a cultural center of great prestige. The Festspielhaus, one of the largest opera and concert theatres in Europe, regularly hosts internationally renowned artists and offers a calendar of events ranging from classical music to ballet, from opera to contemporary performances. This impressive building, which was once a train station, represents a perfect combination of past and modernity, and contributes to making Baden-Baden a cultural landmark. While, Baden-Baden Theater, built between 1859 and 1862 in the style of the Paris Opera, is one of the most beautiful and oldest theater buildings in Germany and hosts performances ranging from classical to modern.

Continuing the visit, you cannot miss the Frieder Burda Museum, a jewel of modern architecture designed by Richard Meier, which houses an extraordinary collection of modern and contemporary art with the exhibition of works by renowned international artists such as Picasso, Gerhard Richter, Neo Rauch, to name a few. Its clean lines and the brightness of the exhibition spaces create a fascinating contrast to the city's historic architecture, offering an artistic experience of great impact. Next door, the Staatliche Kunsthalle offers temporary exhibitions by leading artists. A glass bridge connects the Frieder Burda Museum with the State Art Gallery. Another extraordinary and unique one of its kind is the Fabergé Museum which exhibits over 700 masterpieces by the jeweler Carl Peter Fabergé.

Il parco Gönneranlage a Baden-Baden nella zona Lichtentaler Allee Copyright © Baden-Baden Kur & Tourismus GmbH

In Baden-Baden you can stroll like a 19th-century flâneur through the Lichtentaler Allee gardens that wind through charming parks to the city's main art venues. "La Promenade", the nickname of Lichtentaler Allee, takes you beyond the great hotels and museums, revealing the splendor of the palaces and villas of Baden-Baden. The "Gönneranlage" rose garden with 400 varieties of roses that enchant with their scents is also worth a stop. Shopping lovers can continue their walk to shop, even luxury ones, in the picturesque streets, in the avenues full of boutiques or in the small streets of the neo-baroque old town.

Roseto, Baden-Baden Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

The city offers many events throughout the year. In summer, open-air concerts , food and music festivals, as well as the International Vintage Car Meeting are held, guaranteeing a fun stay. In autumn, in September, the SWR 3 New Pop Festival features well-known singers at exceptional venues such as the theatre or the Festival Hall Baden-Baden. In winter, a very special event from November to January is the Baden-Baden Christmas market in front of the illuminated Kurhaus/Casino.

Baden-Baden Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

For those who want to explore the surroundings of Baden-Baden, there are many possibilities. The Black Forest offers scenic hiking and biking trails, offering spectacular views and direct contact with unspoiled nature. Just a few kilometres from the city, Hohenbaden Castle, with its medieval ruins, offers a dip in history and a breathtaking view of the Rhine Valley. In addition, the nearby Mount Merkur, which can be reached by a suggestive funicular, is the ideal vantage point to admire the entire region.

View of Baden-Baden from Merkur Mountain with paragliders. Copyright © Baden-Baden Kur & Tourismus GmbH

The local cuisine of Baden-Baden

You cannot leave the city without savoring the delights of the local cuisine of Baden-Baden in the starred gourmet restaurants or in the small cozy taverns offering both international and traditional local cuisine. The gastronomy of the region is renowned for its delicious pasta, fish and meat dishes cooked with local recipes but also for its robust and tasty dishes, such as the handmade Spätzle pasta topped with bacon or cheese or a kind of very thin and tasty pizza, the Flammkuchen, to be enjoyed with your favorite ingredients including vegetables, cold cuts or fish but also the Black Forest venison stew, accompanied by a glass of Pinot Noir.

Vegetable flammkuchen

Fish in aromatic sauce

Black Forest Cake

In fact, in the surrounding countryside of Baden-Baden, called "Rebland", there are many vineyards and wineries that produce Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, sparkling wine and grappa. Among the desserts, the famous Black Forest cake stands out, an irresistible combination of chocolate, cream and cherries that contains all the flavor of this generous land.

Baden-Baden, vista dal Florentinerberg sul quartiere termale Copyright © Avion Tourism Magazine

By plane, the city of Baden-Baden can be reached from the nearby Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Regional Airport (FKB) in 30 minutes by private shuttle, bus or taxi. The same airport also serves the nearby city of Karlsruhe. Whether it's a spa stay, an immersion in culture, a food and wine tour, a special evening dedicated to trying your luck at the roulette table, the German city of Baden-Baden promises an unforgettable experience, where time seems to stand still and every moment turns into a precious memory, letting yourself be lulled by its quiet and refined rhythm.

Texts by Angela Trivigno

Avion Tourism Magazine

Photos for editorial use only:

Tourist Board

www.baden-baden.com - www.germany.travel

Partnership with Booking.com

Where to stay in Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden is a welcoming city and offers various possibilities for accommodation in facilities equipped with every comfort.

To find the ideal hotel and the best offers , you can search by stars but also by neighborhoods or places of interest.

STARS

Hotel for stars and for services offered:

HOUSES, B&B, HOSTELS

Stays in houses, B&Bs, hostels:

ACCOMMODATIONS

Hotels in the neighborhoods

Baden Baden Old Town

PLACES OF INTEREST

Hotels in tourist areas

Faberge Museum

Baden-Baden State Art Gallery

Museum Frieder Burda

Baden Baden City Museum

Motorway Church St. Christophorus

Brahmshaus

New Castle

The Merkur

Merkur Funicular Railway

PLACES OF INTEREST

Hotels in tourist areas

Lichtentaler Allee Park

Baden-Baden Train Station

Kongresshaus Baden-Baden

Festspielhaus Baden-Baden

Stiftskirche Baden-Baden

REGION

Hotels in the region

Baden-Württemberg

AROUND

Hotels in nearby cities

AIRPORT

Airport Hotels

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport

WHERE TO GO IN BADEN-BADEN

Tourist attractions in Baden-Baden

Terme Friedrichsbad a Baden-Baden Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos

Friedrichsbad Thermal Baths

The Friedrichsbad Thermal Baths in Baden-Baden are located in the old town (Bäderviertel spa district) in a Renaissance-style building opened in 1877 and offer a wellness experience. Inside, you can admire hand-painted majolica tiles with celestial motifs, domed ceilings and wooden loungers in the rooms dedicated to hot air (54 or 68 degrees). The thermal path includes showers, massages with soap and brush, baths in healing thermal waters and steam baths (45 and 47 degrees). The thermal pools offer different experiences: the first pool has a temperature of 36 degrees, while the bubble bath is at 34 degrees. Slippers, towels, hair and body shampoos and creams are offered. The baths are reserved for nudists, but you are allowed to enter with a swimsuit on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Baths of Caracalla

In the spa district (Bäderviertel) in the old town of Baden-Baden, there are also the Baths of Caracalla with pools (between 18 °C and 38 °C) for a thermal bath. Inside there are hot and cold water caves, an aromatic steam bath and a salt inhalation room for halotherapy. Outside there are two marble swimming pools, two whirlpools and a large solarium area with relaxation loungers. The Wellness Lounge offers modern rooms with a wide range of massages and treatments. The sauna area, which is only accessible without swimwear, includes indoor and outdoor saunas. In the spa restaurant, you can enjoy fresh, light and healthy dishes, for a complete regeneration experience. Access is allowed for children aged 7 and over.

Trinkhalle

Next to the Kurhaus is the majestic façade of the Trinkhalle, Baden-Baden's historic Pump Room, with Corinthian pillars and frescoes adorning the colonnade. It is one of the most impressive buildings in the city with a monumental structure and a 90-meter-long arcade, a symbol of Baden-Baden's ancient Roman past. Along the pedestrian walkway, you can admire the mythological world of the northern Black Forest through 14 frescoes on the walls. Originally, the Trinkhalle was built for drinking cures (popular in the 19th century) with a thermal spring inside, but today, the spring has only a symbolic value, as the thermal water is not drinkable.

Baden-Baden Theatre

The Baden-Baden Theatre, located on Goetheplatz and along Lichtentaler Allee, is one of the oldest theatres still in operation in Germany. Built in 1862 on the initiative of Edouard Bénazet, tenant of the casino, the building stands out for its classicist façade and French Rococo interior, designed by architect Charles Couteau. It has three spaces: the large auditorium, the foyer of mirrors and the Theater im Kulissenhaus (TIK), home to the Junges Theater Baden-Baden. Every year, an opera is performed in the theater in co-production with the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Kurhaus

Built between 1821 and 1824 by Friedrich Weinbrenner, the Kurhaus Baden-Baden is an elegant complex with banquet halls and suites, manicured gardens and elegant boutiques overlooking the columns. It also has an outdoor stage where musical events are held and a restaurant ideal for a dinner before entering the legendary Casino of Baden-Baden.

Baden-Baden, Casinò Copyright © Avion Tourism Magazine

Casino Baden-Baden

Casino Baden-Baden has been combining luxury and adventure for almost 200 years. With French roots and classicist rooms inside the Kurhaus, the casino offers a wide range of games and entertainment (roulette, blackjack and poker) in an atmosphere reminiscent of the Belle Époque. Cultural events, dance nights, fashion shows and cabaret shows are also held in the casino.

Museums in Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden, Museo Frieder Burda Copyright © Baden-Baden Kur & Tourismus GmbH

Frieder Burda Museum

Richard Meier is the architect of famous museums such as the Museum of Applied Arts in Frankfurt, the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona. He also created the Frieder Burda Museum in Baden-Baden, next to the Staatliche Kunsthalle (built over 100 years earlier) in the park of the Lichtentaler Allee, characterized by a transparent structure thanks to the use of light and glass. The museum houses masterpieces by famous painters of classical modernism and works from the private collection of Frieder Burda (paintings, sculptures, works on paper of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries) with a focus on classical modernism and works by Picasso.

Baden-Baden, Museo Fabergé Copyright © Avion Tourism Magazine

Fabergé Museum

Carl Fabergé (1842-1920) was a Russian goldsmith and jeweler, born in St. Petersburg, famous for his artistic works, works for the Tsar's family and enameling technique. The Alexander Ivanov Collection, located on Sophienstraße in Baden-Baden, is the first and only museum in the world dedicated to Carl Peter Fabergé. The collection includes over 700 pieces: from imperial Easter eggs to decorations and everyday objects. At the center of the exhibition is the Rothschild egg, valued at 12.5 million euros and two imperial Easter eggs: the Constellation Egg and the Birch Egg from 1917.

Excursions around Baden-Baden

Rebland

The Rebland in Baden-Baden is a 10-minute drive from the city center, and is a wine region, ideal for lovers of good food and wine. The Rebland wine region is one of the most renowned areas in Germany for the cultivation of Riesling with expanses of vineyards, villages with inns where you can stop to taste Baden wine and genuine dishes. There are hiking trails through vineyards and forests, viewpoints such as the Ortenau Wine Trail above Varnhalt. Do not miss the Schloss Neuweier Castle and the medieval town of Steinbach with its ancient walls and half-timbered houses.

Rastatt

The city of Rastatt, about 17 km from Baden-Baden, is home to the Rastatt Palace (known as Baden Versailles), one of the most beautiful Baroque palaces in Germany. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm and Margravine Sibylla Augusta were inspired by the architecture of the Palace of Versailles to build this three-winged palace with gardens. Surrounded by well-kept gardens and rich interiors decorated with frescoes and stucco, the Royal Palace of Rastatt It reflects the opulence and prestige of the nobility of the time and is a fascinating place to visit, where history and art come together in an atmosphere of great elegance. Discover Rastatt.

Partnership with GetYourGuide

All Tours & Excursions

News & Useful info