Celebrities come to Baden-Baden to get themselves into hot water and then get pummeled after. You might be surprised at how affordable a spa visit is in this town whose name is "bath-bath"--we'll tell you how just about anyone can get the treatment.
Location of Baden Baden
Baden Baden is 60 km northeast of Strasbourg, France in the Black Forest region of Germany, in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg. Besides Strasbourg, other close by, worthwhile cities to visit are Freiberg, Baden Wurttemberg, Rothenberg, Hiledelberg and perhaps Stuttgart for the Porsche museum or a Factory Tour (the factory is actually in Zuffenhausen, a few miles north of Stuttgart.)
How to reach Baden Baden
By Train - The Baden Baden train station is a stop for high speed and regional trains. The main lines are Basel (Switzerland)/Hamburg, Basel/Rhineland, Basel/Berlin and Paris/Vienna via Stuttgart and Munich.
By Car - Motorway A5 Basle to Frankfurt, A8 when traveling from Munich to Karlsruhe, Federal Highway B3 Kiel/Basle, B500 in France / Black Forest / Switzerland Motorway Exit "Baden-Baden."
By Plane - Baden Airpark is 15 km out of the city. There is a daily flight to/from Berlin Templehof as well as charter flights by Eurowings, Hapag Lloyd, Hamburg International, Air Europa, Sun Express. You can take a train from larger airports at Frankfurt, Karlsruhe, and Basel (Switzerland).
Airport Shuttle - You can book a seat on a small bus from international Airports at Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Strasburg, France for 135 Euros round trip.
Baden Baden Hotels
An oft recommended hotel in Baden Baden that isn't too expensive and is centrally located next to the opera house is the Schweizer Hof, Lange Str. 73, 76530 Baden-Baden.
For you luxury buffs, the only place to go to mingle with the rich and famous is the Brenner's Park Hotel and Spa. Heidi Klum loved it.
Kelby Carr, your France for Visitors guide, recommends the Hotel Beeg, on Gernsbacher Straße 44-46. which "had all the necessities, nice bed, a small armchair, TV, etc. The best feature was definitely the location, though. You could walk out the front door, walk along a sidewalk and be at the Caracalla spa." (The Hotel Beeg sounds nice, but I usually go for something smaller.)
For user-rated hotels, you can book direct on the internet at venere: Baden-Baden Hotels
Spas
Spas have been famous at Baden Baden since the Roman Era. The two big spas, Caracalla and the Roman-Irish spa, are quite affordable. A three hour visit to Caracalla will cost you 13 Euro, 10 three hour visits will cost you 113 Euros. A single admission ticket excluding soap and brush massage (3 hours) at the Roman-Irish Spa will run you 21 Euros, a three and a half hour visit including soap and brush massage will cost you 29 Euros. At either spa you can park nearby for two hours free, then for a Euro per hour thereafter. For all the info on prices and other options, see the linkbox below
Wine
Baden Baden is in the Ortenau region, in good position for wine production. The Baden Wine Route will lead you and your car through the best of the region, while the Ortenau Weinpfad (wine trail) running parallel has over 100 kilomters of hiking trails and vantage points. For more on these opportunities, follow the Baden Wine Route link in the box on the right
Cuisine
There is, of course, the famous Black Forest smoked ham, and the locally made Gansewurst, a sausage made from smoked goose, is worth a try. Lunch is light, there's a coffee and cake break in the afternoon, then a late dinner. Some of the food has French influence here, and the local black forest game is legendary.
Weather
Find weather and historical climate for Baden-Baden: Baden-Baden Travel Weather.
