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When you think of Germany in the fall, you probably think of Munich!
Large crowds come to the city to enjoy the famous Oktoberfest celebration.
But there’s another German region where you can enjoy locally brewed beer, iconic attractions and world-famous spas this fall.
Tourism in Baden-Württemberg is booming! The region has seen 26.8 million overnight visitors in the first half of the year alone.
As an army brat, I grew up in Germany, and the country has a soft spot in my heart.
Here’s why I think it’s time for Munich to step aside, and you should visit Baden-Württemberg instead:
An icon from the wellness industry
One of the most famous and iconic destinations in the Baden-Württemberg region is the city of Baden-Baden.
If you want to relax and embrace all things wellness, there’s no better place to be.
When UNESCO released a list of Europe’s great spa towns, Baden-Baden took center stage.
Now the city has a worldwide reputation for its spas and first-class healthcare facilities.
Below the city there are twelve springs at a depth of approximately 2,000 meters. Thermal water bubbles up from here to the city’s spas and baths. These extensive springs pump out 800,000 liters of hot water per day, with temperatures as high as 68°C.
The Friedrichsbad Spa is one of the best spas in the city, although there are others to choose from. This is a traditional Roman-Irish style spa pool.
Entry costs 35 euros and including towels and slippers, body lotion and hair/body shampoo for use in the bath and tea in the reading room. For an additional 19 euros you can add a traditional soap and brush massage to your visit.
If you’re feeling as relaxed as possible, Baden-Baden also has plenty of cultural attractions for its visitors.
The Festspielhaus is the largest concert and opera house in Germany, housed in a beautiful neoclassical building.
If you don’t have time to enjoy a performance, take a backstage tour of the building, taking a behind-the-scenes look at the foyer, auditorium, technical center and stage.
Then take a stroll along the Baden-Baden Museum Mile, which, as the name suggests, is packed with museums and galleries for every interest.
Discover beautiful castles
There are 20 castles in the Baden-Württemberg region, so when it comes to exploring beautiful castles, you’re spoiled for choice.
The best known of these is Heidelberg Castle, which is partly in ruins. This is considered the most important Renaissance building in Germany.
On a limited budget? The walk to the castle, exploring the gardens and the views over Heidelberg are all completely free. Entering the castle is also affordable the entrance fee for just 9 euros ($10).
For a real fairy story-inspired castle experience, visit Lichtenstein Castle, with imposing round turrets that look like something out of a storybook.
This castle is located near Reutlingen and has been lovingly restored. Lichtenstein Castle is actually still privately owned (by the Urach family who restored it between 1842 and 1844), but you can visit the courtyard and part of the castle’s interior on a pre-scheduled guided tour.
Entrance to the castle courtyard costs 4 euros ($4.30) and a 30-minute tour of the castle interior costs 12 euros ($13) per adult.
Finally, don’t miss Guttenberg Castle, which sits on a hilltop and is beautifully preserved and equipped for travelers.
Here you will find a museum, a traditional tavern and a highly regarded bird of prey show.
If you’ve always dreamed of staying in the castle, this castle also offers rooms to make that dream come true!
Travel to Baden-Württemberg
Although not as well known as Munich or Berlin, Baden Württemberg is still accessible to American travelers.
The largest city, and regional capital, Stuttgart has a major airport and Delta operates direct flights between the city and Atlanta.
The flight time between the two cities is 8 hours and 55 minutes for the outbound leg of your journey and 10 hours and 40 minutes for the inbound leg of your journey. To give an example of flight prices, if you book this trip directly with Delta between October 16 and October 24, it will cost $1,022 for a roundtrip economy class flight.
Transport outside the airport depends on a notorious German efficiency: the public transport network here is excellent!
Tourists can take advantage of the Baden-Württemberg ticket which is valid on weekdays, weekends and public holidays, provided you do not start your trip until after 9am.
This allows you to use all regional trains in the area, as well as trams and buses, and is a great way to explore the area.
And it’s affordable too. The ticket costs 26.50 euros ($29) for one traveler, but if you travel with a group of up to four additional travelers, you pay only 8 euros ($8.70) for their ticket.
Children under 6 years old always travel free and children between 6 and 15 years travel free with a paying passenger.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
