The Mysterious Beauty of the Black Forest

Located in the southwestern corner of Germany in the Baden-Wurttemberg region, the Black Forest beckons with its fairy tale-like atmosphere. The forest stretches southward from Pfortzheim and Baden-Baden, along the Rhine Valley to the lakes bordering Switzerland.

You can enjoy visiting the Black Forest by car along some of the most popular routes:

The Black Forest Ridgeway will take you along hill crests through beautiful coniferous forests. It takes one from Baden-Baden along the Hornisgrinde to the Kniebis Plateau. Farther, the route stretches southward from Triberg to Waldshut.

The Black Forest Valley Road begins at Rastatt which is home to the Schloss Favorite. This is the former summer residence and pleasure palace of Margravine Sibylla Augusta of Baden-Baden. You can see the largest collection of early Meissen porcelain in the world here. The road follows the Murg Valley, past Schwarzenbach Dam to Freudenstadt at which point it meets with the Black Forest Ridgeway.

If you are a fan of spas you can take the Black Forest Spa Route, a 270-kilometer-long loop of spas, among them Baden-Baden between Pforzheim and Freudenstadt.

Freiburg im Breisgau Munster is a lovely masterpiece of Gothic architecture. It was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. Among the highlights here are the 14th century stained glass in the aisles and the altarpieces from the early 16th century. You can climb up to the 116-meter-high tower, built in 1330 offering fantastic views across the rooftops of the Old Town.

Munsterplatz is surrounded by well-preserved old buildings among them the arcaded red Merchants’ Hall which has stepped gables and oriel windows.

Other highlights in the Old Town of Freiburg im Breisgau include:

Schwabentor from the 13th century with wall paintings and dioramas.

The late Gothic House of the Whale.

St. Martin’s Church with a beautifully restored interior and cloister.

Enjoy the Schlossbergbahn funicular railway taking you up 456-meters to the Schlossberg for awesome views.

Baden-Baden offers mineral spas. This lovely city is located at the edge of the Rhine Valley.

Friedrichsbad from the 19th century

and the Caracalla Baths neighbor each other.

At Kurpark or Spa Gardens you can walk along the beautiful Lichtentaler Allee which follows the Oos River. Along the way you can see the arboretum and gardens.

Among the highlights here is the rose garden with 400 different varieties of roses, is a setting with pools, fountains, and an Art Nouveau pavilion.

Badenweiler located farther south is another spa town. It sits on a terrace over 200 meters above the Rhine River.

The ruins of the 11th-century Schlossberg Castle offer awesome views over the Rhine Valley.

Walking paths will take you to the Triberg Falls in Triberg. The falls plunge down 163 meters from pool to pool. There is a succession of cascades and look breathtaking as you continue climbing. At the top is a wooden bridge from which you can look down into the rocky ravine. At night the falls are lighted.

In Triberg, you’ll find the Black Forest Museum which has displays of the region’s unique traditions and handcrafts.

The lovely town of Schiltach has been home to craftsmen and tanners since the 13th century. The town is surrounded by woodlands and is situated at the junction of three rivers. It became the center of timber rafting in the Black Forest.

Its Marktplatz is surrounded by half-timber houses.

The Schuttesage Museum offers a look into the work at the former sawmill which operated until 1931. There is an undershot water wheel.

The Black Forest Open Air Museum has farmhouses, cottages, and outbuilding that were brought here from original sites. You can learn about farming and building techniques and home-skills like cheese making, weaving, and wood-fire cooking. There are hands-on programs suitable for children and free guided tours in the summer in English. An on-site café offers traditional Black Forest specialties.

The town of Maulbronn is located on the northern edge of the Black Forest. Of interest here is Kloster Maulbronn a Cistercian abbey founded in 1147. It is very beautiful with stone and half-timbered buildings. It has become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Some of the highlights here is the church porch called the Paradise, an impressive example of the early Gothic styles and the pine and wrought-iron doors which are the oldest known in Germany. The fountain house is beautiful with its three-tiered fountain.

At the western edge of the Black Forest is the town of Gengenbach.

It has a lovely Altstadt or Old Town with stone towers and half-timbered houses surrounding a market square.

A highlight here is the 200-year-old façade of the Town Hall. It plays an important role in the town’s Christmas Market. For 24 days in December the Town Hall becomes a giant Advent calendar with each of the 24 windows opening to reveal an elaborate scene.

The Fools Museum Niggelturm is located in a historic tower. Here you can see Fasnacht figures, masks, and costumes once used during the pre-Lenten carnival celebrations. Climbing to the top floor of the 136-meter tower you’ll get fantastic views of the town and surrounding fruit orchards.

Lake Titisee is the highest lake in the Black Forest. The shore is a place for recreation with lodgings and forests in a natural landscape.

The Seestrase in Titisee-Neustadt is a promenade where you can stroll and enjoy various shops and cafes. Visitors also enjoy taking a 90-minute hike along the trail around the lake.

People can bike along the Bahnle-Radweg Path or get out onto the water renting a boat, motorboat, or kayak. You can also choose paddleboards and pedal boats.

Badeparadies Schwarzwald is a water park with themed saunas, a spa, waterslides, and eighteen pools surrounded by palm trees.

The little town of Baiersbronn became popular in culinary circles for having three local restaurants awarded with Michelin stars. They are:

Scwarzwaldstube in Hotel Traube Tonbach.

Restaurant Bareiss.

Restaurant Schlossberg.

Of interest here is also the ruins of the Kloster Allerheiligen, the Monastery of All Saints founded in 1192.

Southwest of Baiersbonn, a wooded path takes you to the 60-meter Sankenbach Waterfalls.

Ravenna Gorge is also known as Devil’s Valley. It is a nine-kilometer stretch of road between Freiburg and Hinterzarten. It descends into a narrow gorge that is surrounded by dense forest and steep hillsides.

Soaring stone arches of a viaduct hover 190-feet over head with the Devil’s Valley Railway.

At the bottom of the winding road is the Hotel Hofgut Sternen, This is a historic hotel whose famous guests included Marie Antoinette traveling through there on her way to become the Queen of France.

Farther down the valley a path leads to the historic St. Oswald’s Chapel. It was the first church int his area, built in 1148.

In December for four weekends, the steep hillside beneath the viaduct’s stone arches becomes the site for the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market.

Most important when it comes to woodcarvings and crafts the Black Forest is the place of the famous cuckoo clocks from Germany. These are the beautiful clocks with moving figures and elaborate metal clockworks and the endearing little bird that like to pop out and say “cuckoo” on the hour. You can visit the shop where the famous cuckoo clocks are made and see them made in workshops.

In Schonach, clockmaker Josef Dold, created the World’s Largest Cuckoo clock which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. The face of the clock covers the front of a classic Black Forest house and inside you can see the operation of the giant works all carved from wood.

In Rust, Germany you’ll find Germany’s largest theme park, Europa Park. It has costumed characters and three-fantasy-themed areas. There are many rides to enjoy as well as the Blue Fire Megacoaster. Also you can enjoy over 100 shows.