Discover Wiesbaden
Accommodation in Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden combines thermal springs, art and green excursion destinations with a distinctive history. Biebrich Palace stands on the banks of the Rhine, a magnificent three-winged Baroque building constructed between 1700 and 1750 as a residence for the princes and later dukes of Nassau. On Neroberg, Wiesbaden’s 245-metre-high local mountain, walking trails lead through a park landscape past Opelbad and up to the Russian Orthodox Church. This lets you plan culture, city life and exercise as different focuses for your trip.
Hot springs and bathing experiences
Wiesbaden’s thermal springs shape a distinctive side of the city. The hot springs feed the pools at Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme and the Aukammtal thermal baths. At Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme, you can enjoy a bathing experience inspired by Roman baths, with textile-free bathing, a sauna area, wellness treatments and massages. If you are interested in the origins of the thermal water, the Kochbrunnen is another notable stop: The spring produces 360 litres of water per minute at a temperature of more than 66 °C and is one of Wiesbaden’s 26 so-called primary springs. Visitors can sample the water at the drinking fountain in the pavilion or at the Kochbrunnenspringer, a few metres away. The baths and springs give your stay different highlights, from a visit to the baths to a closer look at the thermal water itself.
Palaces, museums and literature
Wiesbaden’s cultural offerings range from historic buildings to a variety of art collections. Museum Wiesbaden is the state museum of art and nature in the Hessian state capital. It presents art spanning nine centuries and an extensive natural history collection. Its permanent exhibition also includes an Art Nouveau collection of more than 500 objects. The Reinhard Ernst Museum focuses on something different: German and European post-war art, Japanese art and American Expressionism. Across around 2,000 square metres of exhibition space, it displays 860 paintings and sculptures in the field of abstract art.
Film screenings by Filme im Schloss regularly take place at Biebrich Palace. Films are shown exclusively in their original versions; as a rule, there are two events a month, with two screenings at each. The Biebrich Palace Park is also home to the Mosburg, a small castle deliberately built in the Neo-Gothic style. If you prefer literary events, you can visit Villa Clementine as a literary centre: It has served this purpose since 2001 and is a regular venue for numerous readings. The Kurhaus Wiesbaden regularly hosts concerts, balls, receptions and conferences.
Green trails and exercise
The Wiesbaden city forest encircles the city like a crescent, from Frauenstein in the west to Breckenheim in the east. At selected locations, you can explore it acoustically using your smartphone on the Hörwald trail and learn more about ecology, geology, zoology and botany. For an active outing, try the forest fitness trail in Wiesbaden-Rambach: The running and fitness circuit is 3.7 kilometres long and has 11 stations. On Neroberg, the walking route winds through the park landscape past Opelbad and the Russian Orthodox Church. The church still has an active congregation, where Russian choral chants can often be heard.
If you are planning a longer hike, you can follow the first stage of the Rheinsteig from Wiesbaden-Biebrich to Schlangenbad. It starts at Biebrich Palace, is of moderate difficulty and covers 17.9 kilometres. Wiesbaden therefore offers a variety of ways to get moving: a fitness circuit, walking trails on the local mountain and a signposted hiking stage.
Festivals and regional highlights
Large festivals take place throughout the year at Schlossplatz and the Dern’sches Gelände, including Rheingau Wine Week and the Sternschnuppenmarkt. There is also a weekly market there on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with more than 100 stalls. An annual highlight in Biebrich Palace Park is the LONGINES PfingstTurnier: It features international equestrian sport and traditionally opens with a carriage parade. Wiesbaden’s only vineyard is on Neroberg, cultivated by the Hessian State Wine Estates of Kloster Eberbach. Sparkling wine and wine are also part of the local offering: Schloss Henkell’s shop features, among other things, sparkling wine, Prosecco, Crémant, Cava, Champagne, as well as wines from the Rheingau and across Europe.
When planning your holiday, it is worth deciding first on your preferred focus: thermal baths, art and events, or nature and exercise. A holiday apartment in Wiesbaden is a starting point for a wide range of travel interests; for longer outings, the stated distances and the moderate difficulty of the Rheinsteig stage can help you plan your day.
More destinations
You can also explore these destinations independently: Groß-Gerau, Kassel, Fulda, Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, Waldeck-Frankenberg and Offenbach.
For the main travel overview: Hesse.
