You may know from my previous posts that I am a real fan of planning spontaneous travel trips. This time I decided to go to Germany. Instead of finding my way to its most popular cities, I have chosen to escape to Baden-Baden. This is a little town at the foothills of Schwarzwald, a forested mountain region close to the French and Swiss border. In terms of size, Baden-Baden is incomparable with Berlin or München. However, it totally does not lag behind these places in terms of richness of history. You can imagine how honoured I feel to explore this town. Even if it was only for one day, with the proceeding two days visiting the neighbouring cities of Heidelberg and Strassbourg, that could not spoil the fun. Without more ado, here are the highlights that has made my one day exploration of Baden-Baden an unforgettable one.

Kurhaus
There is no denying that Baden-Baden is like a history book that opens itself for you. The first landmark I came across was Kurhaus. This spa resort with casino and conference halls dated from 1766 marks the origin of Baden-Baden as a luxury spa town, which evolved around the thermal springs. Since the beginning of time, this place has been loved by philosophers, royals, politicians, elites and celebrities. Walking around this grandiose building with the graceful facade and golden details made me get lost in the history of wealth for which Baden-Baden has always been renowned.

Trinkhalle
Although part of Kurhaus, it is worth putting Trinkhalle separately in the lime light. The popularity of Trinkhalle is due to its ancient-looking pump. This is also where its name comes from as “trinkhalle” means “pumphouse” in German. From this pump Spa guests of Kurhaus can obtain the healing waters of the thermal springs for which Baden-Baden is famous. However, this is not everything what Trinkhalle has in store for us. Outside is a 90-metres-long arcade where 14 paintings of regional legends are exposed. These paintings brought me even closer to the history of Baden-Baden and the beliefs that its people held at the period they were drawn.

Lange-Straße
Lange-Straße is the main shopping street of Baden-Baden. It is home to a diversity of boutiques, designer shops and retail stores. This means that Lange-Straße is accessible to people with different kinds of budgets. Walking at this street, make you really feel the elegant and amicable atmosphere. From this street you easily go to the neighbouring high streets, such as Lichtentaler Straße & Sophienstraße.

Küferstraße
You would be surprised how many beautiful side alleys there are in Baden-Baden. Take for example Küferstraße which is a hidden side alley off Lange-Straße. This brings you uphill to more colourful houses. For a moment, it feels like you are wandering around in a Mediterranean province.

Café König
After delving into the history of Baden-Baden and wandering around its high streets, It was time to pamper myself with a tea break. For this, I have chosen a typical traditional Baden-Badener coffee house. The beautiful pink colour-themed facade and interior told me my choice was right. In the shop I got welcomed by a wide assortment of cakes, chocolates, sweets and confitures. In the restaurant behind the shop you can enjoy your cake bought in the shop. The restaurant also have its own menu with items from which you can choose. With a piece of its well-known Baumkuchentorte and a cup of detox tea, I felt like a happy kid again. Before leaving I could not resist buying two boxes of pralines.

At one moment I was lost in the glorious history of Baden-Baden, while at the other moment I found myself back with a moment for myself in a typical Baden-Badener café. I will definitely come back again and stay for a longer time. Have a great time exploring this city and let me know your experiences here.

Until next time!

Love always,

Mee-Ling