Bad Homburg vor der Höhe

Bad Homburg vor der Höhe is about 20 km north of Frankfurt in Hesse, reached in around 20 minutes by direct S5 S-Bahn, making it one of the quickest day trips from the city. A late-morning departure still allows a full day, since the town's sights cluster close to the station. The visit typically begins at Bad Homburg Palace (Schloss Bad Homburg), the former landgrave's residence, whose White Tower and state rooms are open to visitors, before moving into the adjoining Kurpark, an Art Nouveau spa garden landscaped in the English style. Within the Kurpark stands the Siamese Temple, a small pavilion gifted by King Chulalongkorn of Siam in gratitude for treatment received at the town's spa, and one of the more unusual monuments in the Taunus foothills. The late morning and early afternoon suit a slow walk through the Kurpark's fountains and mineral springs, with the historic Spielbank Bad Homburg casino, one of the oldest in Germany, nearby for those interested in its 19th-century gaming hall. Food and rest stops include the Kurpark's café pavilions and traditional Hessian restaurants in the pedestrian old town near the palace. The town suits a visit in any season given its short travel time, though the spa gardens are most attractive from spring through autumn when the plantings are in bloom.