Baden-Baden Casino

Inside the palatial Kurhaus - besides lavish festival halls used for balls, conventions, concerts, dance competitions and weddings - is the opulent Baden-Baden Casino, opened in 1838 and reminiscent of the 19th century or a 1970s James Bond film, depending on your proclivities.

Its décor, which seeks to emulate - indeed, outdo - the splendour of France's famed chateaux, such as Versailles, led Marlene Dietrich to call it 'the most beautiful casino in the world'. After observing the action here, Dostoevsky was inspired to write The Gambler.

You need your passport or European national ID card to enter, and cell phones must be switched off. Games include French and American roulette, blackjack and poker (Friday and Saturday only). Minimum stakes range from around €2 to around €50. You do not have to gamble but men must wear a jacket and tie. The rules for women are more relaxed but nothing too sporty (for example shorts) is permitted. But the times they are a-changin, even here: jeans, so long as they are neat, clean and without holes, are now permitted for both sexes. However, sports shoes remain forbidden.

A more casual way to see the interior is to take a guided tour, offered every half-hour from 09:30 until 11:30 daily.