“It feels a bit like family.” 🙂
When I think of all the blog trips to Baden near Vienna I’ve been on, I can only echo the words of Tourism Director Klaus Lorenz. My international colleagues from German-speaking and Eastern European countries, all of whom really interested in what the city of Baden has to offer, make our trips to Baden an annual, feel-good family reunion.
So what exactly is the (annual) occasion?
For seven years now, Baden near Vienna has come to be known as Europe’s photography hotspot for the duration of the summer months. La Gacilly Baden Photo is the largest photo festival in Europe, and has been a regular fixture in Baden near Vienna since 2018. And we have been blogging on it for all these years – live on site and afterwards through our various travel blogs #BadenBeiWien #FotoFestivalBaden .
For the 7th time in a row: La Gacilly Photo Festival in Baden near Vienna with this year’s theme ‘World.Nature.Heritage’.
Seven years in a row: La Gacilly Photo Festival in Baden near Vienna with this year’s motto “World.Natural.Heritage”.
This year, the photo exhibitions in the city and parks of Baden pay homage to great photographers of environmental photography. More than 1.500 images, some of which are up to 200 square metres in size, visually promote burning global issues, such as environmental change and urbanisation, pollution, our use of resources and biodiversity. Lois Lammerhuber, the director of the La Gacilly Baden photo festival, says: “We try to use images to provide food for thought, if not solutions, then at least food for thought on the (important) issues of urbanisation, biodiversity or (…) global warming. That’s why, in the seventh year of the festival, we are showing the work of the great masters of environmental photography.”
Cyril Drouhet, curator of the photo exhibitions in La Gacilly, France, the festival’s place of origin, writes: “Artists are able to show us the world in a very special light. Through the mirror of their lenses, photographers remind us of the reality of a world turned upside down. They awaken in us (once again) an eye for beauty. … To cast a spell on the world again, that is the challenge of the coming years and the challenge of this festival.”
The best thing is that, as in all previous years, admission to La Gacilly Photo Festival in Baden near Vienna is completely free – until 13 October. Check this out.
Baden near Vienna: worth a photographic journey again this year, as here with the large-scale photographs in Doblhoffpark.
2024 brings back the “Floating Galleries”, one of my favourite locations for the numerous photo exhibitions in the city.
Touching images, such as the photo reportage on the nature of orangutans …
… the world of these ladies …
… or the spectacular close-ups of nature continue to impress me each and every year.
As always, take your time, let the pictures sink in and ideally book a guided tour of the exhibition – that way you can be sure not to miss a single detail on site.
Keep your eyes open on this photographic trip around the world in Baden near Vienna!
Guided tour through Baden near Vienna: Exploring the origin of the UNESCO World Heritage “Great Spa Towns of Europe”.
Thomas, our state-certified guide in Baden, is in a great mood despite the already hot midsummer temperatures in the morning. At over 30°C, he has a good idea: “Come join me into the cool underground! I’ll show you where Baden’s thermal water springs from.”
The Romans were already aware of the importance of the local thermal springs around two thousand years ago; the resulting cultural heritage of the spa town in Baden near Vienna, together with ten other European towns such as Baden Baden, Bath, Vichy and Spa, forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Great Spa Towns of Europe.
Now also a World Heritage Site! Congratulations, Baden.
Ancient inscriptions underground: only those who, like us, enjoy an official guided tour of Baden can gain access here.
This is the source of the healing thermal water in Baden near Vienna. Thomas explains to us that around 6000-7000 years ago it seeped away as rainwater at a depth of over 2000 metres and came back up here enriched with minerals!
Another beautiful place in Baden near Vienna that promises to cool you down on hot summer days: a visit to St Stephen’s Church in Baden.
For connoisseurs: Four top restaurants (with overnight tip Hotel Sacher Baden) for your next visit to Baden near Vienna.
Right next door is Wirtshaus Im Batzenhäusl inn, which serves typical regional cuisine. We can highly recommend the outdoor seating area under the umbrellas on hot summer days; you will enjoy many good local meals here.
Tip: If you are looking for a good wine tavern in Baden near Vienna, I can recommend Weinbau Eitler just behind the railway station in Baden: The famous gratinated sandwiches there are legendary and the wine is first class.
If, like me, you appreciate good views combined with good food, I can recommend the Rudolfshof restaurant on Gaminger Berg above the Kurpark Baden. You’ll love the Baden villas on the way up, as well as the view over the Vienna Woods thermal spa region – not to mention the culinary delights in the restaurant.
I have already recommended Café – Konditorei Ullmann before, with its typical Baden coffee sweets. You’ll find it at the end of the pretty Schlossergässchen, at the transition from Gutenbrunn to Doblhoff Park.
Fried chicken served with summer salad, a local classic at the Wirtshaus im Batzenhäusl.
At Weinbau Eitler, I enjoy a refreshing sheep’s cheese with salad, beetle beans and pumpkin seed oil together with my glass of Grüner Veltliner.
The view from the Rudolfshof restaurant high above the rooftops of Baden, on Gaminger Berg, is simply sensational …
… as are the famous apricot dumplings here.
Another tip for those with a sweet tooth: The “Echte Badener Kaffeebonbons” are available at Café-Konditorei Ullmann!
We all stayed at the Hotel Sacher Baden at the entrance to the Helenental valley, a good two kilometres outside the city centre of Baden. The historic hotel impresses me with a successful combination of history and cosiness; the view of the castle ruins towering above the hotel never ceases to amaze us.
Tip: The hotel offers guests free rental bikes, which take us to the centre of Baden in less than ten minutes and which we can park practically anywhere – I realise once again that Baden really is very bike-friendly.
Comfortable lodging at the Hotel Sacher Baden …
… and our view into the historic breakfast area (breakfast itself is really good, let me tell you) …
… and out towards the hire bikes, hotel entrance and imposing castle ruins of Baden.
Baden is celebrating! #BadenInWeiss is the biggest white party in Austria!
Last but not least, I would like to spread some party vibes. The so-called “Baden In Weiss” festival, which I attended for the first time in 2015, has become the biggest white party in the country over the years! On just one weekend, up to 40,000 guests flock to the town of Baden near Vienna on Friday and Saturday evening, almost twice as many as Baden has inhabitants. (How) Is that possible?
The answer is a simple YES! Extremely professional event management, great DJs and live bands on numerous stages, as well as the cohesion of all generations of party people is what makes #BadenInWeiss so special. Here, children and teenagers dance alongside grandparents and great-grandparents in one big summer party in white; the typical “Mum / Dad you’re so embarrassing!” doesn’t seem to apply to the teens for once (is it really just due to the uniform dress code “in white”?). Amazing – and extremely infectious, because everyone just joins in! Clubbing vibes in Casino Baden, 80s party on the dancefloor, pop hits or groovy rock sounds, #BadenInWeiss really has it all.
Preparations for #BadenInWeiss are already underway when we arrive …
… and in the evening the time has come: view from the steps in the Kurpark towards the city centre with numerous “white” party guests.
Our group picture #BadenInWeiss – thank you so much for such a cool party!!
Disclaimer: We have been invited by the city of Baden on this trip to visit #LaGacilly photo festival as well as all other events. All opinions are my own.