Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [376]
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Eating
See where your rumbling stomach leads you on Leopoldsplatz and Sophienstrasse.
Monte Christo ( 393 434; Eichstrasse 5; tapas €4.80-9.90; 6pm-1am) This cheerful bar whips up tasty tapas from shallot-topped sardines to mussels in red-pepper sauce.
Jensens ( 397 900; Sophienstrasse 45; light meals €5-8; 10.30am-late; ) Chilli-red walls, wood floors and jazzy music give this cafe a hip feel. Enjoy a beer or Flammkuchen (around €6) on the patio.
Café Kunsthalle ( 392 000; Lichtentaler Allee 8a; snacks €5.50-9.80; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun; ) Next to the Kunsthalle, this avant-garde cafe serves yummy salads, baguettes and antipasti. The little heated terrace overlooks the sculpture-dotted park.
Leo’s ( 380 81; Luisenstrasse 10; mains €11-25; 10am-1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Sat) Bill Clinton and a host of other luminaries have dined at this snazzy bistro-cum–wine bar. It rolls out creative salads, pasta and cocktails.
La Provence ( 216 515; Schlossstrasse 20; mains €13.50-21.50; noon-1am) Candlelight illuminates the vaults and art-nouveau mirrors of this one-time wine cellar, which marries full-bodied wines with French delicacies like garlicky snails and duck breast in honey-coriander sauce.
Rizzi ( 258 38; Augustaplatz 1; mains €15-24; noon-1am) A summertime favourite, this stout pink villa’s tree-shaded patio faces Lichtentaler Allee. Italian numbers such as whole sea bass and saffron-infused risotto pair nicely with local rieslings.
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Entertainment
Ensconced in an historic train station and fabled for its acoustics, the Festspielhaus ( 301 3101; www.festspielhaus.de; Beim Alten Bahnhof 2, Robert-Schumann-Platz) is Europe’s second biggest concert hall, seating 2500 theatre-goers, and a lavish tribute to Baden-Baden’s musical heritage. Under the direction of Andreas Mölich-Zebhauser, the grand venue hosts a world-class program of concerts, opera and ballet.
The revered Baden-Badener Philharmonie ( 932 791; www.philharmonie.baden-baden.de) frequently performs in the Kurhaus.
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Getting There & Away
Karlsruhe-Baden-Baden airport (Baden Airpark; www.badenairpark.de), 15km west of town, is linked to London and Dublin by Ryanair.
Buses to Black Forest destinations depart from the bus station, next to the Bahnhof.
Baden-Baden is close to the A5 (Frankfurt-Basel autobahn) and is the northern starting point of the zigzagging Schwarzwald-Hochstrasse (see boxed text, below), which follows the B500.
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TOP FIVE GREAT DRIVES
More than just pretty drives, many of these routes highlight a theme, such as Franco-German friendship, clock-making and winegrowing. Local tourist offices provide details and brochures.
Schwarzwald-Hochstrasse (Black Forest Hwy) Following the B500, this connects Baden-Baden with Freudenstadt, 60km to the south. It affords expansive views of the Upper Rhine Valley and the Vosges Mountains in Alsace (France). The route skirts a number of lakes, including the pine-fringed Mummelsee.
Badische Weinstrasse (Baden Wine Rd) An oenologist’s delight. From Baden-Baden south to Lörrach, this 160km route corkscrews through the red-wine vineyards of Ortenau, the Pinot noir of Kaiserstuhl and Tuniberg, and the white-wine vines of Markgräflerland.
Schwarzwald-Tälerstrasse (Black Forest Valley Rd) Twists 100km from Rastatt to Freuden-stadt, affording views across steep valleys (the Murgtal and Kinzig), lush woodlands, granite cliffs and gin-clear streams. High points include Gernsbach’s half-timbered houses, Forbach’s bridge and freshly tapped beer in Alpirsbach.
Deutsche Uhrenstrasse (German Clock Rd) A 320km loop starting in Villingen-Schwenningen that revolves around the story of clock-making in the Black Forest. Stops include Furtwangen and cuckoo-clock capital Triberg.
Grüne Strasse (Green Rd) Links the Black Forest with the Rhine Valley and the Vosges Mountains in France. Popular