Salt air, water games and wellness in franconia: bad kissingen is one of ten "great spa towns of europe". What you can do there? Relaxing in the kisssalis therme, hiking in the hills of the rhon, cycling through the vineyards or marveling at the splendid architecture of the bathing resort. And breathe healthy salt air at the franconian saale – like at the seaside.
Grand hotel. Imperial courtyard. Victoria. Admittedly, such names raise the expectations quite high. And indeed: the amazement already starts in the foyer. Stucco ceilings, spotless white walls that visually multiply the room with mirrors and cozy sitting areas that spread up to the bar, a few steps above. The hotel kaiserhof victoria in bad kissingen lives up to its name.
The wide staircase that leads from the lobby directly up to the dining room alone is worthy of a film. You can literally walk down the thickly carpeted steps and imagine what life must have been like here a hundred years ago. Magnificent the huge chandelier, elaborate the colorful windows in the winter garden and space for many guests.
They still come in large numbers, mainly older people. Young, fresh, friendly and pleasantly attentive is the service. Like invisible spirits, the waiters are on hand to fulfill drink requests. The meal is served buffet style: a choice of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes, with traditional side dishes. Plus some raw vegetables and two different desserts.
Wellness in franconia: breathe salt air like at the sea
Bad kissingen, the spa town in the north of franconia, has been attracting spa guests for more than a hundred years. Celebrities such as the former chancellor otto von bismarck and the austrian empress sissi have been here. In the meantime, many people also come to simply experience a few relaxing days of wellness. The hills of the rhon invite for hiking and biking, the warm water of the thermal bath for diving. Or for a walk along the franconian saale, where you can breathe salty air at the graduation house in bad kissingen – just like at the seaside.
Salt was extracted in bad kissingen for more than a thousand years. Since the middle of the 16. At the beginning of the 19th century, so-called graduation plants were used for this purpose (the salt content used to be expressed in degrees) – a technical innovation at the time. Blackthorn bundles are worked into the wooden beam construction. Pumps distribute the brine over a large area, which trickles down and evaporates. Millions of the finest salt particles are released into the air.
A miniature version of the graduation house can be found in the modern spa of the hotel kaiserhof victoria. Just 15 minutes in a comfortable deck chair is enough to feel wonderfully refreshed.
Bad kissingen wellness for drinking & bathing
Bad kissingen has a total of seven springs, four of which can be tasted. In the morning, in the wandelhalle, the fountain woman pours out the healing waters and explains which one works how. For a strong immune system and a healthy heart she recommends me the luitpoldsprudel. To get the stomach and intestines going, a glass from the maxquelle is more beneficial. The wandelhalle, another architectural gem, is usually closed during the day. A pity actually. Healing water is also available from the freely accessible fountains around the wandelhalle.
Originally simple rainwater. On its way into the depths of the earth it enriches itself with minerals and trace elements. Depending on the soils and types of rock through which it percolates, the water is created in a very individual way. In order to be recognized as medicinal water, strict purity criteria have to be fulfilled and the water has to be approved as a medicinal product.
The kisssalis therme is partly fed by the springs in bad kissingen. The 584-meter-deep schonborn fountain was built in the 16th century. Discovered in the 19th century and used as a bathing spring since 1868. One of the highlights is the brine bath. Floating weightlessly in the water – simply wonderful. The newly designed sauna area is a wonderful place to relax anyway. No matter whether garden, loft or earth sauna with crackling fire – this wellness day comes to an end much too fast.
With the spa commissioner through bad kissingen – sights & excursions
It is already dark when the bath commissioner makes his rounds through bad kissingen – with bowler hat, cane and black suit. He has plenty of anecdotes from the "good old days" to tell on this somewhat different guided tour of the town.
Playing the role of alexander von moreau, a hundred years ago district magistrate, police commissioner and also bath commissioner in bad kissingen, the guide gives an overview of the history and sights of the bavarian state spa – from the historic spa facilities to the courtyard of the luitpoldbad through the old town and into the rose garden. And of course also mentions that bad kissingen, together with ten other world-famous spa towns such as karlsbad, spa or vichy, was awarded the title of "great spa towns of europe" in 2021.
Various hiking tours start directly in the spa garden, well signposted and of varying lengths for every level of fitness. The healing water hike leads for almost seven kilometers along the franconian saale to the graduation house and on the opposite bank back to bad kissingen.
If you want, you can rent bicycles or e-bikes at the hotel kaiserhof victoria and ride a little further upstream and visit, for example, the vacation home of former reich chancellor bismarck. Downstream you can cycle to the pretty wine town of hammelburg and, if tired, take the train back afterwards.
The botenlauben castle ruin is the oldest landmark of bad kissingen from the late 12th century. Century. A circular path about five kilometers long leads from the kurgarten up to the stationsberg hill. Already during the ascent you can see the magnificent view over bad kissingen and the rhoen mountains. Return via the luitpoldpark and the lindesmuhlpromenade along the franconian saale to the center of bad kissingen.
Enjoy bad kissingen: wine & cake
There are no vineyards in bad kissingen, but there is a winery: the weinwerk. The grapes that are processed in the wine manufactory of kathrin baier-buttler and stefan buttler come from different locations of the oldest wine town in franconia: hammelburg. In their bistro at the rosengarten the winegrowers serve franconian wines like silvaner and domina with tapas and other small dishes.
We discovered really delicious cakes in the kaiser confectionery, where the choice is really not easy: prinzregententorte, sachertorte, rembrandtschnitte or rather raspberry meringue, lemon tart or mango mousse cake .. ? The tea cookies in various shapes are also tempting – nostalgia to snack on. Can be hiked off again tomorrow 🙂
Or take a stroll through the spa garden, which has an almost mediterranean feel with palm trees as well as the adjoining magnificent buildings such as the regentenbau and arcades. Just a few steps further: the enchanting rose garden with 125 different varieties. The fan fountain of the multimedia fountain glows in many colors in the dark, while water and music combine harmoniously in the music-water games. Unique are the beamer shows that project visual effects onto the "screen" of water.
What a great finale for a beautiful wellness short vacation in franconia.
Short vacation bad kissingen – everything important at a glance
Where is bad kissingen?
Bad kissingen is located in lower franconia, ca. 60 km north of wurzburg. The bavarian state spa is a UNESCO world heritage site.
How to get there: by car on the A7 or by regional train from wurzburg.
Overnight stay: hotel kaiserhof victoria, am kurgarten 5-7, 97688 bad kissingen, www.Kaiserhof-victoria.En
Eating & drinking – stopping off in bad kissingen:
- Weinwerk – the wine manufactory, balthasar-neumann-promenade 10, 97688 bad kissingen, www.Weinwerk-hab.De
- Confectionery kaiser, ob. Marktstrabe 6, 97688 bad kissingen (closed on mondays)
Experience – bad kissingen sights:
- Wellness franken: kisssalis therme bad kissingen, heiligenfelder allee 16, 97688 bad kissingen, www.Kisssalis.De
- Hiking: z.B. Healing water tour. Start and finish of the 6.9 km hike is the arkadensteg in the center of bad kissingen. Info on all hiking routes is available at www.Badkissingen.De/activeinbadkissingen
- Museum obere saline, ob. Saline 20, 97688 bad kissingen, germany. The museum is located in the building of the upper saline and consists of the departments "bismarck museum", "salt and salt extraction", "kissingen spa", "kissingen world spa" and "toy world".
- Multimedia fountain: fan fountain daily at 7:30 a.M.; music water games daily at 9 a.M., 12 p.M., 3 p.M., 6 p.M. And 9 p.M.; beamer shows (oct-march 8 p.M., apr + sep 9 p.M., may + aug 10 p.M., jun+jul 10:30 p.M.): on mondays beamer show "rose," on fridays beamer show "space & time," on wednesdays and saturdays beamer show "bad kissingen sounds"
This is an editorial contribution, which could nevertheless have an advertising effect under certain circumstances. The trip was made with the kind support of bayer. Staatsbad bad kissingen gmbh. For my research I partly cooperate with tourist boards, tour operators and hotels. This has no influence on the nature, content and scope of my articles, my opinion remains, as always, my own.