There´s a quote in the center of Baden Baden by Bill Clinton that reads, "Baden-Baden is so nice, you have to say it twice". If you like old-world luxury, natural beauty, luxurious spa areas and a stately pace, then Baden-Baden in Germany could be the place for you.
Since the 18th century, when Tsar Alexander I married Princess Louise of Baden and paved the way for the Russian nobility to enjoy the spa, the natural environment has not changed or lost its lustre. But the modern tourist infrastructure has been added — and the high quality hotels, combined with the natural beauty, have made Baden-Baden a special place for families.
Information especially for the little ones: The Black Forest, at the foot of which the town lies, is the setting for some of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tales. It is probably a good idea to reread the most popular stories before a holiday with children in Baden-Baden.
Baden-Baden on the map of Germany
Baden-Baden is a well-known spa town in south-western Germany, on the western slopes of the Black Forest, near the border with France. It is part of the state of Baden-Württemberg (administrative centre is Stuttgart). The distance from Baden-Baden to Stuttgart is 106 km, to Karlsruhe — 45 km, to Frankfurt — 175 km, to Strasbourg (France) — 65 km.
The first baths in Baden-Baden were built over two thousand years ago. The ruins of the old baths have survived to the present day, and the Friedrichsbad building, which looks more like a palace, rises above them.
No wonder: the spa was a place where royalty, aristocracy and celebrities soaked in the bath. Baden-Baden has lost none of its respectability and still proudly holds the title of Germany's premier spa resort.
Baden-Baden for Kids
How do you go on holiday with a child in Germany? You can stay in one of the big cities with children's museums and amusement parks. You can go to a ski resort where outdoor activities are top of the list. Or you can go to Baden-Baden, which offers museums, entertainment, activities, mountains and (if you need it) medical treatment.
Many people come to Baden-Baden for treatment. There are world-class clinics that can cure people with serious illnesses. But there are reasons to go to Baden-Baden even if you have no health problems.
The main reason to come to Baden-Baden with children is the amazing beauty of the town. This stylish resort has a wealth of attractions: architectural beauty, museums, parks — every walk brings new pleasures. You'll receive a free visitor's card on arrival, giving you discounts at museums and swimming pools.
The second reason is peacefulness. It is a small and very cosy town where life is leisurely (though very rational) and it takes very little time to get out into the countryside.
The third reason is the fresh air. There is no industry in Baden-Baden and the surrounding area, just mountains, forests and vineyards. And the town itself is buried in greenery, even flowers from early spring to late autumn: even oleanders, native to subtropical latitudes, bloom here.
The resort also has a few peculiarities. Firstly, accommodation here is quite expensive, especially in the summer and during the winter holidays.
Second, there is not enough entertainment for children in Baden-Baden, although this can easily be compensated by a trip to Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, where there are plenty of things to do for the whole family. Thirdly, there are a lot of steep streets in the city, so you need to be very careful when choosing a holiday destination with a young child.
Best time to travel
The seasons in Baden-Baden are never the same. Visitors come all year round to drink the mineral water, bathe in the thermal pools and undergo special treatments. Tourist numbers only increase in the summer and during the Christmas and New Year period.
Summer and early autumn are the best times to go on holiday with children. We do not recommend June and July (warm but rainy months), but August and September, when the weather is most sunny.
Warm summers and sunny autumns make Baden-Baden a great place to take a toddler.
The older the children, the less need there is to tie in with the season. In winter, for example, nursery and primary school children will be enchanted by the Christmas market, while teenagers can go skiing in the Black Forest.
Before you set off, it's a good idea to check the calendar of events on the resort's website. There's always something interesting going on.
With exhibitions, concerts and sporting events, it's easy to decide when to visit Baden-Baden.
The Festspielhaus is the largest opera and concert house in Germany, and you can see the ballet Swan Lake to the music of Tchaikovsky, listen to Mozart, Beethoven or Verdi, or take the kids to performances for the youngest music lovers.
Weather and climate
Are there resorts with bad weather? If there are, Baden-Baden is not one of them. Summers are warm but rainy, autumns and springs are sunny and winters are frost-free. Baden-Baden has an overall climate that is most conducive to outdoor activities, and that is why visitors come here.
The best time to visit Baden-Baden with children is from May to September. In late spring the temperature is +18-19°C and in early summer it warms up to +21-22°C.
July and August are the warmest months, with average temperatures of +23-24°C, but the thermometer can rise to +30°C and fall to +15°C. September is cooler, although the summer is hotter than the year: the beginning of autumn can be summery, but most of the time the temperature in September stays between +15-20°C.
On summer nights, the air in the town cools down to between +8°C and +12°C, so you'll need some warm clothes for your Baden-Baden holiday.
May, June and July are the wettest months. August and September are less affected by bad weather. In October there isn't much rain, the weather is clear but cool: thermometers reach +10-16°C during the day and +4-6°C or even 0°C at night.
In November the air cools down to +4-8°C. Rain begins to fall again, only to be replaced by sleet and snow. Throughout the winter, the temperature remains at +3-5°C, light frosts are possible at night, and snowfalls alternate with rain or thaw.
By March, however, the streets of the town are completely dry. The early spring in Baden-Baden is very sunny and the air can get as warm as +15°C on some days — although the average temperature in March is only +9-10°C. In April, temperatures rise to +14-16°C.
Food
Breakfast, which is included in the room rate, is the most common offer in Baden-Baden hotels. Tourists spend most of the day walking and sightseeing, so they eat out: there are dozens of colourful restaurants and cafés in and around Baden-Baden.
The cuisine is varied, but the food on offer is from Baden-Württemberg, which the children will love.
Here are some Baden-Württemberg specialities:
- Maultaschen – like giant dumplings with a meat or potato filling;
- Spätzle – a type of Central European egg noodles, more like small dumplings, a versatile side dish;
- Gaisburger Marsch – thick soup with vegetables, spätzle and sausages;
- Saitenwürstchen – Vienna-style sausages;
- Ofenschlupfer – traditional bread pudding comes from Swabia and is made with pieces of stale bread and apples, drenched in a custard-like mixture of milk, sugar, eggs, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla sugar;
- Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte – sponge cake with cherries and whipped cream.
If you'd rather do your own cooking, there are dozens of supermarkets and convenience stores in the city centre.
Spa Treatments
Baden-Baden's main asset is its thermal waters. They were appreciated by the Romans and are still appreciated today. The water from the 20 springs is distributed to the baths and the Trinkhalle. The water in the baths and the gallery is warm: it rises from a depth of 1200-1800 metres and the water temperature reaches 60-69°C.
According to the doctors of the XVIII-XIX centuries, the cure at Baden-Baden consisted of drinking mineral water and taking long walks. It's still a valid method, but only the local mineral water should be drunk under strict instructions.
In any case, before drinking warm brackish water, you should keep it in an open container for a few minutes so that the smell of hydrogen sulphide disappears. Of course, spa treatment is not limited to drinking mineral water.
Baden-Baden is a world-class health resort that draws on both natural resources and modern medicine. Diseases of the cardiovascular system, digestive organs and the musculoskeletal system are treated here.
The clinics' specialisations include rheumatology, treatment of diabetes and rehabilitation after heart attacks, strokes, injuries and operations.
Thermal baths
Even healthy people can enjoy a relaxing dip in a pool of thermal water. This can be done in a clinic as part of a therapeutic treatment, or you can relax in the pools of the Baden-Baden thermal baths.
The two largest complexes, the Caracalla spa (not to be confused with the ancient baths in Rome) and the Friedrichsbad, do not look much alike but are very similar in substance.
Both under the glass dome of the Caracalla Baths and in the baroque palace of the Friedrichsbad there are warm and hot swimming pools, saunas and massage rooms. The spa also has outdoor pools, secluded grottoes and an open-air recreation area.
Please note that children under the age of 14 should not swim in thermal pools: the water, with its high mineral content, can do more harm than good to your child.
Children over the age of 7 are allowed in the sauna. Bathing costumes are not required at Friedrichsbad, and four times a week men and women relax in the baths at the same time. To keep children entertained, there are play areas in the thermal baths and small children can be left in the care of an instructor.
Getting Around
Do tourists have to use public transport in Baden-Baden? Not often, but they do. For example, you can take bus 201 from the station to the town centre and bus 285 from the station to the airport. Some buses also go to neighbouring towns.
Fares vary depending on the fare zone your ticket is valid for. A single journey within Baden-Baden costs €2.50 for an adult and €1.40 for a child. A ticket for the outer suburbs costs between €3.50 and €4.30, and a child's ticket costs between €1.80 and €2.10.
For travel within Baden-Württemberg, it is advantageous to buy a Baden-Württemberg ticket. This entitles you to free travel on buses, trams and regional trains.
Children up to the age of 15 travel free when accompanied by an adult. A one-day Baden-Württemberg ticket in second class costs €25 for one adult and €32 for two adults. Tickets are available from DB ticket machines.
There are no delays on Baden-Baden's public transport system — although locals say the buses are sometimes late. There's a timetable at each stop, and the buses can be a few minutes late.
Please note that not all buses run frequently — some routes run once an hour or several times a day.
You can hire a bicycle to get around Baden-Baden. There are plenty of cycle paths in the city and bike hire shops are located in the most popular tourist areas, with a day's hire costing between €10 and €15.