Baden-Baden, Germany: Europe’s Elegant Spa Town We Almost Missed

One of the joys of slow travel is the freedom to take a last-minute detour. During our two-week stay in Heidelberg, we decided almost on a whim to spend a day in Baden-Baden. Thank goodness we did, because it turned out to be one of the highlights of our time in Germany. Our only regret? Not staying longer. At a minimum, we should have spent a night. In hindsight, Baden-Baden is the sort of place that deserves a week—a place to settle into rather than simply visit.

For us, Baden-Baden was a discovery. For most Europeans, however, it is anything but. The city has been one of Europe’s premier spa destinations for centuries, attracting everyone from emperors and aristocrats to artists, gamblers, and retirees. Its story begins with the Romans, who recognized the value of the thermal springs nearly 2,000 years ago. They established baths here and named the settlement Aquae Aureliae. Throughout the Middle Ages, the springs continued to draw visitors, but Baden-Baden truly came into its own in the 18th and 19th centuries when European spa culture exploded in popularity. By the late 1800s, it had earned the nickname “The Summer Capital of Europe,” hosting royalty, diplomats, writers, musicians, and wealthy travelers from across the continent. Today, while modern in many respects, it still feels very much like the elegant resort town those visitors would recognize.

One thing we did not know before arriving was that Baden-Baden received one of Europe’s highest heritage honors in 2021 when UNESCO designated it part of “The Great Spa Towns of Europe,” a collection of eleven historic spa cities across seven countries recognized for their extraordinary contribution to European spa culture. Included on the list is another of our favorite destinations, Bath, England, about which I have written previously. UNESCO’s recognition is not simply about mineral waters— it celebrates the unique combination of health, architecture, parks, culture, entertainment, and social life that evolved around Europe’s great spa towns from the 18th century through the early 20th century. Baden-Baden is considered one of the finest surviving examples of that tradition.

As always, our first stop was a walking tour through GetYourGuide. But because we arrived several hours early, we decided to explore on our own first. Our guidebook recommended the city’s most famous promenade, the Lichtentaler Allee, a green ribbon running along the Oos River from downtown Baden-Baden toward the historic convent at Lichtenthal. It proved to be one of the prettiest urban walks we have taken anywhere in Europe: the path winds through English-inspired gardens beneath magnificent trees, and along the way are grand villas, art museums, elegant hotels, the oldest tennis club in Germany, and even preserved shepherd huts. It felt less like a city park and more like a beautifully curated outdoor museum of landscape design. I highly recommend starting your visit here. Most walking tours focus primarily on the old town itself, while this walk introduces you to the gracious character that makes Baden-Baden so special.

Our guide, Katharina, was exceptional. She works for the local tourist office, and it showed. She had exactly the right combination of historical knowledge and entertaining stories, leading us through all the major highlights of this compact and highly walkable city.

Like Heidelberg, Baden-Baden escaped significant destruction during World War II. Partly this was because the city lacked major military industries. But another reason was practical: its numerous hotels had been requisitioned to house and treat wounded soldiers. Katharina pointed out that many buildings displayed large red crosses on their roofs identifying them as medical facilities. She noted, with more than a little irony, that in those days combatants generally respected such markings under the Geneva Conventions.

Everything in Baden-Baden begins with the water. The thermal springs emerge from deep beneath the earth at temperatures reaching nearly 70°C (158°F). Rich in minerals and heated naturally through geological processes, they have been attracting visitors since Roman times. For centuries people believed the waters could relieve arthritis, digestive problems, circulation issues, and countless other ailments. Whether all those claims were true hardly mattered. Entire industries, fortunes, and social traditions were built around the springs. One of my favorite stories from the tour concerned the city’s drinking fountains. Today many are marked with warnings advising visitors not to drink the water regularly because it contains naturally occurring levels of substances such as arsenic and lithium. Locals largely dismiss the concern. As Katharina put it, “The water hasn’t changed. Only the standards have.” She recalled that when she was growing up, many fountains still had tin cups attached by chains so residents and visitors could stop and take a drink whenever they wished.

The bathing culture remains alive today. Katharina took us past the magnificent 19th-century Friedrichsbad, which continues to operate much as it has since the 1870s. Combining Roman and Irish bathing traditions, it remains one of the city’s signature experiences. Five days a week, bathing is done in the traditional European fashion—with no bathing suits. The old slogan, she joked, was that visitors needed to bring only a comb. Next door sits the modern Caracalla Spa, an architectural showcase of glass, light, and thermal pools. As we peeked inside, I immediately began planning our return visit. Given another week in Baden-Baden, I suspect I would happily spend part of every day there.

The second great force shaping Baden-Baden was gambling. Its legality ebbed and flowed depending on the political and moral climate of the era. The city’s fortunes changed dramatically in the 19th century when gambling was prohibited in France. The entrepreneur Jacques Bénazet, whose family operated casinos in Paris, relocated his activities to Baden-Baden. The magnificent casino and accompanying luxury hotels transformed the city into a playground for Europe’s wealthy elite. The famous casino still operates today and was described by Marlene Dietrich as the most beautiful casino in the world.

The money generated by both spas and gambling financed a remarkable cultural life.

For a city of only about 55,000 residents, Baden-Baden punches far above its weight. The city boasts outstanding museums, including the Museum Frieder Burda, a world-class collection of modern and contemporary art housed in a stunning Richard Meier-designed building. Music remains central to local life as well. The city hosts major concerts, opera performances, and festivals throughout the year, continuing a tradition that stretches back generations.

Baden-Baden also developed a particularly strong connection with Russia. After members of the Russian aristocracy discovered the city in the 19th century, word spread rapidly. Russian nobles began spending entire seasons here. Soon French, British, and German elites followed. The city became one of Europe’s great social crossroads where royalty, artists, diplomats, and industrialists mingled during the summer months. That international atmosphere still lingers today. Modern Baden-Baden is especially popular with affluent German retirees, and it is easy to understand why. The city combines excellent healthcare, abundant cultural opportunities, beautiful parks, easy access to nature, outstanding restaurants, and a climate milder than much of Germany. It offers all the amenities of a sophisticated city while maintaining the feel of a relaxed resort town.

Like every great European destination, Baden-Baden has accumulated an impressive list of famous visitors. Queen Victoria came repeatedly and helped popularize the city among the British upper classes. Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky famously lost substantial sums gambling in the casino and later used those experiences as inspiration for his novel The Gambler. Johannes Brahms spent years here composing music. Clara Schumann performed here frequently. Even European royalty treated Baden-Baden as a seasonal gathering place. One gets the sense that half the crowned heads of Europe passed through at one time or another.

As evening approached, we settled onto the terrace of one of the elegant restaurants attached to the city’s grand hotels. Looking out over the river and the lush green parklands we had explored earlier, we found ourselves pinching ourselves once again for the good fortune of spending even a single day in this remarkable place.

On our next visit—and there will certainly be a next visit—we plan to stay much longer. We want to take fuller advantage of the city’s cultural offerings, explore the extensive network of walking and hiking trails woven through the surrounding hills, spend time in the thermal baths, and use Baden-Baden as a base for exploring the beautiful Black Forest.

Some destinations impress.

Others linger.

Baden-Baden belongs firmly in the second category.