A small city in Germany: Wiesbaden.

This year, one of my best friends got an internship at Fittea in Germany. This was great news because that meant I could visit her in Germany and I had a free place to stay. Where in Germany? Berlin? Stuttgart? Frankfurt? Hamburg? Cologne? None of these places. The city is called Wiesbaden. I had never heard of this city before my friend got her internship 7 months ago, and since then I've traveled there four times.

Where is Wiesbaden?

Wiesbaden is a small city, yet it is the capital of the German state Hesse. It is conveniently located 45 minutes from Frankfurt (and the airport) by train, one hour from Hiedelburg by bus and 2 hours from Cologne by bus or train. It is also 2-3 hours away from Luxembourg by car.

How to get to Wiesbaden.

If you're traveling to Germany by plane, you'd fly to Frankfurt and then right from the inside of the airport (terminal 2 I think) you can take the S9 train from Frankfurt Flughafen directly to Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). It'll take about 40 minutes.

The ticket is about €4 and something.

Important advisory.

The German transport control are very strict about making you pay 60€ if they find you without a ticket. They don't always check in the busses, but if they do, and you have no ticket, good luck getting out of that pinch. They always check on the trains, especially going to Frankfurt, except for the S9 train going to and from the airport. They check there only sometimes, so it's less risky to go without a ticket, but you probably should not take that chance. Be a good world citizen and buy your transport tickets.

Public transportation and walking ability.

Like all the small cities I've visited and have written/will write about, there's no metro network here but basically everything you need around you is accessible by foot. However, if you need a lift, the buses are available and efficient. I'd say one of my favorite aspects of Wiesbaden is the fact that everything to do and see is close enough in proximity to be able to walk everywhere. Maybe 30 minutes maximum is what you'll walk to go from one part of the city to another, and I think it's not bad.

My friend who worked at the company Fittea would walk 30 minutes to and from work every day (one hour total) for the duration of her six-month internship. If she can do it, anyone can do it! The truth is that she didn't know how the bus system worked, and she had gotten used to walking so she didn't bother trying to use public transportation. On the other hand, when I visited and stayed with her in Wiesbaden, I was extremely lazy to walk to her workplace when I wanted to meet her after work, so I figured out the bus system and got a ride there.

It is very easy to look at the bus schedule, which is on the bus stops, and figure it out. You just have to know the name of the street where you want to go. If it's too confusing for you, most people around can speak English, and they are very helpful.

What to do and see in Wiesbaden?

Neroberg.

For those who enjoy walking in nature and seeing nice views, you'll enjoy walking through the forest and up the hill to the top of the 244-meter (800 foot) Neroberg and enjoy the view of the city of Wiesbaden.

At the top there is a restaurant and cafe, a random amphitheater, tree climbing activities for kids (probably adults can do it too), a pool, and a gazebo. Once when I was there, random people were playing music and ballroom dancing in the gazebo area. This is a great place to come to relax on a nice day, have a picnic and observe people.

Upon the hill is also the Russian Orthodox church, also known as St. Elizabeth's church, which is the main attraction for tourists.

This church is nestled, and almost hidden, within the forest of the Neroberg. It is quite beautiful to see, and it is just stunning at night as during the daytime.

At night the entire church is lit up and it can be seen from afar as a piece of gold on the hilltop. During the day, if you would like to enter and see it on the inside, tickets are €3. I have never been inside because I didn't want to pay, but whether you decide to go inside or not, everyone can agree that the outer façade is quite stupendous.

If you're too lazy to walk up the Neroberg, or if you are unable to walk a lot, you can take the funicular ride called the Neroburgbahn.

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This water-powered funicular train runs between the months of late April and September or October and it costs 2, 50€. I don't remember the exact running dates of the Nerobergbahn, but when I went to do it in mid-April, it still had about a week left to open. This is a short ride, but it is nice and refreshing because there aren't large crowds of people, and you can get a view of Wiesbaden on the way up to the mountain.

Hot spring

Also known as the Kochbrunnen (boil fountain in German), the natural hot spring is open for free to the public in downtown Wiesbaden. The water comes out of a fountain, but it is completely natural and pure because it does not get recirculated and it comes directly from its source. The water contains sodium chloride and it is known to have healing properties. Many people come here to touch and drink the water to get some of its beneficial properies, but be careful because it is very hot! The temperature is about 66 degrees celsius (150 degrees fahrenheit)!

I almost burned myself when I tried to drink the water directly, so what you have to do is take a glass with you and after filling it up with the water, wait a few minutes for it to cool down. This spring is a nice place to hang around for a few minutes when you want to take a break from walking in the city, especially when you need to warm up in the cold winter months.

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In the photo above, you can see that there are two different fountains where the hot spring comes out from. In the lower photo, you can see a semi-circle seashell-shaped structure which is the general fountain. The second one, which is seen in the top photos, is the drinking fountain protected within the gazebo building. Both fountains are located next to each other.

World's largest cuckoo clock.

I didn't know if before coming here, but Wiesbaden is home to the biggest cuckoo clock in the world. It is not a huge deal but it is something you should see as you're passing by in the city.

The circular window of this cuckoo clock shop is the face of the clock (you can see the roman numerals on the window), and above that, you can see a small red double door. On every half hour between 8h and 20h (8am-8pm), the red doors open and the figurines in the clock do a cute little show for like 10-15 seconds, so if you come close to the hour or half-hour, wait a few minutes.

I came here for the first time in November, and it was already very cold (especially at night) but I still waited almost fifteen minutes because I wanted to see the mini show. It not much, really, just a few things pop out and dance around (like in normal cuckoo clocks), but I was determined to see it so I can say "I saw the world's biggest cuckoo clock at precisely 18h (6:00 pm)".

Churches.

Besides the Russian Orthodox church which I mentioned already, there are two other large/main and eye-catching churches in downtown Wiesbaden. They are called the Bonifatiuskirche (St. Bonifatius) and the Marktkirche. St. Bonifatius is the central Catholic church in Wiesbaden and Hesse, and the Marktkirche is the main Protestant church in Wiesbaden, located right in the central market square.

They are both gothic-style and impressive on the outside. The inside to me is not that amazing, perhaps because after knowing the Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens, nothing else impresses me much anymore.

Shown here above is the St. Bonifatius church, and the picture is taken from the perspective of the Wurstbraterei sausage stand in the parking area (shown below).

The sausages here are delicious and since they're very typical German food, you must try them after making a prayer in the church.

The Marktkirche is located right in the center of the shopping (market) square, and its tall, reddish-brown and thin steeples reaching for the sky are characteristic of this church. If you are lost or are looking for the shopping square, this Marktkirche is a good landmark to look for.

Shopping.

Besides the Marktkirche square, the pedestrian streets in Wiesbaden are many, and they are full of shops and restaurants. There is a particular pedestrian shopping street that is about one kilometer long called Kirchgasse. It's one of the busiest shopping streets in Wiesbaden. There is also a mall on this street called the LuisenForum. Secret: if you go to the top of the parking level in the mall, you'll get a nice view of the city without crowds of people (except for the people going to park their cars).

Kurhaus.

Walking along the street called Wilhelmstrasse, there are many things to do and discover. The main attraction in this area would be the Kurhaus, which is a multi-functional culture house and it is a place that Wiesbaden is very proud of. The Kurhaus (translation: "cure house") is not only the home of the casino of Wiesbaden, but it also hosts concerts, theater shows, events, conferences, and it has a nice restaurant inside.

I went inside the Kurhaus, not to gamble or eat at the restaurant (which I can't afford anyway), but to admire the architecture and stained glass windows and dome which are beautiful. The main hall inside is lined with marble and is decorated by statues, columns, and flowers. Another time when I return to Wiesbaden, I would love to attend an orchestra there because the concert hall is known to have fantastic acoustics.

Anyway, it's free to walk in and tour around a bit by yourself, and the gardens in the back are also free to walk through. They are well-maintained. I must also mention that the fountains at the front entrance of the Kurhaus are quite eye-catching, especially at night when they are lit up.

Kurpark.

Behind the Kurhaus is the Kurpark (a park) where many people go to walk, take their dogs, sit at the benches, and in the summertime the rowboats in the pond are open to renting by the half-hour or hour.

To be completely honest, Kurpark is a normal park, so don't expect something extraordinary. It is worth going to if you need to be around some green and if you need a break from the city. I have gone many times to sit at the benches to soak up the sun, look at the pond's fountain and the ducks, and observe the people.

This photo shows the pond and fountain at the center of Kurpark, with a beautiful rainbow showing through the fountain. At the back part of the Kurpark, you will find a walking path which you can follow and it will lead you to Sonnenburg, which is a borough of Wiesbaden, and there you can see a small castle.

Take a book, leave a book.

Down the road from the Kurhaus, going in the direction of the Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof, you will find the free take-a-book leave-a-book library. Increasing in popularity worldwide, I think these open libraries add a bit of culture and interest to a city.

This is a two-sided bookcase, so there are more books on the other side too!

Anyone can come, leave books that they don’t want anymore, and take new books that they want to read. It’s not required that you leave books if you don’t have any to bring there, but it is necessary for at least some people to leave their books to not run out of the book, and for the exchange to continue.

I didn’t personally take a book from there, but my friend did. As I was scanning the bookshelves to see if I could find something interesting, I noticed that although most of the books there were in German, there was quite a collection of books in English, and some even in French. I think there were a couple in Spanish too. It's perfect for tourists and Erasmus students to stop by and exchange a few books, especially for those who are learning German and want to practice by reading books. I, unfortunately, have zero German skills so I wouldn't be able to benefit by borrowing a book in German, but I could for French and Spanish!

Wiesbaden nightlife.

To be very honest, I did not participate greatly in the nightlife here, although I did try out a few pubs. I did, however, try two different shisha places (of course I did).

The Irish Pub.

The only pub that I went to and can remember the name of is the Irish Pub. I am not a fan of huge crowds, and unfortunately for me, this place was full of people when I went. On the other hand, this is a good sign that the pub is popular and it's a fun place to spend your night.

When you come here, you walk downstairs and when you enter the place, you get a strong smell of beer and wood, which means you're definitely in an Irish pub. The place often has live music and karaoke, as well as sports shown live on the TV. I was informed that the pub has different activities and entertainment every night, alternating between open mic, beer pong tournaments, etc. The decor of the pub gives it a cozy and welcoming feel, and the staff and bartenders are also very friendly. The pub serves both Irish and German beers.

I think I really would have enjoyed it more if it had not been so packed with people, because it makes it hard to move around and have conversations. The large volume of humans in a small place also results in the temperatures rising quickly. If this is a concern for you too, then I would recommend you going there earlier in the evening especially on the weekends, like before 22h (10 pm). It starts to fill up fast after 23h (11 pm). I might even avoid it altogether on the weekends and just go there on a night during the week.

The place is also full of anglophones, so if you're looking for Brits, Americans, or Irish people to meet and practice your English, then it's perfect.

Shisha bars/lounges.

If you need shisha like you need oxygen, or if you just like to smoke a little, I have two recommendations of places that I've tried in Wiesbaden:

Hookah Shisha Lounge, located on Mauritiusstraße 14, is close to the city center and also just one street away (parallel) to the main shopping street of Wiesbaden. I liked this place especially for its convenient location. The inside decoration is lit up with calm blue lights. There are one or two tables that also serve as aquariums, so you can see the fish swimming inside while you're chilling with your hookah. Also on the walls, there are cool decorations of bubbles continuously moving through water. It's relaxing and mesmerizing to watch.

If you want to play something with your friends, you can ask the staff for a deck or two of Uno cards (and maybe also regular playing cards) and they will let you borrow them.

One thing about the shisha places that I have tried in Wiesbaden is that they all require that you buy drinks (not necessarily alcoholic; they just want you to buy something) if you're getting a hookah. I think it's ridiculous and not fair because I am coming to smoke hookah, not to drink something. In any case, I did not come across any hookah place in Wiesbaden that did not require the purchase of a beverage (per person).

The shisha is also generally the same prices in all the places I've tried: between €12 and €15, depending on the size of it. I think these are very good prices, considering that in America they usually cost anywhere between $20 and $30, or even more if you're in a snobby area like in LA, Miami or New York.

Anyway, the quality of the shisha here was good, and the ambiance was ok, although I think that they should change their sofas pretty soon because most of them have coal burn holes in them and they just look a bit old. Also, the place gets pretty crowded quickly, so sometimes the best seats (the corner ones are my favorite) are taken, and it doesn't feel particularly cozy and private.

Shisha Lounge, located on Bahnhofstraße 13, is a different story. I fell in love with this place. Although it's a bit farther away from the downtown and main area, it was worth walking the extra 15 minutes to get here. The ambiance here is more Arabic-themed, which is maybe why it appeals to me more. However, the appeal is not only because of that.

When I came here with my friends, we got there a bit earlier than normal (around 18h or 19h, which is 6 or 7 pm), so the place was empty except for a couple of guys. We were placed in the extremely comfortable and cozy seating area, and we felt a little bit like royalty or something. We were in a kind of private cove half-moon-shaped area, with three couches (and pillows) encircling a round table, a canopy over our heads, and an oriental carpet under our feet.

These fancy seating areas that I just described are very limited in this shisha lounge, so if you want to guarantee that you can get one, I recommend that you go early in the evening. I am not sure if they take reservations but you can try.

The music here at first was Arabic when the place was empty, but as more people came, the music became a little more diverse. I enjoy Arabic music, so it added to my increased satisfaction levels. The place is also decorated with dim lighting, which contributes to the coziness. Some people might consider the place to be too dark, but that's according to personal opinions.

Unfortunately this place also required us to buy drinks in addition to the hookah, but I didn't mind too much because I really enjoyed the ambiance and we stayed there for a long time since it was so comfortable to sit and talk.

I believe that they do bellydancing entertainment on the weekends, but I did not attend one to know if it is recommendable or not.

One thing they should improve here is the service. The workers or owners here like to smoke shisha too, which is great, but this results in very slow service because they're either not in sight when you need to reel them in to ask for something, or after you have spoken with them to give your order or ask for the bill, they take forever (like 20 minutes). If you're willing to come and enjoy the atmosphere here, don't rush, bring patience with you and I hope you'll enjoy it!

Mini Turkey.

If you want Turkish food from a restaurant or a market, look no further. Besides the fact that nearly every kebab place and convenience store in Wiesbaden is owned and run by Turks, there's an entire street in Wiesbaden dedicated to Turkish food and stores. This street is called Wellritzstrasse.

I know you're probably thinking, "Are you kidding me, you're in Germany, so you must try German food! " Yes, I agree, which is why I had my bratwurst over at the St. Bonifatius church. But let's be real, Turkish food is irresistible, especially when it is made authentically. That's why my friends and I tried out a restaurant on the Wellritzstrasse called Harput. This place was recommended to us by another friend, and we were not disappointed at all!

At Harput, the food was delicious, and the waiters and staff were kind and funny. One of my friends ordered the lahmacun (Turkish pizza), another friend ordered the lentil soup, and I ordered something which I can't remember but I know it tasted good because I ate all of it. The best part about this place is that the prices are relatively cheap and the portions are big and they fill you up. We were four people in total and I think the bill was less than €30 which is insane for a restaurant. I'm not complaining though!

They even served us a complimentary sweet at the end, which was also really good. I'm assuming they do this for all their customers, but again I am not complaining and I truly appreciate it as a kind and special touch to their already friendly and welcoming hospitality. I am not surprised that this place is very popular and it is usually full of customers.

Another thing, depending on the waiter (who are all Turkish), they may or may not speak English. We were lucky because our waiter did speak some English, but we also had a German friend with us, and she was like our Plan B if the English didn't work out. So, either you should brush up on your German or Turkish skills, or you can just point to what you want on the menu and give them a big smile. Both strategies work.

The restaurant also has a bakery across the street which sells baklava and other Turkish sweets to die for. At this moment I regret not going back to this restaurant and bakery more often when I was visiting Wiesbaden many times.

Christmas Market.

The Wiesbaden Christmas Market takes place every year on the Schlossplatz and it is open from around the date of November 28th (it may vary from year to year) until the 23rd of December. I think that this market should be opened a bit longer, until at least after the day of the Epiphany which is on the 8th of January. Not to mention that New Year’s Eve is another largely celebrated holiday.

Maybe the holiday of the Epiphany is not celebrated as much in other countries, but Spain makes a big deal out of this day, which is demonstrated by their famous parades of the Three Kings. In fact, for some people, it is even more important than Christmas itself, and in Spain, it is often The Three Kings who bring gifts to the children rather than Santa Claus.

I was extremely disappointed because the first time that I went to Wiesbaden was in mid-November, and they were starting to prepare for the Christmas Market. To my dismay, the market was to be opened on the day after my departure. I wouldn’t return until the first week in February. I am a fan of Christmas markets, and I know that Germany is known to set up excellent ones. The last good ones that I have been to were in Brussels and Amiens, but that was over three years ago.

I was looking forward to experiencing the Wiesbaden Christmas Market, but I suppose that will have to wait for another year. In any case, my friend living in Wiesbaden was able to attend the market, and I lived the experience through her descriptions. Here is what I learned:

Like in all Christmas markets, there are over one hundred stands here that sell souvenirs, hand-made crafts and delicacies. These stands are open every day of the week from 10:30-9pm, and on Sundays, they open at noon. On Friday and Saturday nights they stay open 30 minutes longer. There are also a couple of rides here to enjoy, including the famous carousel ride.

Two delicacies that I must try on my next visit are the hot spiced wine, the marzipan with almond sweets, and the German gingerbread which are both very traditional to have this time of year. My friend said that they were to die for. There are of course many other things to try, but these are on my "must-do-list". Oh, and another thing that I really must do the next time is going up to the top of the Marktkirche and from there I will be able to enjoy the top view of the lit-up square.

To add to the ambiance of the smell of good food and wine is the wonderful light decoration which extends throughout the Market and even a bit more. Music is also played, and my friend said that Christmas carols are played at certain hours of the day. Wiesbaden was voted as having the best Christmas market in Germany thanks to its decoration, organization, and friendliness of the people working in the stands.

Besides the Christmas lights and tree which are a big attraction to visitors, one of the main highlights of the market is the Nativity scene, which includes impressive hand-made lifesize wooden figures. My friend said that these were beautiful and unique, and I can understand why based on the photos.

I guess that the only thing that I would not be looking forward to here is the very cold weather. I had experienced a sample of it back in November, and I know it only gets colder from there until about February or March.

Being from Boston, I should not have any problem with the cold weather because my home city drops to temperatures much colder than Wiesbaden could ever get to, but the truth is that I never got used to it! Not to mention that I did spend the last six years living outside of my city: Four years in sunny St. Petersburg at Eckerd College, and two years in Madrid, which (although it did get cold from December-February) has a very mild winter compared with Boston.

Nearby cities to see.

Once you have seen all there is to see in Wiesbaden and would like to explore some more, you can easily access the surrounding cities which have a lot to offer.

Some examples are:

• Mainz.
• Frankfurt.
• Heidelburg.
• Cologne.

Each of these cities has its charm and uniqueness to enjoy. For example, Heidelburg is known to have a beautiful castle, and if you are a game of thrones fan, you will want to go to Cologne which is where part of the show is filmed.

I hope you enjoyed my super long write up on Wiesbaden; I tried to be as detailed and helpful as possible! Until the next time...