Before you go

Your trip to Baden-Baden.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Baden-Baden – Baden-Württemberg Destination Heidelberg and the Floresta Negra

How to get there

Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (FRA) Frankfurt am Main · 175 km
Bahnhof Baden-Baden Baden-Oos · 5 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before you buy. The most common route is to arrive in Frankfurt (FRA) and continue by train: the ICE to Baden-Baden station takes about one and a half hours. The station is in the Oos district, about 5 km from the center; local buses cover the trip in around 15 minutes.

How many days

One day is enough for the thermal baths, the Kurhaus, the Lichtentaler Allee and the Museum Frieder Burda. With two days there's time to go up the Merkur, walk in the forest and enjoy the baths without rushing. Many people stop in Baden-Baden on the train route between Frankfurt or Heidelberg and Freiburg.

When to go

The thermal baths operate year-round and are a good option in the cold months, from November to March. From May to September the Lichtentaler Allee and nearby trails are more pleasant. The Christmas market, in front of the Kurhaus, usually runs from late November until shortly before Christmas.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The center is small and can be explored on foot, and local buses connect the train station, in the Oos district, with the center and the lower station of the Merkur funicular. A car is only useful for driving the Schwarzwaldhochstraße, the scenic road that leaves Baden-Baden through the high parts of the Black Forest.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Baden-Baden

Morning
Kurhaus, Trinkhalle and Lichtentaler Allee
Start with the Kurhaus and the Trinkhalle, the colonnaded gallery next to it. Then walk along the Lichtentaler Allee, beside the Oos stream, to the Museum Frieder Burda.
Afternoon
Museum Frieder Burda
Visit the Museum Frieder Burda, Richard Meier's white building with modern and contemporary art, and the Staatliche Kunsthalle next door if there's an exhibition that interests you.
Late afternoon
Thermal bath at Friedrichsbad or Caracalla
Walk up to the spa quarter on the old town slope. Choose Friedrichsbad, with its Roman-Irish bath, or the Caracalla Therme, with indoor and outdoor pools. Allow about 3 hours.
Evening
Dinner in the center
Dine in the pedestrian streets between Leopoldsplatz and the Kurhaus. On winter evenings the area in front of the Kurhaus hosts the Christmas market, which usually runs from late November until shortly before Christmas.

2 days in Baden-Baden

Day 1

Morning
Lichtentaler Allee to the monastery
Walk the 2.3 km of the Lichtentaler Allee from the Kurhaus to the Lichtenthal monastery, founded in the 13th century, passing gardens, bridges over the Oos and the dahlia garden.
Afternoon
Museum Frieder Burda and center
Return along the avenue to the Museum Frieder Burda. Then explore the old town, with the Stiftskirche and the stairways that lead up toward the Neues Schloss.
Late afternoon
Kurhaus and Trinkhalle
See the colonnaded façade of the Kurhaus, stroll through the Kurpark and the Trinkhalle, with frescoes of regional legends.
Evening
Casino or concert
In the evening, visit the Kurhaus casino (appropriate dress and ID required), or check the program at the Festspielhaus, near the old station.

Day 2

Morning
Merkur funicular
Take the bus to the lower station of the Merkurbergbahn and go up to the Merkur, at 669 meters. Up there there's a viewpoint over the town, the Rhine valley and the Black Forest mountains.
Afternoon
Merkur trails and return to the center
Take one of the marked trails in the Merkur forest or descend by funicular and have lunch in the center. Afternoon free for shops and cafés.
Late afternoon
Caracalla Therme
End the day in the thermal pools of the Caracalla Therme, with indoor and outdoor areas, or in the sauna area, which is used without clothing.
Evening
Dinner and walk through the old town
Have dinner at a restaurant in the old town and walk through the streets lit up around the Friedrichsbad and the Stiftskirche.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Why is the town called Baden-Baden?

Baden means 'to bathe', and it was also the name of the former region of Baden. The town was originally called just Baden; the doubled name was adopted in the 20th century to distinguish it from other towns called Baden, such as those in Switzerland and Austria.

Which spa to choose, Friedrichsbad or Caracalla?

The Friedrichsbad is a 19th-century bathhouse with a circuit of hot and cold stations, and on most days it is used without clothing. The Caracalla Therme is a modern thermal pool complex where swimsuits are worn, and it has a separate sauna area without clothing. For those who have never bathed without clothing, Caracalla is the easier introduction.

Can you see Baden-Baden on a train stop?

Yes. Many people get off in Baden-Baden on the route between Frankfurt and Freiburg, leave their suitcase in the station left-luggage (if available) and spend the day in the center. Keep in mind the station is about 5 km from the center, in the Oos district.

Do you need formal clothing for the casino?

The Kurhaus casino requires appropriate dress, and in the evening men usually need a jacket. A photo ID is also required. Rules vary depending on the time and the room: check before you go.

What is the Schwarzwaldhochstraße?

It's the B500 road, which leaves Baden-Baden and runs through the high areas of the northern Black Forest to Freudenstadt, with viewpoints and lakes along the way. It's only worth it for those traveling by car.

Back to Baden-Baden