Located half an hour from Frankfurt Airport by rail or road, the state capital of Wiesbaden is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe, famous for its hot springs since Roman times.
The city gained international fame as an exclusive spa resort in the 19th century. Today, with 14 of its original 26 hot springs remaining, visitors continue to relax and recuperate at spa hotels and complexes around the city. Built on the site of an ancient Roman baths, the Art Nouveau Kaiser-Friedrich Baths (Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme) offers a wide range of steam and sauna options. The wellness amenities at the Aukammtal Thermal Baths (Thermalbad Aukammtal) include a fire sauna and an connected indoor-outdoor pool.
Wiesbaden's cultural and culinary offerings are equally impressive. The internationally-acclaimed annual International May and Rheingau Music festivals (Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden and Rheingau Musik Festival) provide visitors with a vast choice of theatrical, operatic, classical musical and ballet performances. Every August at the Rheingau Wine Festival (Rheingauer Weinwoche) over 100 wineries from around the region offer their wines in the city's central cobbled squares. During Advent, this is where you'll find the festive wooden huts and twinkling lights of the Shooting Star Christmas market (Sternschnuppenmarkt).
Those who enjoy a spot of luxury shopping should head to the elegant Wilhelmstrasse, a wide boulevard lined with galleries and exclusive boutiques. Literary fans won't want to miss the neoclassical Kurhaus casino, which inspired the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevky's novel The Gambler. Whether you come for Michelin-starred fine dining, the International Horse Show (Pfingstturnier) at the stunning Baroque Biebrich Palace (Schloss Biebrich), or a relaxing weekend luxuriating in the city's thermal baths and lush green spaces, Wiesbaden will show you how to do it in style.
