Bon Voyage: Art, Culture and Shopping in Wiesbaden
Because a yearly vacation is not enough for our author Isabel, she usually packs her bags and suitcases every few weeks to discover new places. Sometimes only for one night – no matter. That's how you can quite well satisfy wanderlust. Where she went last, what is worth it and what is not, she reveals in “Bon Voyage”. Now she was in Wiesbaden for SoSUE.
By Isabel Sophie Möller
Rarely has the title of this column fit so well: Bon Voyage – Have a good trip.
In fact, I traveled extremely well. Comfortable. Exquisite. Relaxed. Cultivated. Tasteful. With a view... take your pick.
Recently, I sent you a digital postcard from beautiful Strasbourg. But as already announced, Alsace was only the final stop of my journey. Before that, there was another stop that I have kept from you until now.
Let's start – quite fairy-tale-like according to my mood: Behind Gera, Jena, Weimar, Eisenach, Gießen, and Frankfurt lies a small town at the edge of a mountain, old and beautiful, with healing springs and wide boulevards. The list of personalities who have honored this place over the centuries? Long. Helena Rubinstein, Dostoevsky, Goethe, Brahms, Wagner – to name just a few.
So. Tension built. Anyone who has already opened the map of Germany in their mind can probably guess where I am.
I am in…3…2…1…Wiesbaden.
The beauty queen of German cities: A short trip to Wiesbaden
Those who read my last column will know: At the end of summer and after a small work marathon, I craved a full dose of enjoyment, relaxation, and beauty. My goal: Strasbourg. My first breather: Wiesbaden.
Relatively spontaneously, I booked a hotel room and treated myself to a two-day stopover in the Hessian state capital. Because – ashes on my head: I would claim that I know Germany quite well with all its facets. But Hessen has so far passed me by without reason.
Where to stay: Staying on the edge of the Neroberg
The drive alone was a dream – a German road trip par excellence. Excuse me if I exaggerate. I drove relaxed in my car through a landscape of valleys, hills, and castles. My accommodation fit perfectly: I stayed at the “Hotel Klemm” – a listed Art Nouveau villa from 1888.
Through white French doors and over red, high carpets, I made my way first to the nostalgic lobby, then up to my room. Small but nice: As always, I requested a room with a view in advance. It doesn't always work, but this time it did. Curtains open, window opened, and tada: In front of me not only a neat courtyard but also the Neroberg, Wiesbaden's local mountain.
Many city travelers, like me, stayed at the hotel itself, only for a few days. Good for me, because during the morning cup of coffee, you could wonderfully exchange personal must-sees and discoveries.
Speaking of breakfast:
Rarely have I found such a rich and high-quality selection of regional products. The icing on the cake: Breakfast was free.
Places to be
In fact, the choice of my hotel turned out to be a particular stroke of luck, as the first major attraction was practically right outside my door: the Neroberg. As a nice Wiesbaden local told me, anyone who counts themselves as someone lives either on the Nero or on the Sonnenberg. I find it questionable how one can afford such a living pleasure in times like these, but the Schöner-Wohnen neighborhoods are definitely suitable for a walk. Because here you get to know the real, typical Wiesbaden. Or better: The Wiesbaden as it still wants to be perceived.
Because Wiesbaden is very much a city of the 19th century. This is because the city only developed around 1800 from a modest province with 2,500 inhabitants into a large spa town. Since it has always targeted a well-heeled clientele, building was not done haphazardly: one architectural jewel follows another. Even today, Wiesbaden is therefore considered a city of Historicism.
My tip: At first, I was somewhat overwhelmed by the architectural splendor. Wiesbaden did not seem to me at first glance like a city where people live, work, cry, and celebrate, but rather like a theater set. Too pretty to be true. Too much icing. Too little feeling, no edges or corners.
On a whim, I boarded the “Wiesbadener Thermine” – a small historic train. For twelve euros, I was taken on a 50-minute ride starting from the Marktkirche through the Hessian state capital – the scenery gradually came to life for me. The ride went along the luxurious Wilhelmstraße to the Kurhaus, the Hessian State Theater, up to the Neroberg, to the Russian Orthodox Church, over Taunusstraße, to the Kochbrunnen, the historic Kranzplatz, the Stadtschloss, and back to the Marktkirche.
Please save the tour, because I would recommend it to everyone just like that.
Lunch break at the Wiesbadener Schiffchen
After my little mobile time travel through Wiesbaden, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to take a closer look at. Plus: The friendly owners of Thermine were happy to share their very personal culinary tips upon request. Since I only stayed for two days, I obviously couldn't try everything, but as a serious columnist who takes her job very seriously, I naturally took notes.
● Brunch and dinner: Benner’s Bistronomie
● Lunch: I-Punkt
● The best Italian: Ristorante Comeback
● Gourmet cuisine: Restaurant Ente
● Patisserie: L'Art Sucré (tried it myself and found it delicious)
Tip for the undecided: Drift around in the “Schiffchen” – as the locals call their old town because of its bow-shaped appearance. Whether morning, noon, or night: The “Schiffchen” is a culinary and shopping hotspot. Eyes and stomach are always satisfied here. Promise.
Wiesbaden Casino
No: I don't want to advertise gambling here. BUT: The Wiesbaden Casino is one of the most famous casinos in Europe. Gambling has a tradition in Wiesbaden: Prince Carl of Nassau-Usingen already granted a privilege for gambling in Wiesbaden in 1771. In 1810, the casino was moved to the Old Kurhaus – the neoclassical building is still a true feast for the eyes today with its colonnades.
Since dinner at “Benner’s” was recommended to me, I quickly dressed up and headed to the casino. Because beware: There is still a dress code here. In the historic ambiance, I let the tension-filled atmosphere wash over me, heard poker chips clatter, roulette wheels spin, and enjoyed a salad with grilled prawns surrounded by old and new money. With a glass of champagne. Cheers – until next time.
Shopping indulgence in the old town
Little birds are chirping to me that there is an enormous competition about where to shop better: Mainz or Wiesbaden. I remain diplomatically neutral. But I must admit that I have a tendency. Because in Wiesbaden, I stumbled quite unexpectedly into fashion happiness.
Here are my absolute favorites in a – you already know it – quick run-through:
● Burresi: Fashionably ahead of the season? At least that's the feeling you get in the boutique. Burresi stands for 40 years of international fashion. Because here you only find the latest trends from well-known brands like Paris Texas, Moncler, Anine Bing, and of course SoSUE. PS: There is another Burresi fashion branch at Frankfurt Airport.
● Turmalin: Great selection of lovingly chosen, high-quality jewelry, fashion, and accessories.
● Laufsteg Wiesbaden: Not wanting to do covert advertising… but anyone who occasionally turns on the TV at 3 PM to watch Guido Maria Kretschmer will know this store… Psst: Several women have already been made queens here.
● Allotria Wiesbaden: As a passionate aunt and godmother, I am always looking for gifts for my four girls. Great: At Allotria, there is high-quality and stylish fashion for babies, kids, and teenagers.
● EP’s Diva: My highlight! A truly, truly enchanting boutique – almost magical. Here you can find secondhand treasures like Dior sunglasses, Fendi bags, or Paco Rabanne necklaces. But also original creations by the owner Elke Peschke. Elke has traveled widely and her heart is especially at home in southern France. You can feel that in her store and style.
● Antiques and art treasures on Taunusstraße: The people of Wiesbaden proudly told me that there is no comparable antiques mile anywhere else in Germany. I can't say that with one hundred percent certainty, but in fact, I have never seen so many well-stocked art and vintage stores combined anywhere else.
Culture Club
As tasteful and cosmopolitan as I have come to know the people of Wiesbaden, I was not surprised that the city did not leave me unsatisfied when it came to culture either.
If you love theater, opera, or ballet, you can't miss the Hessian State Theater – of course. But the “Kulturzentrum Schlachthof” was especially recommended to me. The area southeast of the main train station offers a refreshing alternative to the traditional “high culture program.” On the schedule: a variety of concerts from different music genres, poetry slams, readings, film screenings, flea markets, and parties. Did I forget something? See for yourself.
Winter preview
Dear ones… it's November. And even if you've already used up your annual vacation: there's always time for a day trip or a weekend getaway, right? Because new places always have a special charm in winter, don't you think? I personally believe it doesn't always have to be Paris, Vienna, London, or New York at Christmas. We can also succumb to the charm of the pre-Christmas season elsewhere. But where? Well… stay tuned.
Until then: Bon Voyage, dear ones
Yours, Isabel
Isabel Sophie Möller is a journalist for TV, print, and online. Just as reluctant as she is to choose a platform for her creative output, she avoids being pinned down to one topic to write about. Fashion or beauty? VIPs or royals? Books or Netflix? Food or travel? You can give your heart and thoughts to everything. That's exactly what she does – preferably in her travel-slash-lifestyle column “Bon Voyage,” where she takes her readers along on one of her discovery tours every month. More from Isabel can be found on her Instagram account @the_italian_bazaar