Page 214 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Germany

212 BACK ROADS GERMANY

1 Baden-Baden
Baden-Württemberg; 76530
Founded as a Roman bathing spot, and a particular favourite of
the Roman Emperor Caracalla (188–217 BC), Baden-Baden has an
idyllic location in the midst of gentle wooded hills. In 1810, the Baden
Margraves built Neo-Classical thermal baths around the springs here,
to serve an early 19th-century fashion for bathing. Its importance has
faded since, yet something of these halcyon days continues to live on
in the elegant villas, grand hotels, spas and manicured gardens.
A 90-minute walking tour and social events in Baden-Baden,
From the car park entrance turn which includes a famous cas ino. Visits
left to cross the park and the Oos to the interior are possi ble on 20-
river on a small footbridge. Then minute tours held every 30 min utes.
turn right along Lichtentaler Allee, Outside the Kurhaus a band stand
which becomes Kaiserallee. This marks the start of Kurgarten, an ave-
Above Interior of the grand Trinkhalle, leads to a large building nue of chestnut trees lined
Baden-Baden in the greenery on the with expen sive boutiques.
left known as the A right turn at the bottom
Trinkhalle 1 (open daily), of this leads back to
the grandest of a series of Lichtentaler Allee 3, a
19th-century build ings 3-km (2-mile) long pro me-
and follies built along- nade. Down this avenue is
side the Oos as social the Kunsthalle (closed Mon),
VISITING BADEN-BADEN
centres. It now houses home to inter na tional con-
Parking the tourist information Façade of the tem po rary art. Walk along
Baden-Baden has a dozen central car office. Turning right out Neo-Renaissance Trinkhalle the pro me nade to
parks, of which several are underground. of the Trinkhalle, a path Bertholdstrasse, which is on
One such is the Augustaplatz car park. leads through park land to the the left behind the Stadtmuseum, and
Tourist Information Neo-Classical Kurhaus 2 (open turn right on to the footpath on the
Kaiserallee 3, 76530; 07221 27 52 00; daily), the main venue for cultural near side of the river. Over the next
www.baden-baden.de; open daily footbridge lie the thick
Bäderviertel beech hedges of the
WHERE TO STAY Stiftskirche Gönneranlage 4. These
Liebfrauen STEIN S TR are orna mental gar dens
BADEN-BADEN L A N G E S T R A S S E SONNENPLATZ VINCENTISTR where over 400 varie ties
Heliopark Bad Hotel Zum Hirsch Trinkhalle K A ISE R A L L E E Altstadt G E RNSBA C H E R S TR ASS E of rose thrive. Exiting the
moderate S O PHIE NS TR STE PHANIENSTR gardens from the oppo-
This historic old town hotel’s fine public INSELSTR site side, take the left
rooms include a splendid ballroom. SOLMSST R A SSE
Thermal spring water flows from the turn that leads down
taps of its antique-furnished rooms. Kurhaus Kurgarten RET T I G S T R ASSE Ludwig-Wilhelm-Strasse
Hirschstrasse 1, 76530; 07221 93 90; K RE U Z S TR to the car park at
www.heliopark-hirsch.de W E D E R S T R A S S E MERKURSTRASSE Augustaplatz. From here,
Brenner’s Park Hotel expensive LICHTENTALER ALLEE EICHSTRASSE turn left then right down
The best address in Baden-Baden, this Lichtentaler Strasse to the
hotel exudes 19th-century elegance. Kunsthalle square on Sophienstrasse.
Its own park and an excellent modern
spa and gym complex make it one of AUGUSTAPLATZ S T E P H A N I E N S T R A S S E Gernsbacher Strasse,
the finest hotels in the world. KAISER-WILHELM - S T R which is across the
Schillerstrasse 4-6, 76530; 07221 90 00; LICHTENTALER STRASSE square, leads into the old
www.brenners.com F R I E D R I C H S T R A S SE town, the Altstadt 5.
FREUDENSTADT LICHTENTALER ALLEE Oos S CH IL L ER S TR ASS E This was reduced to
Bären moderate LUDWIG-WILHELM-STR MARIA-VIKTORIA-STRASSE ashes in 1689 during
A friendly and traditional three-star the Palatinate War of
choice a block east of the Marktplatz, Stadtmuseum Succession; rebuild ing
this hotel has rooms that have a B E R T H O L D S T R A S S E it took a cen tury. Follow
comfortably dated, vaguely 1950s feel. FREMERSBERGSTR Gernsbacher Strasse and
Some rooms have balconies and the 0 metres 200
hotel provides Internet access. turn left into an alley at
Lange Strasse 33, 72250; 07441 27 29; 0 yards 200 Gönneranlage Sonnenplatz. This leads
www.hotel-baeren-freudenstadt.de to the market place,
Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

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