Known as one of Europe’s most fashionable spa towns, Baden-Baden is an ideal base for exploring the Black Forest and a perfect place to stay for maximum pampering. Located in the northern part of the forest, this 19th-century town is filled with Belle Epoque-era architecture and old-world luxury.
Baden-Baden has a vibrant cultural community with events and exhibitions throughout the year. You can take a guided walk into the heavily wooded Black Forest National Park, or stay in the town center and enjoy the curative water of some thermal baths.
Bad Wildbad, although not as well-known as Baden-Baden, is another spa town and a cheaper option for a home-base in the north of the forest. A nearby tunnel diverts traffic through so that the area feels as peaceful and isolated from the world as possible.
The town has stunning views of the pines and the Enz as it sits 420 meters above sea level. This town also has thermal baths, which naturally stay at temperatures of 35-42 degrees centigrade. While visiting this picturesque village be sure to take a trip to the idyllic Wildsee – a small lake just outside the town center.
This idyllic mountain resort consists of nine separate villages, and the recent addition of high-end hotels and bed and breakfasts serving incredible food has helped to put Baiersbronn on the map. Three Michelin-starred restaurants, set against the magical backdrop of the Black Forest, are the perfect places to unwind and indulge in some fine dining.
When you aren’t enjoying some excellent cuisine or a walk through the forest, you should take a trip to the ski slopes or visit the local golf courses and the nearby 12th-century monastery – the Allerheiligen ruins.
Freiburg is a university town and an excellent base from which to explore the southern side of the Black Forest. This cheerful town sits at the bottom of the Black Forest’s wooded slopes and vineyards, and it’s full of half-timber houses and twisting cobblestone streets.
The local student population has given the town a lively nightlife scene, but anyone can enjoy the number of lovely beer gardens along the canal. Freiburg has been named Germany’s warmest city due to the year-round sunshine – it generates as much solar energy as the whole of Britain.
Take a hike through the woods or ride the Schlossbergbahn cable car up the Schlossberg Mountain to the lookout tower where you can enjoy some wonderful views of the city.
This glacial carved lake in the southern region of the Black Forest is one of the area’s most popular resorts. The lake is 2km long and 1km wide, and is the largest natural lake in the Black Forest. Travelers flock here to swim, sail, and windsurf. Sometimes during the winter, the lake will freeze over enough to allow ice skating.
There are beautiful areas for lakeside strolls, including an 8km trail around the lake that leads up the Hochfirst Mountain. Surrounded by tall pine forests on low, rolling mountains, Titisee Lake is a place of otherworldly natural beauty.
This old town situated on the river Neckar is the epitome of German romanticism. Home to the country’s oldest university and one of the most popular castle ruins in Germany, Heidelberg is filled with stunning cityscapes and a palpable historic atmosphere.
Visit the castle gardens for a fantastic view of the city. Take a relaxing walk through the baroque-style old town and view the old stone bridge, or take a stroll along The Philosopher’s Walk - a famous ramble along the banks of the river Neckar where Heidelberg’s philosophers and professors used to discuss their high-minded ideas.
