A Day trip to Baden Baden in Baden Württemberg, Germany
Recently, in summer, we went on a weekend trip to Baden Baden in Germany and Strasbourg in France. It was a wonderful trip, and in this article, I have jotted down our experience in Baden Baden, one of the most lovely spa towns in the Black Forest area in Germany, which lies pretty close to France.
This article contains all the information you will need to plan your day in Baden Baden. Along with the places we visited, I have shared information about accommodation, travel, tips based on my experience, and additional tourist sites that you can visit if you have more days in Baden Baden.
I shall soon post about this second part of the weekend, a day spent in Strasbourg. So watch this space for more 🙂
There are many lovely towns and cities in the Black Forest region in Germany. Out of these, we have visited Triberg and Freiburg. You can check out my articles.
Before I start with the places we visited, I will take my readers through some basics, like arriving in Baden Baden, accommodation, travelling within the city, etc. So, let’s start.
Arrival at Baden Baden
By Car
If you live in any of the nearby towns, the fastest and most convenient way is to reach Baden Baden by car. We live in Darmstadt, Germany, and it took us 1 hour and 45 minutes to drive about 145 km to Baden Baden. Baden Baden lies to the south of Darmstadt in the state of Baden Württemberg and is well connected by road, so we chose to drive down.
If you don’t own a car, you can rent one. We have rented vehicles from SIXT multiple times and found their cars of top-notch quality.
While you are here, you can read my articles:
How to get a driving license in Germany- Step-by-Step guide
My Experience with renting a car in Germany
By Public Transport
The second best option is to use public transport to reach Baden Baden. The station where you arrive is called Baden Baden Bahnhof. From there, you can take a taxi or bus to your desired destination. I have discussed local transport in Baden Baden further in the article.
You can book your train on Deutsche Bahn’s official website or check out your options on Omio.
By Flight
If you arrive from another country, you can fly to Karlsruhe. Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport is the international airport of Karlsruhe. From there, you can take a taxi, train or rental car to reach Baden Baden.
Alternatively, you can land at Frankfurt Airport and reach Baden Baden by using the same means as mentioned above.
You can check your flight options here.
Moving around within the town of Baden Baden
By Car
If you have arrived by car, you only have to worry about parking. The city is not overcrowded, and driving around and finding parking spots isn’t difficult. You can read more about car parking in Baden Baden here.
By Public Transport
Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund (KVV) handles public transport in Baden Baden. You can find your connection on their public website, and you can buy the tickets online or at the ticket vending machines at the bus stops. Further in the article, I have shared specific information (including the stop names) about arrival at the places.
Accomodation in Baden Baden
Since we are a family with kids already in their teens, having enough space for each of us is essential. Hotel rooms are not spacious, and everyone is restricted to a small room. So, recently, we started booking apartments. We usually reserve a flat or house, preferably with an equipped kitchen and a minimum of two bedrooms, so that each of us has our own space and there is always an option of cooking something.
As a family, we like having a good breakfast and starting our day, and apartments with kitchens allow us to make simple meals at home. We also enjoy exploring the local supermarkets, finding what’s new, and trying out foods and drinks that are locally available. Apartments are an excellent option for all those who want to add this to their holiday experience.
We booked an apartment for this trip, too, and as usual, the experience was great. Since we planned to travel to Strasbourg the following day, we booked an apartment in Brumath, a small town in France which was close to both Baden Baden and Strasbourg. The prices were much more reasonable than those in Baden Baden and Strasbourg, which was another reason to book an apartment there.
You can check out accommodations in Brumath here.
You can check out accommodations in Baden Baden here.
Now, let me take you through our day in Baden Baden.
A Day Trip to Baden Baden: Places to see and tips to plan your visit
We planned our trip in one of the summer months, so we had plenty of day hours. We started from Darmstadt on a Saturday morning, around 10 am and were in Baden Baden by 11:30 am. The first place we visited was Geroldsauer Wasserfall.
Geroldsauer Wasserfall
About Geroldsauer Wasserfall:
The Geroldsau Waterfall is a six-metre-high waterfall on the Grobbach stream. The highlight of the visit is the hike through the forest along the river, which includes small and big waterfalls. This hike allows you to experience nature at its best. The trail is about 3 km long, and the terrain is mostly flat. This distance can be covered in about an hour. Access to the hiking trail is free.
Arrival at Geroldsauer Wasserfall:
If you arrive by car, park at Waldparkplatz Bütthof. Parking here is free. From the parking place, start your hike.
If you arrive by public transport, alight at Haltestelle Malschbach, which is about 150 mts from the parking place.
The Hike
It is a circular trail starting from the parking area. Signboards on the way direct you towards the waterfall. Once you reach the point from where you start your return hike, you can stop by a restaurant if you wish to take a break and then start the hike back to the parking place.
Some Tips:
- June is a lovely time to visit this place. During this month, you will spot lovely rhododendrons along the path.
- The terrain is generally flat, but there are parts where you have to climb a bit. Also, the path is rugged and slippery in some places. Sturdy and comfortable shoes are a must for this hike.
- We found the onward path more scenic, with more greenery and better tree cover. The tree cover protects you from the hot sun and a great plus on hot summer days. If you choose, you can retrace your path instead of doing a round trip after you reach the point from where you start the return hike.
- Carry water, wear a cap, apply sunscreen etc.
- You can even carry your swimming gear if you want to take a dip in the water. The water is shallow and family—and kid-friendly.
- This place is also ideal for a picnic. You can easily spot places near the river stream where you can spread a mat and enjoy a picnic.
More information about the waterfall can be found here.
Around 1:00 pm, we were done with our visit to the waterfall. Then, we drove down to Geroldsauer Mühle, a popular complex with a hotel, restaurant, shop and bakery. We had planned our lunch there, but it was closed because of some event. So we visited the bakery and bought some fresh bread for breakfast for the following day. I would totally recommend visiting this bakery. Everything was super fresh, and the bread was delicious. The shop also stocks local wines and other food specialities, so it is worth checking out. You can find its location here. It is just 2.4 km from the waterfall parking area. There is a bus stop right outside the complex, so reaching it by public transport is also relatively easy. The only catch is that the bus frequency is not very high.
Then, we drove to the city to have lunch. We stopped by CITO Burger for lunch. My review of the restaurant is posted here.
After a relaxed lunch, we explored the city centre with its lovely fountains and then headed to Lichtentaler Allee.
If you have time, I recommend a guided tour of the city. From a local, you can learn more about this lovely town, including its spas, baths, casinos, etc. This two-hour tour will give you a good idea about the town and its heritage.
Lichtentaler Allee
About Lichtentaler Alee
The Lichtentaler Allee is a historic park and arboretum in the heart of the city. The park features the river Oos, a 2.3-kilometre strolling avenue along the bank of the river, and a landscaped garden. It is open to the public and can be accessed without charge. It is named so because, historically, it was that path between the town market and the Lichtenthal monastery.
Arrival at Lichtentaler Alee:
If you arrive by car, you can park your car on the street. It is usually not difficult to find a parking spot near the park.
Experience at Lichtentaler Alee
Lichtentaler alee is a beautiful park. It is ideal for a casual stroll, picnic, etc. and in summer, you can even take a dip in the freshwater of River Oos.
If you arrive by bus, the stop where you must alight is called Lichtentaler Allee/Museen.
You can find more information about Lichtentaler Alee here.
After relaxing for about an hour or so at Lichtentaler Alee, we drove to the funicular station for Merkur Mountain.
Merkur Mountain
About Merkur Mountain
Merkur Mountain is a mountain in Baden Baden with a 668-meter-high summit. One can hike up the mountain or take the funicular to reach the top.
After reaching the mountain, here are some of the experiences that await you:
Experiences at Merkur Mountain
- There is a restaurant where you can stop by for lunch, etc
- You can watch the paragliders take off from the top of the mountain. It’s pretty fascinating!
- You can climb the tower (by stairs or lift) to get lovely views of the black forest area
- Children can play in the play area, and families can plan picnics. There is a grilling place (called Grillplatz) and benches to sit and relax.
Reaching the top of the Merkur Mountain
Option 1 Hike:
You can either hike up the mountain ( a steep hike of about 2.5 km). The starting point for hiking is this. The point from where the hike starts has a small parking area. The trail is beautiful but not very easy, as it is steep in many places. Reaching the start point for the hike is a bit tricky with public transport, but quite easy with a car.
Option 2 Funicular:
The second and easier option is to reach the top of the mountain by the Funicular ( called Merkur Bergbahn).
You can reach the funicular station either by car or public transport.
If you arrive by car, enter this location on your navigation. There is plenty of free-of-cost parking outside the funicular station. Park your car there, buy a ticket at the counter or ticketing machine, take the funicular and reach the top of the mountain.
Alternatively, you can arrive by public transport. I have already shared the link for public transport in Baden Baden. Buses 204 and 205 bring you to the funicular station, from where you can buy your tickets for the funicular and reach the top of the mountain. My Tip: Buy the combined ticket for the bus and Merkurbergbahn (funicular) from the bus driver and save money.
Check out their official website for more information.
We spent about two hours at Merkur Mountain before heading to our last destination for the day, Hohenbaden Castle.
Hohenbaden Castle
About Hohenbaden Castle
Hohenbaden Castle is a 10th-century castle about 5km from the city centre of Baden Baden. It was built for defence purposes, which is very clear from its location and design & architecture featuring tall walls, a moat, and its location at the top of a hill. Although the castle is quite old, what remains is the ruins of a glorious castle with its massive, tall structure. It looks lovely and offers beautiful views of the black forest area. Access to the castle is free of cost.
Reaching Hohenbaden Castle
It is best to reach the castle by car. There is plenty of free parking space outside the castle.
Although you can come by public transport, the nearest bus stop is about 2.5km from the castle, which means that this distance has to be covered on foot.
Experiences at Hohenbaden Castle
The best part about the castle is exploring the castle ruins and climbing up to get excellent views of the black forest areas. The castle also houses a restaurant and a kiosk, which serves drinks and food. So, depending on the time of your visit, you can plan a meal or drinks.
Visit the official website of Hohenbaden Castle to find out the visiting hours and to learn more about the castle.
We spent about one hour in Hohenbaden Castle, after which we drove to our apartment in Brumath. The following day, we explored Strasbourg. I shall soon write an article about our visit and link it to this article.
Some Additional Notes:
- We visited Baden Baden in one of the summer months when the days are longer, and you can pack in a lot of activities. Also, in summer, many places, such as castles, are open for longer hours. If you plan your visit during winter, check the relevant websites for opening hours and plan your visit.
- We visited the places that interested us and saw them all in one day. However, I would say one day is not enough to explore Baden Baden completely. If you have more days, other places that you can add to your itinerary are Baden Baden Casino, Caracalla Spa and Mummelsee.
- We had a pretty active day at Baden Baden. If you like keeping it less hectic, you can eliminate a few places or go for a tour, which includes travel, a visit to a few select places with a guide, etc. For example, from Strasbourg, which is about 60 km from Baden Baden, you can do an 8-hour tour of Baden Baden. Check out more details about this tour here.
- We did Baden Baden and Strasbourg in two days. However, if you are short on time, you can check out this 10-hour tour from Frankfurt, which covers both places in one day. Alternatively, you can visit Baden Baden and Heidelberg in this 10.5 hour tour. You can also check out my article about Heidelberg here.
- Germany’s most famous amusement park, Europa Park, is just 80 km south of Baden Baden. If you have more days in Baden Baden, you can plan a day/2 day at Europa Park.
I have posted many more pictures of Baden Baden in my photo gallery. You can check them out here.
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