I just returned from a perfect Saturday afternoon spent in Baden-Baden, a well-heeled town nestled in the Black Forest, in the state of Baden-Wurttemburg. B-B is an easy 1.5 hour train ride from Frankfurt, and if you book in advance, can cost around 50 euros per person (you can also take 4 friends along via the budget/scenic route - 3 hours - on the Happy Weekend ticket, only 40 euros total).
The B-B train station is just outside of town. The 201 bus runs into town every 10 minutes, and it's a 13 minute ride to the main square, Leopoldsplatz. From there, catch either the 204 or 205 to Merkurwald, a good starting point for a Black Forest hike. As you head up the hill, take note of the homes - or rather villas - that pepper the side of the road, and the forest in the background! At the end of the line, you'll reach the foot of Merkur Mountain. You can pay 4 euros for a roundtrip ticket up the funicular railway (bergbahn), or hike up and train down, as we did (2 euros), so as to earn a slice of Black Forest cake at the top. Highlights: watching parasailers take off and scoot around, learning from our server that 'In Germany, nobody shares cake. Even children get their own piece.'
We took a roundabout trail, but since it was well-marked, we easily found our way to the top - 700 meters high! There, we found paragliders taking off, lounging in little sacks to keep their legs warm in the wind. You could sunbathe in a small open area, send the kids to the playground, and if it's fall, have some federweisser and zwiebelkuchen. We chose to eat - sausages, pumpkin soup, fries, and (of course) cake. Satisfied, it was time to head down and back into town; we chose the bergbahn. The bus back to town only comes every 30 minutes, so note the time before you make your way back down. Highlights: fall foliage, seeing mushrooms that looked straight out of Super Mario Brothers.
Back in B-B, we wandered a bit before heading to the Friedrichsbad, the famous Roman bathhouse. Many blogs have captured the experience here better than I can, but suffice it to say, the 3.5 hour basic + soap package is worth the price. We finished a little less than one hour early, but that's probably because we chose to skip the 'mixed gender' portion of the 17-station tour. I found a lot of the steam and spa rooms a tad too warm, but the refreshing cold pool at the end, and the feeling of pure relaxation after it was over, were worth every luxurious moment. Highlights: getting smacked on the behind by the not-very-gentle German lady in charge of my soap scrub, and being wrapped in a warm blanket for the last 30 minutes. Oh, and being told after station 5: no more towels allowed! Yeeps.
Finally, dinner. Lonely Planet guided us to a phenomenal tapas restaurant, with a huge menu and wine list. Don't miss the specials on the blackboard - the best dish of the night was a seasonal specialty of figs, goat cheese, balsamico, and arugula. The restaurant, Monte Christo, was a bit tucked away and completely full - but we scored seats at the bar and had a perfect post-bath dinner. After that, it was back to the train station. We learned the hard way that the 201 runs only every 20 minutes after 8 pm... Luckily I made my train. While waiting for the bus, we observed the interesting nightlife of Baden-Baden, mostly consisting of young-ish couples flying by in Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Ferraris, with the occasional retiree speeding by an in almost equally fast electric wheelchair. Don't see either of those every day.
Alas, it was back to reality, but just one day in B-B felt like a real vacation.
The B-B train station is just outside of town. The 201 bus runs into town every 10 minutes, and it's a 13 minute ride to the main square, Leopoldsplatz. From there, catch either the 204 or 205 to Merkurwald, a good starting point for a Black Forest hike. As you head up the hill, take note of the homes - or rather villas - that pepper the side of the road, and the forest in the background! At the end of the line, you'll reach the foot of Merkur Mountain. You can pay 4 euros for a roundtrip ticket up the funicular railway (bergbahn), or hike up and train down, as we did (2 euros), so as to earn a slice of Black Forest cake at the top. Highlights: watching parasailers take off and scoot around, learning from our server that 'In Germany, nobody shares cake. Even children get their own piece.'
Back in B-B, we wandered a bit before heading to the Friedrichsbad, the famous Roman bathhouse. Many blogs have captured the experience here better than I can, but suffice it to say, the 3.5 hour basic + soap package is worth the price. We finished a little less than one hour early, but that's probably because we chose to skip the 'mixed gender' portion of the 17-station tour. I found a lot of the steam and spa rooms a tad too warm, but the refreshing cold pool at the end, and the feeling of pure relaxation after it was over, were worth every luxurious moment. Highlights: getting smacked on the behind by the not-very-gentle German lady in charge of my soap scrub, and being wrapped in a warm blanket for the last 30 minutes. Oh, and being told after station 5: no more towels allowed! Yeeps.Finally, dinner. Lonely Planet guided us to a phenomenal tapas restaurant, with a huge menu and wine list. Don't miss the specials on the blackboard - the best dish of the night was a seasonal specialty of figs, goat cheese, balsamico, and arugula. The restaurant, Monte Christo, was a bit tucked away and completely full - but we scored seats at the bar and had a perfect post-bath dinner. After that, it was back to the train station. We learned the hard way that the 201 runs only every 20 minutes after 8 pm... Luckily I made my train. While waiting for the bus, we observed the interesting nightlife of Baden-Baden, mostly consisting of young-ish couples flying by in Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Ferraris, with the occasional retiree speeding by an in almost equally fast electric wheelchair. Don't see either of those every day.
Alas, it was back to reality, but just one day in B-B felt like a real vacation.
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