Four Wiesbaden walks
Perhaps the best way to explore Wiesbaden: on foot! On four themed walking tours, you can explore the city on your own. Just download the fold-out map and start walking—you can also pick up the maps for free at the Tourist Information office on Marktplatz.
1st Art Nouveau Trail
Wiesbaden is considered one of the most important Art Nouveau cities in Germany. The heyday around the turn of the century had a lasting impact on the city's architecture - with elegant façades, floral ornaments and artistically designed interiors. With the help of the digital folding map, the Wiesbaden Art Nouveau Trail takes you to examples of this era that provide fascinating insights into the cultural and architectural heritage of the state capital.
Quellgeflüster Tip: You can fully immerse yourself in the fin-de-siècle spirit at the F. W. Neess Art Nouveau collection (opens in a new tab) at the Museum Wiesbaden, featuring more than 500 exhibits ranging from furniture to paintings—including Friedrich Heyser’s “Ophelia,” which inspired Taylor Swift’s music video “The Fate of Ophelia.” The guided tour “An Absolute Stroke of Luck for Wiesbaden—Art Nouveau” (opens in a new tab) is offered in conjunction with the exhibition.
2nd Jawlensky Path
The Russian-German painter and member of the artists' group "Der Blaue Reiter" Alexej von Jawlensky (1864 to 1941) was from Wiesbaden by choice. He is best known for his intensely colored portraits and abstract heads, in which he combined spirituality and emotional expressiveness. The digital folding map takes you on a nine-stop journey in his footsteps, visiting historical places and important stages of his life.
"In 1921, I traveled from Ascona to Wiesbaden and arrived there on 1 June. My exhibition, which had previously been in Frankfurt, was there. It was a large exhibition of my last works and of my strong pre-war heads. I was very successful in Wiesbaden at the time. I met very nice people there, and that made me decide to take up residence in Wiesbaden. A year later, my family also came here," says Jawlensky.
Tip from Quellgeflüster: The Museum Wiesbaden houses the world’s most significant collection of works by Alexej von Jawlensky (opens in a new tab). In this interview (opens in a new tab)interview (opens in a new tab), you’ll learn about the other highlights awaiting you at the Museum Wiesbaden.
3. Wiesbaden in your ear
The interactive adventure tour through Wiesbaden is a treasure hunt and mystery tour that you can embark on using your own smartphone—on your own, anytime, for free, and without having to download an app. The “Wiesbaden im Ohr” flyer lists 14 notable spots around the city that have special stories to tell. Simply scan the QR codes on-site and listen to the short audio clips and videos.
Among the highlights are Mauergasse with its “150-meter good-vibes factor,” the Nerobergbahn, which is “beautiful, quirky, and unique,” Café Maldaner and its “coffeehouse charm for over 160 years,” the Wiesbaden Casino and its “Faites vos jeux,” and, of course, the Wiesbaden parakeets, which are “as green as they are loud.”
By the way: The suggestions for the stops came from the people of Wiesbaden. Over 100 locations were suggested, which shows that they really pay attention when it comes to their city!
4th art walk
In the "Art Walks" pocket guide, you can explore 33 works of art in public spaces on three different walks.
Whether in squares, parks, in front of office buildings, or on building facades—nowhere else can art be admired so undisturbed. The works range from sculptures and monuments to graffiti, reflecting the diversity of art in public spaces.
In Nerotalpark, artist Heide Krebs-Bechtel invites you, through her sculpture ensemble “25,” to find and identify trees in the park using the corresponding tree numbers.