Menu toggle
Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden

By Laura Blake

“So nice you have to name it twice” said former American president Bill Clinton about Baden-Baden.  Luxury is truly abound in this exquisite south western slice of Germany.  A magnet for celebrities, royals and for anybody who enjoys the finer things in life are all drawn here for some decadent indulgence in one of Europe’s most opulent backdrops.
 
Black Forest
 
The exquisitely named ‘Black Forest’ gets its name from the dark evergreen that spreads over the region.  It has been the setting for a multitude of Brothers Grimm stories due to its splendid isolation which even today, in-between troves of tourists can still offer plenty of spots to enjoy some tranquil solitude.  The forest itself evokes images of serenity, cuckoo clocks and cherry gateaux (which gave birth to Schwarzwälderkirschtorte – one of the longest words in German!)  The region embodies everything that the world has come to know and love about Germany.
 
The forest is situated east of the Rhine, tucked between Karlsruhe and Basel.  It’s shaped like a bean, approximately 160km long and 50km wide.  Neighbouring Freiberg is a lively and thriving university town.  Once you are in the forest one area you should seek out Hirshgrund, for the opportunity for an adrenaline inducing zip wire experience.  Cut through the air and admire the astounding views of the Black Forest as the beauty of the towering green foliage seduces your spirit. 
 
The Casino
 
The legendary Marlene Dietrich once described this casino as “the most beautiful in the world”.  Bedecked with an opulence that belongs in the most palatial of buildings, it is hard to argue with her.  Built in 1838, there is certainly no more stylish place to spend time in then here; the grandiose interior is only matched by the thrilling excitement you experience as your fortune rests on the flip of a card. 
 
The inspiration for the interior came from the French palaces and rivalled that of the great Palace of Versailles.  The Florentiner Saal, with its chandelier fleet, is also called the Hall of the Thousand Candles.  As gambling was illegal in France during the 19th Century, many of the elite and extravagant would hop the border to play a game.  The casino itself is actually licensed on the basis that it pays 92 percent of its earnings in taxes to fund state sponsored social programs and public works, whilst the tips the casino receives from happy gamblers is enough to cover the 150 staff who work there.  The casino is the extravagant cherry on Baden-Baden’s flamboyant cake.
 
Spas
 
As Germany’s most decadent region, it offers numerous options for long and luxurious spa holidays.
 Caracalla Spa offers plenty of scope for you to unwind in and bathe at leisure in hot thermal water.  The bathing area has a multitude of bathing pools whilst the Roman Saunascape, with an outdoor area bedecked with picturesque castle garden, draws you into a world of decadence. 
 
The Friendrichsbad is a Roman-Irish bath, offering the ultimate experience in Roman bathing culture whilst also combining the style of Irish hot-air baths.  A visit here will take you on a journey through Friedrichsbad’s 17 well-being stations and will leave you wondrously replenished, as the changing temperatures and the healing thermal water in the various baths have a regenerative effect on body and soul.  A visit to Baden-Baden is an opportunity to seek some recuperation against the backdrop of a one of Europe’s most aesthetically enriching regions.

Share this article:

Subscribe to newsletter

close

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up here and get the latest news and updates delivered directly to your inbox

You can unsubscribe at any time