Baden-Württemberg Archives : TRAVEL/FOOD

US Among Top Wine Destinations: New Global Ranking Revealed

Baden Baden, Baden-Württemberg, California, California Wine, Champagne, Culinary Trails, Historic foodways, Michigan Wines, Oberkirch, Old Mission Peninsula, Round Barn Estates, Saxon Wine Trail, South America, Sustainable wineries, Uncategorized, winery

France ranks first in the list of top destinations for wine lovers with the highest amount of wine production, contributing to the highest wine consumption per capita as well.
Spain has the largest vineyard area, at 945K hectares, supporting a wine production of 2,833 million liters.
Argentina offers the most affordable mid-range wine at $4.00 per bottle.

Ubuy recently analyzed more than 50 countries to identify the best for wine lovers. Key factors included wine production volume, consumption per capita, vineyard areas, wine imports, and the price of mid-range bottles. The composite score was calculated considering all five metrics for each country.

Country	Population	Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) (Markets)	Wine Consumption per Capita	Vineyard Surface Area (in hectares)	Wine Production (millions of liters)	Wine Imports (millions of liters)	Composite Score
France	64,756,584	$8.70	53.7	792,023	4,803	595	88.09
Italy	58,743,490	$7.62	40.3	719,955	3,829	203	73.37
Spain	47,486,443	$7.62	29.3	945,061	2,833	54	67.65
Germany	83,264,727	$6.52	25.2	103,687	860	1,357	61.03
Portugal	10,229,884	$5.44	50.3	182,000	752	297	57.78
United States	341,347,980	$15.00	13.9	391,538	2,429	1,227	54.06
United Kingdom	67,903,439	$12.05	27.5	3,800	–	1,233	50.08
Argentina	45,985,165	$4.00	24.0	204,847	881	1	46.79
Chile	19,651,487	$5.52	21.8	172,000	1,103	2	44.73
China	1,425,341,345	$13.86	–	755,719	317	249	43.80

France ranks first among the top countries for wine lovers, with a composite score of 88.09. The country has the highest wine production, which contributes to its also having the highest wine consumption per capita at 53.7. With one of the highest vineyard surface areas at 792 thousand hectares, France secured its top spot in the list.

Finca Villacreces, a winery on the Ribera del Duero Wine Trail in Spain.

Italy ranks second with a composite score of 73.37. Italian vineyards, covering 719 thousand hectares, contribute to wine production, while Italians enjoy a strong 40.3 liters per capita annually. The price per mid-range bottle in Italy is $7.62.

Muelas Winery in the Medieval city of Tordesillas, Spain. Photo: Jane Simon Ammeson.

Spain is the third country on the list for wine lovers, with a composite score of 67.65. Its high position is secured by its largest vineyard area, at 945 thousand hectares, supporting a wine production of 2,833 million liters. People drink an average of 29.3 liters of wine per person, enjoying bottles priced at $7.62.

Julius Renner Weinhaus, Oberkirche, Germany. Photo: Jane Simon Ammeson

With a composite score of 61.03, Germany is fourth, thanks to its wine imports of 1,357 million liters, which is the highest on the list. With its diverse preferences, the German market enjoys mid-range wines priced at $6.52 per bottle.

Portugal, with a composite score of 57.78, is the fifth country on the list for wine lovers. The country earned its position by having the second-highest per capita wine consumption, at 50.3 liters, with 752 million liters of wine produced from 182,000 hectares of vineyards.

Round Barn Winery in Baroda, Michigan. Photo: Jane Simon Ammeson.

The United States is ranked sixth on the list of the top countries for wine lovers, scoring 54.06. Although it has the third highest number of wine imports, the country has the lowest consumption rate at 13.9 liters per person and the highest price for a mid-range bottle at $15.

The United Kingdom comes in seventh place, with a composite score of 50.08. The country has the smallest vineyard area, at only 3,800 hectares, which explains why it has the second-highest wine import volume, totaling 1,233 million liters. The UK’s wine consumption per capita stands at 27.5 liters, with a higher mid-range bottle price of $12.05.

Argentina ranks seventh with a composite score of 46.79. It offers the most affordable mid-range wine at $4.00 per bottle. The country has 204 thousand hectares of vineyards, producing 881 million liters of wine. Argentina’s wine consumption is high at 24.0 liters per capita.

https://www.totalwine.com/wine/chile/c/000271Chile claims the ninth spot with a score of 43.80. The country offers a slightly higher mid-range wine price at $5.52 per bottle compared to Argentina. Chile’s vineyards span 172K hectares, supporting a wine production of 1,103 million liters. Although wine consumption per capita is lower at 21.8 liters, Chile effectively uses its vineyard space to produce quality wines.

China is rounding up the list of the top countries for wine lovers, with a composite score of 44.73. China’s wine production is relatively low at 317 million liters despite having a large vineyard area of 755,719 hectares.

Information courtesy of https://www.ubuy.fr/en/

17 Spas in the Black Forest

Baden Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Beaches, Climactic Health Resorts, Gastronomy, Historic foodways, Historic Restaurants, International, Nature, Thermal springs, Traditional

Southwest Germany, also known as the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, is home to thermal springs and spas, places of healing and relaxation, some of which are famous and others you may not recognize. No less than 17 of the total of 34 spas in the “Bäderland” Baden-Württemberg are located in the Black Forest.

Baden-Baden_Friedrichsbad. Copyright RavenChen

In addition to hotels with wellness offerings, there are thermal baths and thermal springs, certified climatic health resorts, 3-day wellness hikes through the region, forest bathing, and natural relaxation in fragrant fir forests. On the German shore of Lake Constance, two spa towns include Radolfzell which is synonymous with nature, and wellbeing and the town of Überlingen which has a long history as a health spa town, where guests have been ‘taking the cure’ for more than 100 years. Charming towns, such as medieval Meersburg and puzzle-rich Ravensburg, add to the spa experiences on Lake Constance with busy old towns with cobble-stone streets lined with shops, unusual museums, wineries and restaurants, castles and terraces.

Lakeside Towns with Healing Qualities

Photographer: Achim Mende
Internationale Bodensee Tourismus GmbH

Überlingen has a long history as a health spa town, where guests have been ‘taking the cure’ for more than 100 years. The modern thermal baths are one of three of the Lake Constance region with saunas, pools of varying temperatures and lake access. What makes Überlingen extra special are the garden parks for long walks and dramatic scenes along ivy towers, plunging cliffs and memories of ancient struggles along the defense wall. The waterfront promenade is a sunset destination where the wine flows. Over some 2.5 miles, the Überlingen garden culture path connects the most attractive parks and gardens. Überlingen

The town of Untersee is home to a stretch of largely unspoiled nature with sanctuaries of reedy marsh land, forest, natural lakes, and wildflower meadows. At the heart of this unique landscape lies the official health resort of Radolfzell. It has a charming old town on the lake with great outlet shopping, the longest shoreline, and outstanding transport connections. Radolfzell is synonymous with nature, wellbeing, and a healthy holiday experience. Here you will find the spa hotel of Bora HotSpa Resort among many other tranquil and healing facilities. Bora Hotspot Resort

Lake Constance

Black Forest Herbal Spa Just Like 200 Years Ago

The mountain village Bader Alm in Oppenau-Ibach near Freudenstadt, is a bit out of this world. A few more or less small rustic wooden huts are grouped around a historic farm. There is no WiFi, the rooms are furnished as they were about 200 years ago – with wooden beds, thick feathers and objects that at best, only the grandparents still know how to use. Outside there is a village square, a pond and a greenhouse. And in the middle of it, the bathing station with several wooden tubs. Here, as 200 years ago, you can bathe in a hot tub alone, in pairs or with up to five people in the open air. The bath tubs are filled with hot water and a secret recipe of herbs, flowers and essential oils. Guests are dressed in medieval linen bathing costumes.

Herbal Spa in the Black Forest

Baden-Baden Offers an Unparalleled Escape

Caracalla Spa in Baden-Baden, c. Jan Buergermeister/Caracalla Baeder-Betriebe GmbH

The best-known spa destination in SouthWest Germany is Baden-Baden, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2021 and one of the eleven “Great Spa Towns of Europe.” It offers an unparalleled escape by combining the spa experience with museums, concerts, art exhibits, cultural events and shopping interspersed with visits to the spas and an unhurried pace of life. Until the 20th century, aristocrats and high society traveled to the “summer capital of Europe.”

The world heritage can be experienced in the spa town, for example, on one of the five “World Heritage Walks,” during a carriage ride along Lichtentaler Allee or during a wellness break in the Friedrichsbad. At the time, the Friedrichsbad was considered the most important thermal spa in Europe. Today, the Caracalla Spa with its Roman mosaics is ultra-modern with a freshly renovated indoor pool and new steam bath.

Baden-Baden

Black Forest Spa Quartet: Four is More

Spa in — Palais Vital in Bad Wildbad in the northern Black Forest c. Patrick Kunkel

Palais-thermal-bath-Bad-Wildbad_1_cTMBW_Dupper

In the densely wooded northern Black Forest, four towns form a “Black Forest spa quartet.” The spas of Bad Wildbad, Bad Teinach-Zavelstein, Bad Liebenzell and the health resort of Bad Herrenalb are so conveniently located that their thermal baths can be easily reached from one location: The “Palais Thermal” in Bad Wildbad brings a piece of the Arabian-Moorish Orient to the Black Forest.

Palais-thermal-bath-Bad-Wildbad_2_cTMBW_Dupper

The “Vital Therme” in Bad Wildbad offers regionally specific wellness facilities. The “Paracelsus Therme” in Bad Liebenzell has a generous sweating area with the “Sauna Pinea” and, thanks to the panorama sauna, wonderful infusions in the style of the region. In keeping with this, the “Siebentäler Therme” in Bad Herrenalb has a rustic herbal steam bath with its “Black Forest Sauna,” which is reminiscent of a rural “Badehäusl”: the floor is covered with fir branches, and fir cones in the “Tschurtschenkorb” on the ceiling exude a piney Black Forest scent.

Black Forest Escapes

Charming Towns Add to Spa Experience on Lake Constance

Meersburg, Germany — The town of Meersburg on the shores of Lake Constance, c. A.Mende

Charming towns, such as medieval Meersburg or puzzle-rich Ravensburg, also add to the experience of visitors to the spa towns on Lake Constance. Meersburg is a picturesque small town directly at the lake shore. With a historic center, small cafes and amazing views of the lake a visit is truly unique. There are many historic buildings to discover such as the Old Castle, which towers over the lake, and the New Castle, which impresses with its amazing staircase, statues, ornate ceiling paintings and a beautiful terrace overlooking Lake Constance with views of the Alps.

If you play puzzles, you surely recognize the name Ravensburg. This “City of Towers and Gates” is a 30-minute drive from Bodensee and the modern home of Ravensburger publishing company. Trading has always been its tradition. Germany’s first paper was manufactured here in 1336, and centuries ago, clever merchants sold textiles and linen throughout Europe and invested great wealth into beautifying their town. This same medieval district is the region’s favorite shopping destination. You can climb the watch tower for views of rolling farmlands, the lake and the Alps.

The Bodensee Card ^PLU^S makes a visit to the museums or guided city tours very easy and gives guests access to over 160 attractions in the four country region of Lake Constance. After a visit to the German small towns, you can book a boat trip across the lake to visit one of the lakeside towns in Switzerland such as Stein am Rhein or Romanshorn or Austria such as Bregenz or Hard.

Lake Constance

Southwest Germany in Its Element

Adventure, Baden Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Boating, Freiburg, Tübingen

In 2024, Southwest Germany celebrates its water-rich areas as perfect vacation getaways.

Elixir of life, force of nature and finite resource: water is a precious commodity that we pay special attention to in Southwest Germany. On your journey through the water worlds in Southwest Germany, you may encounter traditional crafts and maintained customs, learn about sustainable initiatives and natural areas worth protecting, cycle to refreshing places of enjoyment and meet personalities who have dedicated their lives to water.

Tens of millions of years ago, ice and water formed the natural landscapes in Southwest Germany. The results today are lovely valleys in which babbling streams, deep gorges with thundering waterfalls, extensive caves and underwater canals through which water flows into the springs and rivers. The often protected, unspoiled landscapes can be explored on adventurous hikes or bike tours or even rafts.

Water has always exerted a magical impact on people and provides material for legends, myths and rituals. Cleaning, decorating and blessing wells and springs is still widespread today in many communities in Baden-Württemberg. But there are many other customs, traditions and festivals in Southwest Germany related to water.

Following are just a few of the water-related and fun places you can experience in Southwest Germany and where the most surprising water stories have their sources.

A big anniversary will be celebrated on Lake Constance in 2024: 1,300 years ago, the wandering bishop Pirmin founded a monastery on the island of Reichenau, which became an important source of inspiration for art, culture and politics in the early Middle Ages. “We form a bond” is the motto of the anniversary year with a series of festivities, exhibitions, spiritual offerings and civic projects. The highlight is the large state exhibition “World Heritage of the Middle Ages: 1300 years of the monastery island of Reichenau”. It will take place from April 20th to October 20th, 2024 in the Archaeological State Museum in Konstanz and on the Reichenau itself.

Outstanding works of art such as the magnificent and rarely shown manuscripts of Reichenau illumination illustrate the Abbey’s glorious history. At the “original location” on the island, a new, modern leadership system will connect the three medieval church buildings with the completely renovated cathedral treasury and the new monastery gardens. Reichenau

The wild water of the Ravenna Gorge roars down and has been digging a narrow valley for thousands of years. It can be explored via wooden walkways and rock galleries on the “Heimatpfad Hochschwarzwald,” or “Native Path of the Black Forest Highlands.” With small cascades of water, the large Ravenna Falls and the impressive Ravenna Viaduct make the tour an experience. The nearby “sister gorges” of Wutach and Gauchachschlucht are among the oldest nature reserves in Baden-Württemberg. hochschwarzwald.de

Black Forest Rafting: Rafting is a centuries-old tradition and has been part of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” since December 2022. Up until the 19^th century, thousands of fir trees were transported over streams and rivers from the Black Forest and they reached Holland via the Rhine. In the Kinzig and Nagold valleys, the tradition is maintained and can be experienced in museums, on themed hiking trails, and at festivals.

The international rafting festival at the Monhardter “Wasserstube,” or river, in Altensteig provides an insight into historic forestry jobs and crafts, including the turning of the logs. Members of the Oberes Nagoldtal rafters’ guild demonstrate their skills as they travel through the watery “streets” of the Wasserstube. schwarzwald-kinzigtal.info; Altensteig.de

Nightlife in Baden-Baden’s World Heritage Caracalla Spa Baden-Baden is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Great Spa Towns of Europe” and is famous for its thermal springs. Several thousand gallons of thermal water have been gushing out of the springs every day for over 2,000 years. The Romans knew about the healing power of the thermal springs and built the first thermal baths. In the historic Friedrichsbad, you can immerse yourself in the past: the extensive bath was opened in 1877 based on the model of the Roman thermal baths, the ruins of which lie directly below. The modern counterpart is the Caracalla thermal baths with its extensive bathing and sauna area. Every first Friday of the month, the spa invites visitors to celebrate and relax in the evening with special performances, unique sauna infusions, live music by the water pool and spectacular dance shows. baden-baden.com; carasana.com

On a Coffee Trip in Stuttgart: Passengers and connoisseurs can have a really good time on the MS Wilhelma: With coffee and cake or lentils with spaetzle and a glass of wine, the view from the sun deck of the vineyards, meadows and forests on the bank combines a feast for the eyes and the palate to create the ultimate culinary experience.

The ship is part of the Neckar-Käpt’n fleet, which is based in Bad Cannstatt, and which is a part of the city of Stuttgart. In addition to special tours with readings or wine tastings, the boat completes scheduled trips. One special route is the “Schillerfahrt” from Stuttgart to Marbach, where Schiller was born. neckar-kaeptn.de

Water and Drinks: Gin Tasting with Punting Ride in Tübingen: A river, a punt, four gins, a few tonics and a fine brandy sommelier: these are the basic ingredients for an unforgettable pleasure trip off the beaten track. The special event starts on the garden terrace of the Hotel Domizil in Tübingen. Here, with a view of the Neckar, various variations of regional gin are tasted under the expert guidance of fine brandy sommelier Angela V. Weis. Before going out on the water, everyone can prepare a gin and tonic with botanicals to their liking and receive a Poké Bowl to Go. Then, the leisurely twilight tour begins in a punt around the Neckar Island. tuebingen-info.de

Baden State Brewery Rothaus: Culinary delights can be experienced all year round in Germany’s highest brewery: Located at 3,280 feet above sea-level between fir and pine trees, the Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus (Baden State Brewery Rothaus) offers its guests pure refreshment. Seven of their own springs supply them with pure, clear brewing water. On the “Zäpfle Weg (Zaepfle Path),” you can find out everything you need to know about the brewery at nine stations. The path leads past the popular “Zäpflebrunnen (Zaepfle Fountain)” to the spring area and ends at the “Quellgeist,” the wooden patron saint of the springs. rothaus.de

Street Streams – the Freiburger Bächle: They are centuries old and crystal clear, are considered to be unique and offer space for games. We’re talking about the Freiburger Bächle, a wide network of man-made, paved streams from the River Dreisam that have run through Freiburg since the 12th century. In the Middle Ages, the paved channels were used to supply industrial and fire-fighting water.

Today, they are the venue for the unique Bächle boat race and a glimmer of hope for long-term singles: As the saying goes, anyone who accidentally steps into one of the Bächle must marry a Freiburger. The “Bächle cleaners” ensure that your feet stay clean and the streams always flow. visit.freiburg.de/attractions/freiburger-baechle

In Baden-Württemberg, or Southwest Germany, it is never far to the next water experience.

Whether it’s a river cave expedition in the Swabian Alb, canyoning in the Black Forest or SUP yoga on Lake Constance: Southwest Germany has it all. You can find refreshment as well as extra kick to your holiday in Southwest Germany.

Post by Victoria Larson and Natalie Dietl, Southwest Germany Tourism.