Where to drink Champagne in Baden-Baden?
Baden-Baden has a slightly different drinking rhythm from many German cities. This is a spa town, so Champagne fits naturally into the slower side of the day – an afternoon drink after the thermal baths, an aperitif before dinner or a bottle to mark a special evening.
The city is also in Baden, one of Germany’s major wine-growing regions, so you’ll find plenty of local wines alongside Champagne. For a Champagne lover, that makes Baden-Baden a nice place to compare French bubbles with wines from the surrounding region.
Baden-Baden has been a spa destination for centuries, and that heritage still shapes the way people experience the city today. The Kurhaus, casino and elegant parks and gardens give the centre a distinctly old-world feel, while the thermal baths make the city an easy place to slow down for a day or two.
For wine lovers, the interesting part is what lies beyond the city. Baden is Germany’s southernmost wine region and stretches along the Rhine towards the Black Forest. It’s particularly known for Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder), as well as white varieties such as Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.
If you want to try something local and sparkling, keep an eye out for Sekt from Baden. And if you see Winzersekt on a wine list, it’s worth investigating – these wines are made by individual winegrowers from their own grapes and can be a more interesting comparison with Champagne than mass-produced sparkling wine.
Baden-Baden also makes a good base for exploring the surrounding wine country. The Badische Weinstrasse runs through the Baden wine region, connecting vineyards, wine villages and producers along the edge of the Black Forest.
Good to know
Baden-Baden works particularly well for a Champagne + spa weekend. Spend the day at the thermal baths, walk through the parks or Black Forest, then settle down for an aperitif and dinner with Champagne.
And if you’re here for the wine as much as the spa, leave some time for the surrounding Baden vineyards. You’re close to a part of Germany where Pinot Noir is particularly important, so this is a good opportunity to try a German Spätburgunder alongside your Champagne.