Shopping in Baden-Baden

The pinnacle of bliss for many tourists is not just a full-fledged vacation abroad, but also the opportunity to make good purchases, especially when the acquisition process itself turns into a whole event, and new items and souvenirs exceed all expectations. This is the kind of feeling that shopping in Baden-Baden promises. The famous German resort is the refinement, originality and exclusivity that our compatriots are looking for when they travel to Europe.

What are the features of shopping in Baden-Baden

A small German town in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg with a population of 54 thousand people has long been discovered not only by residents of the European Union, but also by residents of the post-Soviet space. A quiet resort town, located on the slopes of the famous Black Forest, has become a Mecca for connoisseurs of a leisurely, comfortable pastime. Today it can rightfully be called the favorite health resort of millionaires.

The interest of Russian and foreign bohemians in this region of Germany has a historical background. Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Wilhelm the First, Marlene Dietrich, Queen Victoria loved to come here.

To match dear guests and expensive services offered in the town, and with them, and far from cheap shops and boutiques.

What Baden-Baden does not have are flea markets and mass markets that operate on the principle of "everything in one place." The shops here are designed for the wealthy public and sophisticated shoppers.

In this city, travelers expect:

• elegant boutiques;
• prestigious antiques shops;
• exclusive salons with jewelry from the most famous manufacturers;
• shops offering gifts, decor items and souvenirs from local craftsmen;
• small shops with international brands.

A big bonus for Russian-speaking tourists is the focus of local business on this particular segment of buyers. Almost at every store you can find the inscription “We speak Russian”.

The working day of Baden-Baden shops ends at 8 pm. Many close on weekends and holidays.

But basic goods (groceries, personal care products) can be purchased at the local market, gas stations and pharmacies.

As for the purchased goods, they can always be returned or exchanged: shops are willing to meet halfway in this matter.

Where to buy

Despite the fact that Baden-Baden is a small area, it has all the possibilities for quality shopping. The most attractive shops for shoppers are located in pedestrian zones designed for lovers of leisurely promenades. The most popular retail outlets in the city are considered to be the following:

• Streets Sophienstrasse and Langestrasse. Here are concentrated elegant shops, which present clothes, accessories and goods from shoe masters. Among the famous world brands, buyers can find German brands. For example, there are specialized shops selling cosmetics or medical devices. There are not many multi-brand boutiques, but they are still there. The largest is Baerbel Hausner, which presents the collections of Fendi, Prada, Chloe and many others.
• Wagener Mode is a department store, the favorite place of all Baden-Baden fashionistas and fashionistas. The store offers accessories and clothing for women and men.
• Christmas market - it starts in the last days of November, and usually ends before the New Year. The event is taking place near the Kurhaus building. The entire surrounding area is decorated with garlands. The opening of the fair is announced by an angel who travels around the city in a carriage and invites residents and guests of Baden-Baden to take part in it. In the stalls, customers are offered to buy Meissen porcelain, souvenirs, delicacies, and jewelry.
• DM is an online store offering health and beauty products. Organic cosmetics for men, women and even children can be bought at fairly reasonable prices.
• Hussel is a paradise for those with a sweet tooth. There are dozens of varieties of chocolate, sweets and other sweets in the shop. In addition, customers have the opportunity to order an exclusive dessert and chocolate sets, which are especially popular among tourists.
• Few people come up with the idea to go shopping for optics during their holidays. But in Baden-Baden you need to make an exception and be sure to look into the Albert store. All the most famous brands of the fashion industry are collected here. This place is designed for wealthy buyers who know a lot about accessories.
• Vickermann & Stoya is a real Baden-Baden landmark selling shoes made from genuine leather. Once upon a time there was a shoe-making workshop on the site of the store. Today you can buy, order, repair, restore it here. This place is of interest not only for its exclusive products, but also for the interior: visitors can sit in comfortable antique chairs, and the goods are placed on exquisite, incredibly beautiful racks. But, despite such a high status, the prices in the store are trying to be kept at an average level so that not only wealthy tourists, but also local residents can make purchases.
• Trumm boutique - clothing for men. Differs in incredibly high prices. You can buy a men's jacket here for at least 500 euros.
• The Treff 3000 grocery market is in demand, but it has a rather strange organization: all products are sold in two sections, the principle of division into which remains somewhat incomprehensible.
• Jewelry is best bought at Christ store. The cost of the products presented is reasonable compared to other fashion stores. Medium-sized earrings can be purchased for 300-1500 euros.

Discounts and sales

Discount season in Baden-Baden usually runs twice a year and falls in July and January. At this time, prices for goods fall to 50, and sometimes up to 70%. Most often this applies to clothing, shoes, jewelry.

Discounts enable residents and guests of the city to buy what they liked in local boutiques earlier, but was too expensive. The fact that the sale has begun is usually indicated by signs in the windows with an indication of the size of the discount.

Please note that only items from old collections can be bought cheaper. But if a discount was already in effect for some thing, then most often the additional discount does not apply to it.

Do not forget about the personal approach to clients. In chain stores, the amount of the discount is usually a fixed rate. Where it is a family business or owners of their own boutiques, they try to approach the needs of customers more individually.

What is usually brought from Baden-Baden

Many travelers are perplexed by the question of what to bring with them as a gift from a foreign trip. In order not to find yourself in a stupid situation, first you should study the history of the city, wander through its streets, feel the atmosphere and only then go shopping.

So, what to bring from Baden-Baden:

• mineral water. This is the greatest asset of the region. And although it is impossible to take away a lot, and this is not the best gift, you can still take a bottle or two with you;
• wine. The city is surrounded by numerous vineyards, and this drink is especially tasty and healthy here;
• walking through the Lichtenthal convent, you can buy small souvenirs that the nuns made with their own hands;
• postcards depicting an old drinking water pavilion or theater;
• organic cosmetics;
• a couple of fashion items from the Hermes or Prada collections;
• porcelain products from the Meissen manufactory;
• chocolate from the Hussel store;
• souvenirs imitating gizmos from the Faberge collection. Do not forget that it is in Baden-Baden that the world's only collection of the works of this great master is kept;
• antiques.

We arrange tax-free

Buying some goods in Germany has a big advantage - some of their value can be returned when leaving the country. This means that such goods are tax-free, in other words, they are tax free. Dealing with the system of compensation for the money spent is not difficult. It is important that the products you purchase are labeled "free for tourists" or "tax free".

The amount of the check cannot be less than 25 euros. Even at the checkout, you need to ask the seller to issue a form that you have to fill out. You need to have a passport with you.

The procedure ends at the airport before check-in. To complete it, you will have to consider the following:

1. Be prepared to be asked to show you some purchases, so don't hide them too far.
2. Do not cut off the tags from the purchased item.
3. Prepare your passport and check filled out in the store.

The customs official will stamp a stamp on the letterhead indicating the company responsible for the refund. Most likely, it will be a Global refund. After that, you can receive money either at the box office, which you will find at the airport, or by transferring it to your account. Our article "Tax free registration" will help you to understand the intricacies of refunds.

Organization of the trip

Before you can plunge into the measured life of Baden-Baden and go to the local shops, you have to decide the organizational issues related to the trip. You can do the preparation in two ways:

• on one's own;
• through intermediaries who sell shopping tours.

Most of the representatives of the CIS countries will need to issue a visa permit to enter the country. The only exceptions are Ukrainians who, from 2021, cross the Schengen border without a visa, provided they have a biometric passport.

All other non-EU foreigners must apply to the consulate for a Category C visa (short-term, tourist). The package of documents in 2021 must include:

1. Application form.
2. International passport.
3. Insurance.
4. Round trip tickets.
5. Confirmation of the availability of a place of residence.
6. Financial guarantees.
7. Photo.
8. Receipt of payment of the duty.

If you have a Schengen visa of another state in your passport, it is not necessary to make a request to the German mission - you can enter Germany on the basis of an existing visa, but for a short period.

The intermediaries offering shopping tours take care of all organizational issues, including the filing of documents for a visa. The cost of their services is usually included in the tour price.

Conclusions

A trip to a resort town can almost always be called both pleasant and rewarding. You are convinced of the validity of this statement when it comes to Baden-Baden. Most of the local stores are designed for a wealthy consumer who knows a lot about expensive exclusive things.

In Baden-Baden, all points of interest for tourists are located along the main streets. This allows you to combine leisurely walks with pleasant shopping.

What should be brought from this town is Meissen porcelain, branded clothing, organic cosmetics, chocolate.

If you get here during the discount season, you can save a lot. In addition, you should always pay attention to the signs - many goods are sold here according to the tax free system, which will allow you to get back some of the money spent.