Discover Wiesbaden: Thermal Springs, Art and Trails

As the capital of Hesse, Wiesbaden combines thermal springs, art and literature with excursions into the countryside. Baroque architecture and a palace park take centre stage on the banks of the Rhine, while walking trails wind through parkland on Neroberg hill. When planning your trip, consider which of these sides of the city you would most like to experience.

Baroque settings and events

Biebrich Palace is a magnificent three-winged Baroque building on the banks of the Rhine. It was built between 1700 and 1750 as a residence for the princes and later dukes of Nassau. The Biebrich Palace Park is also home to the small Mosburg, deliberately built in the Neo-Gothic style. The LONGINES PfingstTurnier takes place there every year, featuring international equestrian sport and traditionally opening with a carriage parade. Event dates and programmes may vary, so check them if you are planning your trip around the event.

Wiesbaden Kurhaus regularly hosts concerts, balls, receptions and conferences. Schlossplatz and the Dern’sches Gelände host major events throughout the year, including Rheingau Wine Week and the Sternschnuppenmarkt. There is also a weekly market there on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with more than 100 stalls. This means you can plan around fixed event dates and regular market days in different ways.

Thermal water and bathing options

The Kochbrunnen spring produces 360 litres of water per minute at a temperature of more than 66 degrees Celsius. It 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. Check access arrangements if this visit is an essential part of your day’s plans.

The hot springs feed the pools at the Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme and the Aukammtal thermal baths. The Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme combines a bathing atmosphere inspired by Roman baths with nude bathing, a sauna area, wellness treatments and massages. The options are therefore quite distinct: the focus at Kochbrunnen is on the spring water, while the thermal baths offer bathing and wellness. Services and access conditions may change.

Art, natural history and literature

The Museum Wiesbaden is the state museum of art and nature in Hesse’s capital. It presents art from nine centuries and an extensive natural history collection. Its permanent exhibition includes an Art Nouveau collection with more than 500 objects. The Museum Reinhard Ernst has a different focus: 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. These different collections thus offer varied ways to explore art and natural history.

For those who would like to include literary events in their travel plans, Villa Clementine is another cultural venue. It has served as a literary house since 2001 and is a regular venue for numerous readings. Check current dates for individual events.

Neroberg and trails through green spaces

At 245 metres high, Neroberg is considered Wiesbaden’s local mountain and a popular destination for day trips. Walking trails wind through parkland, past Opelbad and up to the Russian Orthodox Church. It still has an active congregation, and Russian choral singing can often be heard there. The Nerobergbahn is Germany’s oldest water-ballast funicular railway.

Further nature experiences range from the city forest, which curves around Wiesbaden like a crescent from Frauenstein in the west to Breckenheim in the east, to the Hörwald. At selected locations, visitors can explore the city forest acoustically using a smartphone and learn more about ecology, geology, zoology and botany. The Waldsportpfad in Wiesbaden-Rambach is a 3.7-kilometre running and fitness trail with 11 stations. A longer, moderately rated option is the first stage of the Rheinsteig: it starts at Biebrich Palace, runs from Wiesbaden-Biebrich to Schlangenbad and covers 17.9 kilometres. Check trail conditions and signs before setting out.

Choose accommodation to suit your itinerary

When looking for accommodation in Wiesbaden, it may help to decide on your priorities in advance: Would you like to include thermal baths and wellness, visit museums and readings, plan around an event, or spend time on longer walks outdoors? The city offers a range of themes that can also be combined.

Discover more destinations: Wiesbaden, Limburg-Weilburg, Lahn-Dill district, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Wetterau, Odenwald, Rheingau-Taunus district.

View the main travel overview: Hesse.