So let’s take a walk together right now. From the SPARKLES, the late 19th-century townhouse, we’ll head for Ludwigstrasse. Here you have a view out over all of town and even as far as the Johannisberg. The hill behind Bad Nauheim even has its own ski slope, a meadow in summer, although there’s rarely snow now unfortunately, as the winters are generally milder. Further down the hill is the new thermal baths building, where spa guests (here for the day or a longer stay) can relax and enjoy the soothing properties of the hot mineral springs that lie deep in the earth beneath them.

A stay here is a truly recuperative experience thanks to an extensive range of wellness offerings. In the various buildings and arcades of the recently restored Sprudelhof, you can book all manner of hot-spring spa treatments and saunas – and thus relive the chic spa life of high society at the original late-19^th-century venue in unique Art Nouveau surroundings. Why not sit and watch the fountain of steaming mineral water bubbling in the large stone basin in the inner courtyard? Over time, the water’s high iron content has dyed the inner side of the basin bright orange.

Moving on, we cross the footbridge over the little River Usa and find ourselves in the venerable Kurpark with its magnificent old trees. Here, back at the turn of the 20th century, European nobility would stroll between taking the water or undergoing medical spa treatment. To our left is the historic “Milchhäuschen” on the riverbank: an institution, then as now – although these days this cozy café with its large patio sees fewer customers drinking the milk from which it got its name. Coffee and a slice of one of the delicious cakes tend to be the preferred choice.

Still in the Kurpark, which resembles an English landscaped garden, we wander up to the Kurhaus, which presides over the terrain. It houses a gorgeous Art Nouveau theatre, which to this day provides a festive setting for events of all kinds. It’s well worth a visit, if only to admire the marvellous atmosphere.

The grand turn-of-the-century villa to its left – Hotel Grunewald – is where Elvis Presley lived while he was serving as a G.I. in Germany. In 2025, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll would have turned 90. And he’s far from forgotten: His fans still place flowers, pictures, and mementos on the curb in front of the hotel.

The park extends as far as a small and a large pond, with water features, fountains, and the boardwalk sun deck. The house on the pond stands perfectly appointed on the steep bank, above the small castle that sits on the pond. In front of it there’s a square with plane trees and a boat rental point, where you can hire a swan-shaped pedalo to potter about on the water.

At the end of the pond, the Kurpark borders a beautiful golf course, whose greens and bunkers then extend along the river. Instead of following it, we exit the Kurpark and head for the town centre, where we soon find ourselves on a broad boulevard with attractive stores and cafés. In the covered colonnades on the park side, Da Davide serves traditional Italian culinary delights.

The grapes get picked by a local club, whose members are rewarded for their hard work on the steep slope with a few bottles of the wine, grown and made by a vintner from down in the Rheingau. In that sense, the vineyard can be considered the northernmost point of the Rheingau.

Up above the restaurant’s viewing platform on the forest edge stands the oldest building in Bad Nauheim. The medieval church tower rises up above the crowns of the trees, and since 1965 has been used as an open observatory. Right next to it, and far older, are the remaining walls of a Roman signalling tower, which was part of the Limes Roman defensive wall that ran along the line of the hills here.

From here, numerous hiking trails with spectacular views run along the Johannisberg – an opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and breathe deep. Along the way, there are any number of historical cabins that are all painstakingly maintained, creating the kind of magical backdrop you’d find in a fairytale.

Where the forest gives way to open fields again, you’ll find a meeting point that offers the best sunsets in the entire region. This is the town’s sports airstrip, which boasts its own hospitality outlet. Next to the control tower, you can enjoy a cool cocktail in the warm evening light to bring an eventful day to a close. This special place is appropriately called “lazy”, and the location is ideal with its glorious all-round views.

And we then head back to town. The path leads down past the restored half-timbered houses in the old town back to the pedestrian precinct. On Tuesdays and Fridays, about 30 market stalls offer fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish, as well as local and Mediterranean specialties.

We retrace our steps through the rose garden and cross the Usa River by the small bridge on the right. On the other side of the river stands one of the town’s impressive graduation towers. Originally built to harvest salt, today it’s dedicated to healthy bronchial tubes. Here, brine flows constantly over blackthorn branches. The resulting salty “sea air” can be inhaled from the comfort of one of the beach basket chairs, while devotees of Sebastian Kneipp can take cold-water baths here, too.

Bad Nauheim enjoys many attributes: “Art Nouveau town”, “Towns of the Celts”, “Saline city”, “Three empresses spa” …

Today, the sign you see on entering town self-confidently welcomes you to the “Health Town”. Rightly so, as Bad Nauheim features any number of clinics, including the world-famous Kerckhoff Clinic. Then there are the spa facilities and the range of different specialist doctors who practice here. So as a resident of the town, you can rely on optimal medical care just around the corner.