Baden-Baden, Germany’s most famous interna-tional town for health, spa, beauty and wellness as well as for elegant shopping and international Top-events. A perfect place for taking a break from the routines of daily life and for long-term stays in comfortable climate. The entire ambiance of the ‘very green town of short distances’ is conducive to relaxation. Located at the foothills of the Black Forest, 1,5 hour south of Frankfurt, next to the border to France and Switzerland and the river Rhine, Baden-Baden enjoys early spring and a long and sunny fall that contribes to its popularity as an internationally health and vacation destination. Here, a restorative holiday isn’t limited to a few short hours or a handful of spa treatments. Recharge your batteries on long, leisurely strolls through parks and gardens with huge old trees, colourful flowers, many roses and a long 2000 year old history. Follow up a soothing session at a thermal bath with a visit to one of many cafes in the pedestrian area. Indulge in window shopping while en route to a beauty treatment.

Golf (7 golf courses), tennis, mountain biking, climbing, paragliding or horseback riding. Here, where the ambience is right, being active is synonymous with pleasure.

The town is entirely embedded in garden, vast parks and gardens with little streams and foun¬tains pervade the whole town center, and the forest comes close all around the town and villa quarters.

So what is it that makes Baden-Baden special? Perhaps that hardly somewhere else can be found the sophistication and international flair of a major city presented within such a charming, elegant small-town setting.

Visit the Art-Collection Frieder Burda at the out¬standing new museum built by renowned New York architect Richard Meier or the “Stadt¬museum” that features the 2000-year-old roman historic of Baden-Baden. During evenings, top-rated restaurants, the elegant, oldest and most beautiful Casino, the “Festspielhaus”, Europe’s second largest opera and concert house, the Baden-Baden Theater and the “Kurhaus” are all restaurants inviting guests to spend unforgettable enjoyable hours. There are plenty of bars that invite to round out the day in style, some with daily life music, cigar cabinet or much more. Baden-Baden’s downtown core is a beautiful, traffic-free pedestrian zone.

Belle Époque architecture and pretty streets and lanes, where elegant boutiques display all kinds of goodies –fashion, jewellery, toys, antiques and art, presents and much more. Of course, all the great international brands are there.

A Gift from the Gods to Baden-Baden: The Thermal Springs
Even the ancient Romans knew full well of the special qualities of our healing waters. They actually worshipped the deities of the springs and built them magnificent bathing temples. The baths became social centers for all those in search of quiet and healing but also conversation and high class entertainment.

This is not different today. People from around the world who are looking for the combination of quiet, relaxation and entertainment, rest or
stimulation come to visit Baden-Baden, for the springs are true gifts of nature and the thermal baths rank among the most stunning in all the world. Baden-Baden curative thermal waters flow from a depth of around 2000 meters and emerge from the springs at a temperature of 50 to 66 degrees Celsius. In the fabled Spa Quarter of Baden-Baden one of the highlights is the Friedrichsbad with the unique Roman-Irish Bath – a two-hour immersion in healthful pampering. One of the largest and most beautiful swimming and sauna havens in Europe is the Spa Caracalla-Therme. Truly a landmark in Baden-Baden’s long tradition of promoting health and well being.

The excellent spa hotels offers private spa areas and spa suites that can be booked separately offering all the amenities of the spas, like pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath, massages and much more, - for relaxation in privacy without being seen or disturbed by other guests.

Baden-Baden and culture: a close connection! Baden-Baden has always been closely associ¬ated with the history of European music. Johan¬nes Brahms lived here and even Richard Wagner once considered Baden-Baden as a location for his opera house before finally settling on Bayreuth in his Bavarian home region. But more than a century later, in 1998, the dream of having a world-class performance space in Baden-Baden was finally realized: With the inauguration of the magnificent “Festspielhaus” – the second-largest opera house in Europe – Baden-Baden has clearly claimed centre stage within the European classical music scene. Every season, it draws internationally renowned artists who – in a marvelous setting of refined ambience and exquisite acoustics – ensure that patrons experience a veritable feast of the senses.

In October 2004 the Frieder Burda Collection opened a museum in Baden-Baden, designed by renowned New York architect Richard Meier. For the architect, it is a “Jewel in the Park”, on the famous Baden-Baden Lichtentaler Parkway. The internationally-renowned Burda Collection concentrates on classical modernism and contemporary art. It encompasses almost 550 paintings, sculptures, objects and works on paper. Set aside an hour or two and enjoy this amazing collection.

International Horse Race Meetings at Baden-Baden Iffezheim Race Week – it’s the epitome of flat-racing and glamour, exciting thoroughbreds and society beauties, fun and suspense right up to the finish line, a busy funfair and a champagne party all rolled into one.
The Grand Race Week (late August to early Septem¬ber) and the Sales & Racing Festival (late October) are looked upon as the social highlights of the year. With lots of fun to appeal to everyone. When the four-legged stars gallop towards the finish line with flying hoofs nobody can bear to stay in their seat: as if by magic, the usually somewhat stiff and formal rulers of coffee dynas¬ties, the moustachioed potentates from a thou¬sand and one nights, the long-legged graces in mini-skirts and the smart yuppie millionaires all join ranks and get to their feet to noisily cheer on their favourite.

The world’s most expensive thorough-breds with top-ranking international jockeys in the saddle are competing for prizes and bonuses that can run into millions.

The pleasures of Baden-Baden make it very nearly a state of mind. Your visit, any time of year, will endure in your thoughts forever.

Further information about Baden-Baden on our website www.presse.baden-baden.com. Press releases and photos may be downloaded.