Fine Dining In Baiersbronn
View of Baiersbronn with the Hotel Traube Tonbach in the distance
The nine scenic hamlets that make up the little town of Baiersbronn have gained fame in culinary circles for the remarkable number of Michelin stars awarded to three local restaurants. These three restaurants account for a total of eight stars: three to the Schwarzwaldstube in Hotel Traube Tonbach, three to the Restaurant Bareiss, and two to the Restaurant Schlossberg.
Between meals in these bastions of fine dining, tourists will find other attractions and things to do. The atmospheric ruins of the Kloster Allerheiligen, the Monastery of All Saints, are made even more haunting by their secluded setting and unfortunate history. Since its founding in 1192, the monastery has been destroyed repeatedly by fires in 1470, in 1555, and finally by lightning in 1804. Southwest of Baiersbronn a wooded path leads to the 60-meter Sankenbach Waterfalls.
Driving In The Black Forest
Of course, the most convenient way to explore the Black Forest is by car. There are plenty of rental companies doing business in Germany, so you can easily pick up your own vehicle at the airport upon arrival. When traveling from Frankfurt, you may want to take Autobahn A5, which runs through Offenburg along the western edge of the Black Forest.
Alternatively, you can take Autobahn A81, which runs through the valley on the eastern side of the region. Both routes can be the starting points for driving to any town in the region and great options if youre planning a self-drive tour of the Black Forest.
Where Is The Black Forest In Germany
The Black Forest region in Baden-Württemberg is home to the cuckoo clock, the Grimm Brothers fairy tales, and the highest non-Alpine Mountains in Germany. Stretching for about 100 miles along the French border from Switzerland to Baden-Baden, the Black Forest is the heart of the countrys timber and the woodworking industry. There are 11 moderate trails in Black Forest National Park ranging from 3.9 to 20.8 miles and about 250 different communities within the regional area.
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Eat Black Forest Cake
Eat Cake. Once youve burnt off some energy hiking head to one of the many cafes in the area to try the name sake Black Forest cake. This is made with layers of chocolate sponge, cherry jam and cream that is heavily laden with cherry schnapps. Sorry kids this one is adults only. But there are plenty of alcohol-free options for children.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Black Forest and I wouldnt hesitate to go back again. Green hills, small villages, and a peaceful atmosphere make it the perfect place for a getaway but the area is not short on attractions to keep families entertained. Are you planning a trip to the Black Forest? If you enjoyed this post please pin or share and leave a comment, Id love to hear from you.
Destinations In The Black Forest Region
Those visitors looking to stay in the Black Forest area have a choice of larger towns and cities with plenty of to do on the edge of the region and good access to the sights and activities or the smaller towns and villages at the heart of the Black Forest at the sights themselves and with access to the outdoors from the doorstep.
Over on the western edge of the Black Forest, Freiburg im Breisgau is a good choice for those searching for somewhere livelier. It is a young city with plenty going on, but still with great access into the southern Black Forest.
Keeping on the western side, the spa town of Baden-Baden is another good option, with its proximity to the Black Forest National Park.
View of Freiburg from Schauinsland
On the other side of the Black Forest, the town of Donaueschingen offers great rail links across the region to Freiburg on the Höllentalbahn and north on the Black Forest railway to Offenburg and Karlsruhe. It is also the start of the Danube valley rail link through to Ulm for those looking to combine exploration of the Black Forest with the upper stages of the famous river.
Those who would prefer to be close at hand to the famous sights of the region could choose from Titisee, with its scenic lake and mountain hikes and access to rail links, or maybe Triberg, where Germany’s highest waterfall attracts thousands of daily visitors in high summer.
Black Forest traditional costumes, including the famous Bollenhut
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Spa Hotel In The Black Forest Mohringers Schwarzwald Hotel
The 4-star Möhringers Schwarzwald Hotel offers a subtle luxury that you can enjoy without having to splurge too much. The hotel comes with its own spa fed by the waters of Bonndorf im Schwarzwald. The rooms are spacious and inviting, with luxury ensuites and gorgeous views of the Black Forest. Breakfast is offered every morning, and features local delicacies.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Black Forest
Schwarzwald is a year-round jaw-dropping destination that inspires the soul with its beautiful landscape and natural scenery. Depending on your interest, the region offers excellent potential for cross-country-skiing, hiking, and biking.
If trekking is your thing, then summer is the ideal time to visit. Spring comes later to higher elevations. In early March hilltops in the Black Forest are usually covered with snow. If you want to see nature in full swing, consider going in late April or early May.
At the other end, fall is a great time for mountain biking and nordic walking. While you can get a glimpse of vibrant fall foliage in the Black Forest, Schwarzwald also has many fir and spruce trees that do not change color. If you visit in autumn, there is an amazing number of cultural festivals and other traditional festivities in fall.
In winter Schwarzwald sees a lot of snow. If youre looking for things to do in the Black Forest in winter, the national park offers cross-country and downhill skiing. You can attend a major sporting competition . Or you can see a dog sled race or go snowshoeing or snowboarding. Plus, nothing beats Christmas markets in enchanting chocolate-box towns.
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Best Places To Stay In The Black Forest Germany
If youre visiting Southern Germany, we highly recommend that you stay in the Black Forest. This region, which inspired the Grimm Brothers for many of their fairytales, is dotted with traditional villages, dense forests and rolling hills.
The area spreads out from Freiburg in the south to Baden-Baden in the north, with lots of places worth visiting in between.
One of the greatest difficulties when visiting the Black Forest in Germany is finding the best place to stay. You will come across many Black Forest hotels in lots of different villages, but how do you know which one to choose?
Ideally, you want to be close to the best places to visit in the Black Forest. You also need to choose whether you wish to stay in a village or town or prefer a remote location in the mountains. Are you travelling with a family, or are you looking to relax in a luxury hotel?
We want to help you figure out where to stay in the Black Forest in Germany. In this article, you will learn about the best towns and villages first, and we will introduce specific hotels depending on your needs further down. This will make it fast and easy for you to book your holidays.
Buckle Up Its Autobahn
For all adrenalin junkies out there, this is an absolute must-do when you are in Germany! The autobahn which is a federal control access highway stretches a whopping 12,993 kilometres and is free of speed limits. Yeah, you read it right no speed limits!
Having said that, there are zones where the speed is limited to 130 kmph but a large part of these extremely well-maintained roads are free of speed-limits. However, as always, it is recommended that you have safety procedures in place. To top this if you are lucky to get your hands on a sports car, well, you are going to have one hell of time then! I mean, you will not be driving, you will be literally flying on the way. So yes, a Black Forest road trip should definitely be added to your list of things to do in Black Forest, Germany
German roads, as you know, are built for fast cruising, and they fully live up to their promise. Now here is one reason you can thank Hitler.
Driving on the Autobahn Germany
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Using The Following Itinerary Suggestions
The way Ive written this post is that you can choose to do about 3 days in each area of the Black Forest or just choose one itinerary to do on its own for about three days. If you choose to combine them, I highly recommend staying for a few days in each area because hotel hopping with kids can be a major pain.
While the Black Forest is a surprisingly large area, there are plenty of day trip options that will overlap. So if you are planning on a long, extended time in the Black Forest with kids, you can easily combine some of these.
At the end of all the suggestions of the best things to do in the black forest for kids, Ill also cover some logistics like getting around, where to stay, and more.
Germany Road Trip Lindau
The last leg of our Germany road trip was an excursion across Lindau and that is a major island town in the Lake Constance area.
We reached Lindau by taking the local ferry as they run every 15 mins, transporting people and their cars to and fro. You also have the option of traveling here via boating tours but that typically turns out to be more expensive.
Old Stone Lighthouse in Lindau, Bavaria
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Locals Guide: 10 Unique Places To Stay In The Black Forest
Located in southern Germany, the Black Forest is one of the top destinations for travelers year round. From swimming, hiking and cycling in the summertime, to world-class skiing, Christmas markets, and snow-shoeing in the wintertime, the Black Forest offers excellent entertainment for nearly every member of your family. While the activities may be easily found, unique places to stay in the Black Forest are not.
In fact, many of the best hotels and guesthouses in the Black Forest are not on major booking sites. Wanting to keep the experience authentic, great Black forest accommodations are purposefully hard to find. If youre searching for some of the most unique places to stay in the Black forest, look no further.
Here are the best accommodations in the Black Forest, as recommended by locals!
Schloss Eberstein
Have a foodie in the family? Perched above the Murg valley, this 13th century castle has its own vineyard, Michelin-starred restaurant and cooking classes! Their elegant rooms are the perfect balance of modern comfort with historic charm.
We highly suggest this unique place to stay in the Black Forest for large parties or weddings. The view is spectacular!
Book your stay:
The Bubble Tents at Furtwangen
Popular attractions nearby include the , the German Clock Museum, the Zweribach Waterfall, and the macabre Triberg Gallows.
Book your stay:
Boutique Hotel Kokoschinski
Cost: 168 EUR
Freiburg Im Breisgau Best Place To Stay In The Black Forest On A First Visit
Known as the Jewel of the Black Forest, Freiburg is our top area for first-time visitors. The city centre is like a microcosm of the entire region, offering access to the most popular attractions on offer. If youre visiting for the first time there are numerous tour operators based in the town to help you out.
Freiburg is close to the border between Germany, France and Switzerland, and benefits from numerous transport links. Locals are known to spend much of their time in either of the two other countries. Strasbourg is just a few minutes across the border, and Basel is only a short drive away.
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Itinerary : National Schwarzwald And Northern Side Of The Forest Itinerary
On the more Northern side of the Black Forest, it wasnt my top pick to visit Germany with kids. After all, this area is dominated by the ever-popular Baden-Baden Spa Town, which is considered one of the best things to do in the Black Forest..and I would argue that it is..but without kids! I LOVE Baden Baden for some Mama Me Time but its not really for kids.
However, with that being said, there are still a few places that you can consider in this area of the Black Forest for kids. In fact, if youve got more than just a few days in the Black Forest, and are coming from Stuttgart, this could be a good route to take before heading further south into the forest.
Again, instead of giving an exact 3 day itinerary, Im just going to list some of what to see in the Black Forest in this area, as the exact routes and itineraries will vary depending on where you decide to stay.
Germany Road Trip Black Forest
The Black Forest region is a large forested mountain range and there are many sights to see. Though it is easily accessible via rail from all of Europe, road travel is the best way to explore this region since you can stop and see whatever interests you at your will. Thats exactly what we did! Incidentally, Black Forest was the first destination in our Germany road trip. And it set a wonderful precedent for the rest of the trip.
Gorgeous town Triberg of Black Forest Germany
Enroute Black Forest
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Stop For Offbeat Trails Around
There are many Black Forest Germany attractions that people miss out on since they are busy doing the road trips. One of them definitely is the offbeat trails. These treks are a good getaway from the regular trail and have some picturesque views. I loved the experience of wandering through the woods and finding some calm and serene trails.
Off-beat trails in Black Forest
Road Trip in Germany
The Northern Black Forest
Though plenty of small towns and villages dot the Northern Black Forest, most are of little specific interest, though Bad Wildbad does offer an alternative spa town to Baden-Baden. Instead this region is best known for its scenic drives, including the Badische Weinstrasse, which travels through the strip of vineyards that line the Rhine Valley and is home to Europa-Park, Germanys largest amusement-park. Just east, above the valley, another waymarked drive, the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse is considered the classic scenic drive in the Black Forest.
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Bad Wildbad Tree Top Walk And Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald Tower
Just a 15 minute walk from the suspension bridge is the awesome Treetop Walk, which is way less nerve racking, despite still being high above the trees of the Black Forest. This boardwalk in the sky eventually leads to the Baumwipfelpfad Schwarzwald Tower, which is a huge spiral tower that gives stunning views out over the Black Forest.
Perhaps the most fun part of this tower for kids though is the GIANT slide that twists its way aaaalllll the way back down to the forest floor!
Between the suspension bridge, the treetop walk, and the tower, plan on at least several hours for all these activities.
Baumwipfelpfad Tower Costs:
Family Ticket : 2,00 per person
Balance The Sights With Your Kids Interests
This probably goes without saying, right? Luckily, there are a TON of family friendly things to see in the Black Forest. However, like most trips with kids, there are plenty of things that I would have loved to have done that I knew the kiddos just wouldnt have. For example, I could have easily spent several days hiking in the Black Forest alone, but I think we all know how much my 3 year old would tolerate that. Therefore, I found short, easy, 1 hour hikes to do instead where I wouldnt have to hear Are we almost done!? a million times.
One specific example of this is at the Triberg Waterfall. In a life pre-kids, I would have taken the longer route that journeyed throughout the forest itself or the trail that winds through the woods to the other side of town. Alas, just getting a 5 and 3 year old to hike the uphill path for about 30-45 minutes was a task in and of itself. If theres one thing Ive learned traveling with kids, it is COMPROMISE!
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Besttime To Visit The Black Forest
If youre interested in visiting Black ForestGermany during the summer, make reservations well in advance for spas andhotels. The area is particularly crowded from June to August. Early spring andlate autumn, when the Black Forest is less crowded and the temperature is moremoderate, is another great time to visit. But no matter when you plan your trip,there is always something interesting to do or see, from skiing in down Feldberg in January towindsurfing on Lake Titisee in July.
Info On The Schwarzwaldbahn
This is actually considered on of the most famous trains in the world. This Triberg steam train winds you along through the Black Forest filled with mountain tunnels! It connects Offenburg to Singen but supposedly the section of Hornberg Triberg St. Georgen is reportedly the best.
Dates:Mid-May to mid-SeptemberNote: I believe you can still take the same route in the off season, it will just be on the Regional Train and not the specialty Steam Train
Monday to Friday
10:00h to 17:00h
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