BADEN, AUSTRIA.
…”Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not”…
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Adult travelling is not as easy, as it seems to be. Even if you don’t actually have a traditional ( at least according to Polish reality) family… Apart from financial issues, you have to blame for everything your responsibilities … And once again responsibilities …
We all have to work… Whether you like it or not… So you have to rely only on your annual leave, which is for people who love to travel, next to nothing… 28 days… And if you live abroad, you would have to visit relatives from time to time. This type of visit is not always a holiday 😀 :p …Sometimes is a real hard work too 😀
Anyway, what I mean is –
when you look at google maps, and do the so-called „bucket list” in English, then you do realize, you will never have enough time to see it all . For this reason, unfortunately, you have to be aware, that most of the times you are heading to some destinations for the first and last time … It is not optimistic, but this is the reality…
That is why, my private list of places I return to, 😜 or at least I am trying to come back 😆 , or at least I plan to return 🙈 , or at least I am trying to plan to return ( 🙈 ) is very short.
Baden occupies a very special place on this list. A charming town located in the area of the so-called Lower Austria, less than 30 km south of beautiful, proud Vienna. A town that I have never look at from the perspective of a traveler or a tourist, just like I don’t look at Krakow or London this way … Baden will always remain my second home 🙂 Probably that is why, this txt will be more sentimental than touristic 😀
Soo… I apologize in advance, for my absolutely uncritical attitude towards this Austrian cute „spa”, where the smell of sulfur sometimes makes you sick 😁, and no, it is not caused by secret connections with the infernal hellfire, even though many people would associate me with it 😁😜
These are Römertherme , destination for many people of all ages, which provides spa tradition with sulfur spring water. The name „baden” in German language means : a bath.
As a small kid, coming from a gray and poor, at that time, Poland, of course I paid attention to completely different attractions, than I do today. I used tolove colorful shops, playgrounds, amusement parks other than at home by the Vistula river… Different toys, different food, different everything … For me as a child – no better or worse, just different…
Always clean and perfectly tidy small streets, lots of flowers in the windows, the smell of the mentioned sulfur, when I was playing in the small garden by the Schwechat, a river flowing through Baden. Grandmother’s stories about Beethoven and his house on one of the streets, about Mozart, about Strauss, about Emperor Francis and Princess Sisi, walking around Rosarium, a wonderful rose’s park, or taking pictures in the nearby Dobelhof Park, these are images, that I still have in front of my eyes, even though many, many years have passed…
Images that live in my memory, not only because I am particularly attached to them, but also because this small town has not changed almost at all in the last 40 years … At least not as much as other places of my childhood.
And that is why I love Baden so much 🥰
Time has stopped here… local residents of this town cherish the appearance of their surroundings, and are proud of it. You will not find here large malls or shopping centers , which presence would cause ruin of the nature, or sentimental places … You will not find here high, modern skyscrapers, which when you look at sometimes the eyes bleeding, especially when they grew in places that they are completely inappropriate…
Baden has not lost its charm over the years.
Those of you, who have never been there, must take my word for it 😀
There are at least a few ways to get to Baden from Vienna. Of course, it all depends on where are you based in the Austrian capital city.
In the past, when I was a child, and we had boarders in Europe, the train journey sometimes could take even about 10 hours, to Vienna itself, then it was necessary to make various combinations to get to Baden. Travelling by car was just as long, because the borders … boarder officers had dared to check documents (horror !!! 😜😁 ), so it took a while …
Today, in times of comfort and prosperity, we can get there from Kraków by car in about 6 to 7hrs. And if you don’t drive, we’ve have planes. I do not recommend buses, because travelling on them is still long, unless small vans , they are a more rational idea. From Krakow flight tickets to Vienna are very cheap. Decent prices from London too. Even in the Summer. Unfortunately, due to the current way of travelling by plane, just going to the airport, checking in, etc., it all consumes more time, than the flight itself. Naturally, depending on where we travel to Vienna from.
However, once we find ourselves in Vienna, there are several options to go to Baden by public transport. Of course, we must locate the station we are at (there are several of them in Vienna, communication in Vienna will be described in my blog about the capital). The name of train station, from which you can catch a train to Baden it’s : Wien Hauptbahnhof. The journey takes no more than 30 minutes and costs about 7 euros.
If you travel from Schwechat – Vienna’s airport, there is a train from there to the Hauptbahnhof itself, for the price of five Euro. From the tram stop next to Vienna Operhouse , you can use also suburban tram – Wiener Lokalbahnen towards Baden, this journey is a bit longer, but much nicer 😀
I would not recommend a taxi, unless you are travelling with the suitcase full of Euros 😜👍🤣
Now we get to the main point: stay and it’s costs.
Let’s agree, Austria is not a cheap country. And Baden, as a spa resort, doubles these prices … Therefore, depending on your budget, I would advise you to consider several options: the B&B option (or something similar) located in Vienna, preferably around the Main Station, this will allow easy movement not only around the capital of Austria, but also trough surroundings.
However, if you have the opportunity to spend money ,to stay in Baden, there are a lot of beautifully situated guesthouses and hotels. Personally, I can recommend Motel Baden, or several apartments that can be booked via Booking.com
What to see in Baden?
The very location of this town is wonderfully delighting, and has absolutely unique charm. One of the favorite spas, already during the Habsburg times, is surrounded by the Vienna forest, the Helenental Valley, and the vineyards of towns. If you are an amateur of long walks or bicycle trips, you have a lot of things to do here… Dobelhof Park, Kurpark, Gutenbrunner Park, atmospheric charming streets in the Biedermeier style, the map of Baden bei Wien will give you miles of beauty, you can walk through hours, and constantly find something new 😀
Rosarium is definitely one of my favorite places.
Rosarium is a garden with over 30,000 rose bushes, nearly 900 species from around the world. And really, no pictures will reflect the beauty of this place. Today, in addition to rose bushes, in Rosarium you can see many other plant beauties, and also, this year’s you can admire an exhibition of photographs from around the world.
But Baden is not only the beauty of nature, the surrounding forests and endless fields of grapes, it is also history.
There are historic churches, the ruins of the Rauhenstein castle with an observation tower, a famous Plague Column on a tiny Baden market square, where in summer the owners serve wine from nearby vineyards, they are old lovely tenements with heurigens, which are definitely worth to seeking out.
What is heurigen? Usually a cozy eatery where you can eat Wiener schnitzel, a huge pork chop, or delicious Marillenknödel, an apricot dumplings, with local wine made of freshly picked fruit, local liqueur or just a delicious beer 😜 More info about taste of Austria, will soon be ready in our kitchen section 😀
Austrian cuisine is quite similar to Polish. A lot of noodles, cheesecakes, potatoes and sausages. Of course, it is always seasoned with regional methods of preparation, which gives dishes a specific touch. Even though the German language does not sound very friendly 😀
When it comes to communicating with locals , in Vienna you can talk in some places in English, in smaller towns, knowledge of German will be very useful.
Also the weather in Austria is very similar to Polish weather. Formerly – harsh Winters, snow up to the knees, wonderful Springs, warm Summers turning into colorful Autumn. Today all of this it looks a bit different. Unbelievable heat, small amounts of snow in Winter – just like in all of Europe, everyone can tell, that something is changing in this matter …
Any shopping?
Basic groceries can be purchased at local, small supermarkets blended in neatly with the town’s background. There is : Billa, Spar, Lidl, Green Market. Numerous small shops also allow you to buy food or souvenirs. Baden also has plenty of cafes, patisseries and restaurants, and even a casino.
Is it safe there?
As a person travelling not only with somebody else, but also solo, I can definitely confirm that this Austrian resort is cozy and very friendly. It’s easy to move around the town, and really hard to get lost. Well, unless you are walking to the neighboring town on foot, follow Google maps faithfully, while talking through a messenger with your family in Poland … Then sometimes you can unexpectedly find yourself on the motorway, where the faces of drivers looking at you, are just priceless … 🙈
In Baden, almost everywhere history intertwines with nature, and modernity does not affect this ideal state. Has not affected for years … This small town, in the neighborhood of one of the largest European capitals, is a great example that civilization does not have to trample and bury the worthy places under the rubble of years … An example of the fact, that despite the lack of shopping malls , fast food, miles of supermarkets, you can create an attractive place for tourists. Attractive for everyone, those seeking active rest and those who want to rest in peace, in natural peace and tranquility… It is finally an example of the fact, that maybe there is still hope that man will respect such oases. Therefore, if you are in Vienna, or in the surroundings I recommend with all my heart, if not staying, at least visiting this beautiful town in the Helenental Valley.
The town is small and cozy, taking a breath of fresh air, you can visit the whole neighborhood by walk… However, if you would like to learn more about this town and the surrounding transport, you can find all the information you need here.
Baden by Vienna. A historic resort, scents of spruces and of thousand roses 🥰🥰🥰🌷🌹🥀
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