Bad Pyrmont: Spa History, Gardens and Mineral Springs

Bad Pyrmont combines mineral springs and spa history with garden settings that offer a wide variety of impressions. In the spa park, palms and seasonal blooms alternate with peaceful garden areas; there are also the Wandelhalle, the castle island and the HUFELAND Therme. You can plan your trip around whether you would rather stroll through historic grounds, learn more about the springs or set aside time for water and relaxation.

Springs and the History of the Spa Town

The Hyllige Born is Pyrmont’s oldest mineral spring. It bubbles up in a temple with twelve columns in front of the Wandelhalle, which is located right by the spring in the heart of Bad Pyrmont. The mineral waters are served in the Wandelhalle, which also houses several shops, a café and an event space. Check the latest information on water service and facilities before your visit.

The Hauptallee forms the central axis of the spa town and is considered one of Germany’s oldest spa park grounds. Magnificent lime trees line the promenade, and a wide range of food and drink options is also part of its character. Bad Pyrmont therefore offers different ways to spend your time side by side: taking in the spa history at the spring and strolling beneath the trees along the avenue.

The springs themselves also have a long history: the museum in Bad Pyrmont Castle recalls nearly 2,000 years of history of the Pyrmont springs. Since 1987, it has housed collections on the history of the town and spa in the baroque rooms on the castle island. If you would rather learn about the town while on the move, you can follow a historical walking tour with the Weserbergland app and discover the spa town’s most important sites.

Garden Paths with Different Accents

The spa park offers both paths for strolling and distinctive garden scenes. The Palmengarten is Europe’s northernmost open-air palm garden. Its more than 500 potted plants of various species include palms that grow up to eleven metres tall. The Klosterallee, meanwhile, is part of the spa park’s historic avenue system, which stretches for around 3,000 metres—a different view of the grounds from the Palmengarten’s exotic plants.

A striking seasonal feature is the 300-metre-long Azaleenweg. Laid out in 1926, its deciduous azaleas bloom in May in vivid shades ranging from yellow to pink and give off an intense fragrance. In the western part of the spa park, the Asiatisches Refugium features a Japanese garden and loungers, as well as a hydrangea garden, a maple garden and a snowball garden. If you enjoy seeing different plant scenes on a walk, these areas offer a variety of impressions, so your visit need not be limited to a single garden scene.

Quiet spots are also part of the garden experience described here: in the Telemanngarten, you can enjoy the peace and quiet of the park over a cup of tea in the tea house, built around 1810. Loungers are available on the neighbouring lawn. The barefoot trail offers a more active contrast: it is more than 180 metres long and around 1.50 metres wide, can be used year-round, including in winter, and may only be walked barefoot. If you plan to use the trail, be sure to follow this rule; the gardens also offer quieter alternatives.

Water, Activity and Nature

The HUFELAND Therme in Bad Pyrmont offers saltwater with a salt content of two per cent, as well as indoor and outdoor pools. There are also several saunas, a beauty and spa area, a whirlpool and an event pool. This offers a different focus from the paths and gardens: when choosing what to do, you can weigh up a visit to the spa park against the facilities at the thermal baths.

In the Bergkurpark, Ewilpa® Bad Pyrmont invites you to discover edible wild plants. The grounds are open to everyone; collecting edible wild plants free of charge is expressly encouraged, except at Station 14. If you plan to gather plants, check the local rules beforehand and observe this exception.

The Castle Island and the Town’s Unique History

The large and small courtyards on the castle island provide the setting for the annual “Pyrmonter Sommer” events. Check the current programme for specific dates. The museum in the castle and the events appeal to different interests: the former focuses on the town and spa history in the baroque rooms, while the latter features a cultural programme in the castle courtyards.

The Dunsthöhle tells another unusual story of the town. It is located on the site of a former quarry where red sandstone was extracted in the 17th century. From a certain depth, the quarry workers noticed a “vapour” there. In 1720, with permission, Prince Friedrich Anton Ulrich of Waldeck and Pyrmont had a stone vault built over the steaming pit and a small building above it on the site of a former quarry, so spa guests could enjoy a dry sweat bath. This historical background adds a distinctive place and a specific former use to the town’s traditional spa history.

For more discoveries, you can also visit Löwensen.

Discover more destinations: Hessisch Oldendorf, Bad Münder Am Deister, Aerzen, Hameln, Lauenstein, Salzhemmendorf, Emmerthal.

Go to the overview of the wider area: Hameln-Pyrmont.