Luxury and Wellness on the edge of Germany’s Black Forest

On July 24, 2021, the International World Heritage Committee inscribed ‘The Great Spa Towns of Europe’, including Baden-Baden, on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. I was amazed walking through the city of Baden-Baden at all the beautiful almost stately, elegant architecture everywhere. It is a beautiful old city, and walking through it you can easily see why it is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. If you love history and visiting museums, combined with luxury and a few fabulous spa and wellness sessions, this is the place to go.

Exploring Baden-Baden

Walking down Lichtentaler Strabe or Sophienstrabe brings you to Leopold square (Leopoldsplatz) with its magnificent Lindt building. In my opinion, it looks old but it is beautiful. Even the shop fronts in the city look elegant. (PS: A stop at the Lindt shop is awesome.)

While talking about elegance, you can take a horse-drawn carriage tour through town. It is one of the best ways to explore the town. We found them near the tourist information center in the Kurhaus Colonnades.

You can easily explore the city on foot, by bike or as mentioned by carriage.

Wasserkunst Paradies in Baden-Baden

Here are a few must-see tourist attractions in Baden Baden: (let’s start at Kurhaus)

Photos of Kurhaus, Baden-Baden

Kurhaus is the city’s event and function hall with a beautiful little garden, and it also accommodates the posh and beautiful casino.
Festspielhaus is the largest opera house in Germany with 2 500 seats.
From there you can walk to the Trinkhalle spa complex. Built during 1839-42, this covered walkway with Corinthian pillars and 14 frescoes portraying the myths of the Black Forest is maybe not one of the most beautiful sights, but it is part of the history. (Oh and the spa waters are said to have curative powers…)
Something which I definitely did love is the Laterne Restaurant. You can also stay at the hotel (which I haven’t, but if you’re looking for an unique place to stay in Baden Baden, this is it):

Hotel Alte Laterne

This hotel offers quiet rooms, a daily breakfast buffet and a restaurant serving local food. It is situated in Baden-Baden town center, just 300 m from the Kurhaus (spa resort)

Book now

Marktplatz is the charming Market Square in the heart of the Old Town (Altstadt) of Baden-Baden near the Collegiate Church and Town Hall. You can climb the beautiful stairs to reach the terrace, which will give you a beautiful view across the old town and city.
If you’re looking for some pamper time, a visit to Caracalla Therme should be on your itinerary. (Enjoy a romantic fire sauna for couples or relax in the hot and cold water grotto.)
The splendid Friedrichsbad is worth a visit.
Furthermore, directly below Friederichsbad is the (soldiers bath) – The Roman Bath Ruins – Museum and exhibition area with computer and video animation of the original baths. An audio guide (in several languages) is available and included in the price.
Stroll along the Lichtentaler Allee – a historic park and arboretum set out as a 2.3-kilometer strolling avenue along the west bank of the River Oos and which runs through the city center of Baden-Baden.
The Frieder Burda Art Museum along the Lichtentaler Allee is a very modern building in comparison to the rest and houses works of classical modern, and contemporary art.
Visit the Fabergé Museum housing items made by the Russian jewelry firm Fabergé.
Hohenbaden Castle – Ruins of an ancient castle with fabulous views
On your way to the cable car, stop at the Wasserkunst Paradies. Yes, it is just a few water pools but it is definitely worth seeing if you have the time, as it is named one of the city’s tourist attractions. The view from the top is beautiful.
The Merkur Funicular Railway is a funicular that will take you to the top of the Merkur Mountain. Enjoy lunch and spectacular views or a beautiful sunset, weather depending.
As the town lies on the edge of the Black Forest you simply have to make time in your itinerary to explore the beautiful nature. Go on a hike and enjoy the beautiful scenery. You might enjoy the fact that this is at least a free activity, saving you some money.

Travel Tip:

When you arrive in Baden-Baden, stop at the Tourist Information Center and get your map of the city, and easy directions as well as friendly help to make your visit memorable.

Located in: Kurhaus Kolonnaden | Address: Kaiserallee 1, 76530 Baden-Baden, Germany.

Photos of Trinkhalle

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Is Baden-Baden expensive?

Baden-Baden is beautiful make no mistake, but it is also a bit expensive. I think tourism is aimed at the more mature and wealthy traveler. So in answer to the question ‘is Baden-Baden expensive’, my answer would be, yes.