Baden-Baden - Black Forest Spa Town in Germany

Relax at the Renowned Thermal Waters Known since Roman Times

Jan 15, 2009

Baden-Baden is at the northern end of the Black Forest, and is the site of the famous thermal waters for which the town has been known since Roman Times.

The spa town of Baden Baden and its waters have been a hit with influential American visitors - erstwhile President of the United States Bill Clinton was rather taken by it when he said

and Mark Twain was tickled by the place in a previous age, declaring himself cured of rheumatism even as he felt unsettled

"it is an inane town, filled with sham, and petty fraud, and snobbery, but the baths are good" (Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad)

Baden-Baden The Town

Customer service has improved immeasurably since Twain's time! If not taking in the baths, the Belle Époque architecture of the town is oozes elegance and class. A climb up to the Neues Schloss terrace is worth the effort, and the gardens offer a delightful view over Baden-Baden.

Returning to the busy centre, there are many cafes and restaurants to visit - the Gasthaus Löwenbräu offers a good range of German specialities.

From the centre a gentle stroll along the Lichtentaler Allee is rewarding. This runs for a couple of kilometres along the gently flowing river Oos towards the mediaeval Cistercian abbey, founded in 1245 and still a working abbey. This relaxing avenue has an almost otherworldy atmosphere of elegance, with many ornate bridges and flanked by many Belle Époque buildings on either side. Baden-Baden is also host to German's largest casino, the Spielbank, in the Kurhaus, which can accommodate more than two thousand customers.

Thermal Spas in Baden-Baden

No article on Baden-Baden would be complete without some mention of the thermal waters which rise at temperatures ranging from 52 to 67 degrees Celsius (130-153 F) and a flow rate of nearly 10 litres per second. The town was founded by the Romans who called it Aquae Aureliae, and its use peaked in 2AD. In 260 AD the German Aleman tribe invaded, destroying most of the town, though some relics of the Roman site can be seen in the basement of the Friedrichsbad. In the 15th century bathing resumes.

Baden-Baden's greatest period starts after the Rastatter Kongress of 1797, after which the benefits of the spa pread through European high society.

Friedrichsbad is the oldest spa building, completed in 1842. The modern Caracalla Spa facilities were constructed in 1985, and Baden-Baden is also a Kurort, where consultants can help patients get the medical benefits of the thermal waters.

English-speaking visitors might wish to familiarise themselves with the dress code of the baths, which may be less inhibited than they are used to at home.

Gateway to the Black Forest

Baden-Baden is also the gateway to the Black forest - the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse starts from the town, and takes the visitor along a breathtaking ridgeway through the mountains with stupendous views of the Black Forest on the way south.

Baden-Baden Hotels Can Be Expensive

Staying in Baden-Baden is expensive, budget travellers should look at the nearby towns for cheaper accommodation.

Baden-Baden is a delightful town to visit. and the thermal baths are good and inexpensive. Cost conscious travellers may wish to organise their itinerary so they do not have to stay the night there.

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