This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Baden.
The history of Baden dates back to the first century AD, when Romans used its hot springs. In the late thirteenth century, it was given town rights by the Habsburgs. The Confederates conquered the city in the early fifteenth century, and until almost the turn of the nineteenth century, Baden was a vassal town. In the twentieth century, Baden became an industrial center, but today, it is a more service-oriented town.
Although it is not a major winter resort, Baden is a spa center thanks to its nineteen thermal springs. The hot thermal water is characterized by the highest mineralization in Switzerland. It has particularly high proportion of sulfates and calcium.
Among the interesting sights in the town are the Old Town; the ruins of the medieval Stein Castle; the City Tower with a height of more than fifty meters, built in the middle of the fifteenth century; the Parish Church of the Assumption; the Bernerhaus from the fifteenth century; the bathing quarter; and the Landvogteischloss -- a small castle on the outskirts of the town. The town has very good transport connections with other Swiss cities and it is located in the densely populated Limmat Valley, only twenty-one kilometers northwest of Zurich and twenty-two kilometers northeast of the cantonal capital Aarau.
Baden is a small town, and although it attracts tourists, it is not one of the major Swiss tourist centers, so Baden hostels are not many but they still hold the norm for Switzerland's high prices. Baden hostels are a quite nice and pleasant place to stay, as they offer a peaceful atmosphere and modern facilities. As mentioned above, the town is not large, so even if your Baden hostel is not in the very center of the city, this is not a big problem. However, most Baden hostels have a very good central location and you can walk to them from the train or the bus station.
Written by local enthusiast for Baden hostels
George Traveller