Throughout the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016 I spent a lot of time in Germany. Deutschland has always been one of my favorite places in Europe and I loved getting the opportunity to explore some new cities, test my anxiety driving a BMW down the autobahn, and see some old friends who live in Europe.
Where I Worked
Wiesbaden
While I was in Germany I worked in a town called Wiesbaden which is in central western Germany, about 20 minutes outside Frankfurt. It is a lovely town with lots of restaurants and great shopping. I tend to go shopping a lot when I’m alone and wandering around random cities…
Where I Stayed
I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Wiesbaden which was a decent hotel. They had a gym, a great breakfast buffet and was a short walk to a beautiful field. This was a little far out from downtown Wiesbaden, but it was closer to my office and with my work schedule it just made sense. If you are going for a trip I would recommend staying downtown.
Top Things To See In Wiesbaden
Marktkirche
The main protestant church in Wiesbaden and the focal point of the downtown area.
Spielbank
A casino that looks more like a fancy museum or palace.
Heidenmauer (“Heathen Wall”) of Aquae Mattiacorum
Hessisches Staatstheater
This is the State Theatre where you can see operas, plays, ballets, musicals and concerts.
Explore the Parks
There are a ton of beautiful parks all around the city. Kur Park and Schlosspark Biebrich were some of my favorites.
Biebrich Palace
About a 20 minute drive from downtown Wiesbaden is Biebrich Palace. Biebrich Palace is a Baroque residence in the borough of Biebrich in the city of Wiesbaden. During one of my days off I explored the gardens around the palace with a friend of mine from high school. The palace is located right on the Rhine River and is a beautiful place to walk around. I would recommend checking it out if you find yourself Wiesbaden.
Carnival parade
I happened to be in Germany during Carnival which is a huge Catholic festival that occurs right before lent. The festivities normally take place at the end of February or beginning of March and includes big celebrations and parades. The only way I can describe it is a mixture between Mardi Gras and Halloween.
After you are done exploring there are a ton of places to grab a bite. to eat. I ended up at a random place (I can’t remember the name) where a man bought me a glass of rosé, and attempted to chat with me but he only spoke German so I had no idea what was happening.
Places to Eat and Drink:
- Restorante Comback: Italian restaurant downtown Wiesbaden with amazing truffle pasta!
- Spital: I went here for some drinks with a friend and some of his German friends. It was busy and seemed to be a happening place at night.
- Manoamano: Delicious cocktails and cool vibe!
- Frankfurter Hof Sprenger – Great Schnitzel and Apfelwein (add some sparkling water or sprite to dilute the tart taste)
On top of all the amazing restaurants I was trying, below are some of the “snacks” they gave us after lunch…
Close Towns Nearby I Explored
Mainz
Mainz is a college town located on the Rhine river about 25 minutes from Wiesbaden. I stayed in Mainz for a week to get a change of scenery and because I made my reservations last minute I had to stay at two different hotels during this week. The first place I stayed was the Hilton Mainz, which is located on the bank of the Rhine River. The second hotel I stayed at was the Hilton Mainz City. Both hotels were very nice. The Hilton Mainz city is a little older of a hotel, but it is also smaller so you get more of a personal experience where the hotel staff knows who you are.
There is an amazing Cuban restaurant called Saintago’s I would highly recommend checking out. It’s a hole in the wall place but the food is delicious! Make sure to order a Bananenweizen – it’s a wheat beer mixed with banan juice (who knew that was a thing..). It’s a heavy drink and almost could serve as a meal, but OH MY GOSH – if you like bananas you will LOVE this!
Mannheim
One of my weekends in Germany I drove to Mannheim to meet up with a friend. Unfortunately it rained practically the entire time I was there so our day consisted of more eating and drinking opposed to sightseeing.
Trying to find the best that Mannheim had to offer we went to lunch at the revolving restaurant in the space needle. Honestly, I don’t recommend doing this. Thankfully I had good company but the food was not great and Mannheim is an industrial city so the views weren’t that great either.
The one interesting thing we found while we were there was Luisenpark park which had an area that looked just like Asia (who would have thought in the middle of Germany).
Ruedesheim am Rhein
Rüdesheim lies at the foot of the Rhine’s right (east) bank. The town belongs to the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region and is one of Germany’s biggest tourist attractions (aside from the Cologne Cathedral)
I was only in Ruedesheim for an afternoon so my time mostly consisted of drinking wine and walking around exploring the area. Some of my co-workers went during peak wine season and took a trolley ride through the vineyards which looked amazing!
The town is known for its white wine, specifically Riesling. I am not normally a Riesling fan (too sweet for me) but the ones I tried here were great. They were a little on the drier side so it tasted more like a chardonnay.
Finally found a dry Riesling I like!
Overall, I really enjoyed my few months in Germany for work and can’t wait to return someday! What are your favorites places in Geramany?
Thanks for stopping by!
XOXO,
Another wonderful blog. Germany looks like so much fun. We’ll have to go.