A perfect weekend in Wiesbaden
It could look like this!
A perfect weekend - now also as PDF
The perfect weekend in Wiesbaden is now available as a PDF! Discover Wiesbaden's highlights at a leisurely pace.
Friday - let us be enchanted by the Belle Epoque charm
- First check in at the hotel (opens in a new tab), get rid of your suitcases and start your Wiesbaden weekend with a good lunch! The restaurant Chez Mami (opens in a new tab) will spoil you with Parisian bistro-style French cuisine on white tablecloths, the small restaurant Hindukusch (opens in a new tab) serves authentic Afghan cuisine and Karim's Brasserie (opens in a new tab) will take you to Morocco with tajine, falafel and couscous.
- The first stop is the Kochbrunnen on the square of the same name - the most famous and, at 66 degrees Celsius, the hottest of the city's 26 thermal springs. The sodium chloride water from the spring tastes salty and takes some getting used to, but is said to have a healing effect on skin diseases, rheumatic complaints and musculoskeletal problems. Incidentally, in the 19th century, Kochbrunnenplatz was a vibrant center of the spa town - with an elegant promenade and drinking hall as well as luxurious grand hotels such as the "Schwarzer Bock" or the "Palast-Hotel", our next stop.
- Even today, the Palast-Hotel in the elegant Belle Époque style with its curved façade and Art Nouveau elements is a real eye-catcher. In the inner courtyard - which you can take a look at - a pavilion-like conservatory with a terrace, fountain and Art Nouveau glazing is a reminder of its glamorous past. Illustrious guests such as tenor Enrico Caruso have been guests here. Today, the building, which was erected in 1902, houses apartments (social housing in the 1970s), offices and the cabaret kuenstlerhaus43 (opens in a new tab), which is always worth a visit!
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Continue to the elegant Taunusstraße - one of the best preserved streets in the city. As Taunusstraße attracted many spa guests due to its central location, numerous hotels were built here. Today, one antique store follows the next, and there are many restaurants and nice bars. The Taunusstrasse Festival, which is celebrated every year in August, is very popular.
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Let's stroll on to the Kurhaus, Wiesbaden's landmark! The imposing building was built on the initiative of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who often stayed here for spa treatments. It was opened in 1907 and the inscription "AQUIS MATTIACIS" on the portico - meaning "the waters of the Mattiakers" - is a reminder of the Germanic Mattiaker tribe, who already used the hot springs.
In the elegant foyer, which is freely accessible, larger-than-life copies of ancient Greek deities symbolizing various virtues stand beneath the 21-metre-high dome in front of the four wall pillars:
The Kurhaus also has beautiful halls such as the Friedrich von Thiersch Hall, named after the architect of the Kurhaus, where concerts are held, and the Shell Hall, which can be visited on guided tours (opens in a new tab). The Kurhaus also houses the Wiesbaden Casino (opens in a new tab) - one of the oldest and most beautiful in Europe. The poet Dostoyevsky is said to have ruined himself in roulette here, which inspired him to write his novel "The Gambler". His bust stands in the Kurpark, which is directly adjacent to the Kurhaus. It's a wonderful place to stroll and go boating on the spa pond!Athena - goddess of wisdom, with helmet and spear
Eirene with the boy Pluto - representative of peace and wealth, with horn of plenty
Apollo - patron god of the arts, with harp
Asclepius - god of healing and health - After a break at the hotel, we start the afternoon and then the evening - Nerostrasse in the popular Bergkirchen district is the perfect place for this! If you fancy really good coffee and possibly cake, Dales Cake (opens in a new tab), THE FRIDAY Cupping Room (opens in a new tab) or KAUFMANNS Kaffeerösterei (opens in a new tab) around the corner are the places to go. Be sure to stop by Pottery & Gallery Ile 22 (opens in a new tab) - you'll find beautiful Wiesbaden souvenirs here! Hand-picked wines and nice snacks are available right next door in the wine bar Nero22 (opens in a new tab). You can get great pizza in the pizzeria De Paola (opens in a new tab) and if you fancy hearty Hessian cuisine in the same atmosphere, you'll find it at Kortheuer (opens in a new tab). Also nice: the Filou bistro (opens in a new tab) with Mediterranean cuisine, vacation atmosphere included!
Source whisper tip: With the Future History (opens in a new tab) app, you can go on your own journey through Wiesbaden. With audio and comparative images from the past, you can experience Wiesbaden's rise to become a world-class spa town. The virtual tour costs 4.99 euros.
Saturday - right into life
- Breakfast is not served in the hotel today, but in the "living room of Wiesbaden", Café Maldaner (opens in a new tab), which has been pampering its guests in the finest Viennese café tradition for over 150 years. Breakfast is brought to the table by liveried waiters and waitresses and presented in proper style on étagères. Here you will also find the finest chocolates and macarons for your loved ones at home. Make sure you book in advance!
- Today is market day in Wiesbaden. Stalls selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, baked goods and specialties invite you to stroll around the Dern'schen grounds. Be sure to take a look at the Marktkirche, Wiesbaden's tallest building, which is often referred to as "Nassau's cathedral" because of its significance.
Quellgeflüster tip: The Marktkirche's carillon, with its 49 bronze bells, can be played by hand. That's why it's particularly worth listening when the Market Church's cantors Thomas J. Frank or Hans Uwe Hielscher make the carillon ring at market time on Saturdays - from 12:05 to 12:30!
- You must make a detour to the traditional Confiserie Kunder (opens in a new tab), which produces the famous original pineapple tarts (opens in a new tab) in the finest artisan tradition and which are a must when visiting Wiesbaden.
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Fancy a break? In Mauergasse, just around the corner from the market, numerous bars and cafés await you to relax and "look Wiesbaden" - such as the Italian bar sbagliato (opens in a new tab), the wine bars of Laqaui (opens in a new tab) or Balthasar Ress (opens in a new tab). All of them offer snacks. A visit to the interior design store drinneN (opens in a new tab) is an absolute MUST!
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Well fortified, we now head to Wiesbaden's "weirdest landmark" - the Nerobergbahn, which has been taking guests up Wiesbaden's popular local mountain since 1888. The approximately 30-minute walk is worthwhile, if only because it leads along the Nero valley, at the edge of which are beautiful villas. The Neroberbahn is one of only four water-powered funicular railroads left in the world - and is still in its original condition. It runs from April (usually from Good Friday) to the beginning of November, Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm. You'll be at the top in three and a half minutes!
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There is a lot on offer on the Neroberg: The Monopteros is THE photo motif in Wiesbaden - especially for weddings. From the Löwenterrasse or the Chateau Néro (opens in a new tab) wine bar, you have perhaps the most beautiful view over Wiesbaden.
Quellgeflüster tip: The Neroberg is one of the few inner-city vineyards in Germany and has been cultivated for 500 years with Riesling, which is so typical of the region. You can taste it directly in the vineyard during a guided wine tasting (opens in a new tab)!
- In the mood for culture? You're spoilt for choice here: the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (opens in a new tab) offers a top-class program as a four-division house - but a visit is worthwhile almost simply because you can spend the break in the baroque foyer of the theater, which is second to none! Wiesbaden also has a very lively cabaret scene. Take a look at the programs of the Kammerspiele Wiesbaden (opens in a new tab), the Theater im Pariser Hof (opens in a new tab) or the kuenstlerhaus43 (opens in a new tab), which also offers an entertaining dinner theater. A visit to the Velvets Theater (opens in a new tab), a black theater that stages classics such as "The Little Prince", located just outside the city, is an unusual experience. If you're more in the mood for cinema, we recommend the Caligari FilmBühne (opens in a new tab), an arthouse cinema that shows selected films in a wonderful Art Deco atmosphere.
- Before and/or after, you should definitely stop by Obere Webergasse, where the people of Wiesbaden like to hang out. Casa delle Olive (opens in a new tab) serves great pizza, which you can also order at the Weinod Vinothek & Weinbar (opens in a new tab). The wine bar Wine in the Hood (opens in a new tab) is also very nice, offering delicious cheese and ham platters and, of course, the best wines. In summer, everything takes place outside in Obere Webergasse!
Sunday is Museum Day!
- After breakfast, it's off to the museum - for example, the Wiesbaden Museum (opens in a new tab), which, as the state museum of Hesse, displays an extraordinary natural history collection alongside an extensive art collection. Its motto is "The Aesthetics of Nature" and shows the creative energy and aesthetic spirit of nature! Another highlight is the extensive Art Nouveau collection with 500 paintings and objects, which will take you on a journey through time. Read the interview to (opens in a new tab) find out what not to miss.
- The Museum Reinhard Ernst (opens in a new tab) (mre), located right next to the museum, is worth a (further) visit - if you want to visit both, you should use the partnership ticket (opens in a new tab). The museum was opened in 2024. The extraordinary museum building by star architect Fumihiko Maki, which offers its own guided tours, houses abstract art from the collection of founder Reinhard Ernst. The guided tour "Alles Kunst" (opens in a new tab) offers an overview of the collection and current special exhibitions.
- A few meters further on is the Villa Clementine House of Literature (opens in a new tab), where scenes for the film "The Buddenbrocks" were shot and which offers great readings. On some Saturdays and Sundays (opens in a new tab), the Beletage is open to you from 1 to 6 pm. Here you can marvel at the beautiful Wilhelminian-style villa, browse through the book exchange, spend some time reading and treat yourself to coffee and cake.
- So much art makes you hungry! In the iconic Tutti Frutti (opens in a new tab) pizzeria, you can enjoy perhaps the best pizza in Wiesbaden - in summer under the trees - with a view of the neighboring villas.
We wish you a safe journey home and will be back soon!















