We started the walking tour of Baden Baden right outside our little Airbnb in the back of one of the town's two main thermal spas. Above, the "Fetquelle" or "rich water source," a 105-degree water fountain which until recently was a source of hot water for locals.
Walking up and around the modern Caracalla spa, the venerable Roman-Irish bath and the remnants of the ancient bath built for Roman soldiers, we found ourselves in the middle of an exotic garden fed by water from the hot springs. Above, a flourishing fig tree.
On the right, corner view of the Roman-Irish bath complex.
Walking through old town we reach the Oosbach river with its Lichtentaler Allee, called "the Culture Mile" because of its many museums and also "the Green Mile" as it is lined with stately oaks and strikingly beautiful and large exotic trees.
Above, a Catalpa tree, an impressive north American tree that can grow close to a 100 feet in hight. I smiled when I saw the many north American trees.
A giant sequoia. Not quite as large as the Californian ones, but impressive none the less.
The Germans planted north American trees like Americans plant European and Asian varieties.
Hum?? The grass is always greener on the other side of the pond, the ocean in this case.
Returning from our elegant promenade along the Allee, past the classy mansions, the Rose garden (above) and the Casino called the "Kurhaus," we ended the walking tour at the "Trinkhalle."
As you can see from the photos above and below, the Trinkhalle is quite unique: a long ~1850 building decorated with romantic murals, where 19th century visitors would come to drink the healing spa waters and promenade both inside and outside the structure.
