Make way, Munich! This spectacular region with world-famous spas and beautiful castles awaits you

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When you think of Germany in autumn, you probably think of Munich!

Huge crowds flock to the city to enjoy the famous Oktoberfest.

But there's another German region where you can enjoy locally brewed beer, as well as famous landmarks and world-famous spas, this fall.

Tourism in Baden-Württemberg is booming! In the first half of the year alone, the region recorded 26.8 million overnight stays.

I grew up as the child of a soldier in Germany and have a special fondness for this country.

For these reasons, I think it's time to make room for Munich and visit Baden-Württemberg instead:

An icon of the wellness industry

One of the most famous and symbolic travel destinations in Baden-Württemberg is the city of Baden-Baden.

If you want to relax and enjoy wellness in every way, there is no better place to do so.

When UNESCO published its list of the most important spa towns in Europe, Baden-Baden was at the top of the list.

Today, the city enjoys a worldwide reputation for its spa resorts and first-class healthcare facilities.

Twelve springs rise beneath the city at a depth of around 2,000 meters. Thermal water bubbles from them into the city's thermal baths and spas. The large springs pump 800,000 liters of warm water with temperatures of up to 68°C out of the earth every day.

The Friedrichsbad is one of the best spas in the city, although there are others to choose from. This is a traditional Roman-Irish style spa bath.

Entry costs 35 euros (£38) and includes towels and slippers, body lotion and hair/body shampoo for the bath, and tea in the reading room. For an additional 19 euros (£20) you can complement your visit with a traditional soap and brush massage.

Even if you prefer to take it easy, Baden-Baden has numerous cultural attractions to offer its visitors.

The Festspielhaus is the largest concert and opera house in Germany and is located in a beautiful neoclassical building.

If you don't have time to enjoy a performance, you can take a backstage tour of the building, which gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the foyer, auditorium, technical center and stage.

Afterwards, take a stroll along Baden-Baden’s Museum Mile, which – as the name suggests – is full of museums and galleries for every interest.

Discover picturesque castles

There are 20 castles in the Baden-Württemberg region, so you are spoiled for choice when it comes to exploring beautiful castles.

The most famous of these is Heidelberg Castle, which is partially preserved as a ruin. It is considered the most important Renaissance building in Germany.

Are you on a budget? Walking to the castle, exploring the gardens and enjoying the view over Heidelberg is completely free. Visiting the castle is also affordable, as admission costs only 9 euros ($10).

For a true fairy Visit Lichtenstein Castle with its imposing, rounded towers that look like something out of a fairytale book and experience a fairytale castle experience.

This castle is located near Reutlingen and has been lovingly restored. Lichtenstein Castle is actually still privately owned (by the Urach family, who restored it between 1842 and 1844), but you can visit the outer courtyard and part of the castle interior as part of a pre-planned tour.

Entrance to the castle courtyard costs 4 euros ($4.30) and a 30-minute guided tour of the castle interior costs 12 euros ($13) per adult.

Finally, don't miss Guttenberg Castle, perched on a hill, beautifully preserved and equipped for travelers.

Here you will find a museum, a rustic tavern and a much-acclaimed bird of prey show.

If you have always dreamed of staying in a castle, this one also offers rooms to make that dream come true!

Arrival in Baden-Württemberg

Although not as well known as Munich or Berlin, Baden-Württemberg is still accessible to American travelers.

The largest city and state capital, Stuttgart, has a large airport and Delta offers direct flights between the city and Atlanta.

The flight time between the two cities is 8 hours 55 minutes for the outbound flight and 10 hours 40 minutes for the return flight. To give an example of airfares, if you book this trip directly with Delta from October 16-24, a round-trip economy class flight would cost $1,022.

To get around outside the airport, you have to rely on the notorious German efficiency: the public transport network here is excellent!

For tourists there is the Baden-Württemberg Ticket, which is valid on weekdays as well as on weekends and public holidays, provided the journey begins after 9 a.m.

This allows you to use all regional trains, trams and buses in the region and explore the surrounding area in the best possible way.

And it's affordable too. The ticket costs 26.50 euros ($29) for one traveler, but if you're traveling in a group of up to 4 additional travelers, you can pay only 8 euros ($8.70) for their ticket.

Children under 6 years of age always travel free and children between 6 and 15 years of age travel free when accompanied by a paying passenger.

Tor Brierley

Tor has been writing for over 20 years and has visited 25 countries (and counting!). She specializes in European and family travel and never says no to new adventures.

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The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other company. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the companies mentioned in the post.