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Explore Germany: Black Forest
The Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald) is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres (4,898 ft). The region is almost rectangular with a length of 200 km (120 mi) and breadth of 60 km (37 mi). Hence it has an area of approximately 12,000 km2 (4,600 sq mi).
The cities of Freiburg and Baden-Baden are popular tourist destinations on the western edge of the Black Forest; towns in the forest include Bad Herrenalb, Baiersbronn, Calw (the birth town of Hermann Hesse) Freudenstadt, Furtwangen, Gengenbach, Gütenbach, Sasbachwalden, Schramberg, Staufen, Titisee-Neustadt, Hausach, and Wolfach. Other popular destinations include such mountains as the Feldberg, the Belchen, the Kandel, and the Schauinsland; the Titisee and Schluchsee lakes; the All Saints Waterfalls; the Triberg Waterfalls, not the highest, but the most famous waterfalls in Germany; and the gorge of the River Wutach.
The Schwarzwälder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof is an open-air museum that shows the life of sixteenth or seventeenth century farmers in the region, featuring a number of reconstructed Black Forest farms. The German Clock Museum in Furtwangen shows the history of the clock industry and of watchmakers.
For drivers, the main route through the region is the rapid A5 (E35) motorway, but a variety of sign-posted scenic routes such as the Schwarzwald-Hochstrasse (60 km (37 mi), Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt), Schwarzwald Tälerstrasse (100 km (62 mi), the Murg and Kinzig valleys) or Badische Weinstrasse (Baden Wine Street, 160 km (99 mi), a wine route from Baden-Baden to Weil am Rhein) offers calmer driving along high roads. The last is a picturesque trip starting in the south of the Black Forest going north and includes numerous old wineries and tiny villages. Another, more specialized route is the 'Deutsche Uhrenstraße' (German Clock Road
), a circular route which traces the horological history of the region.
Due to the rich mining history dating from medieval times (the Black Forest was one of the most important mining regions of Europe around 1100) there are many mines re-opened for the public. Such mines may be visited in the Kinzig valley, the Suggental, the Muenster valley, and around Todtmoos.
The Black Forest also was visited on several occasions by Count Otto von Bismarck during his rule 1873-1890. Allegedly, he especially was interested in the Triberg Waterfalls. There is now a monument in Triberg dedicated to Bismarck, who apparently enjoyed the tranquility of the region, which was something that could not be found in his residence in Berlin.
[source: Wikipedia ]
Popular Destinations - Black Forest
Baden Baden
Baden Baden (meaning Bathing Bathing) is a spa town built on thermal springs at the edge of the Black Forest in Baden Württemberg, south west Germany. Don't be put off by its reputation as a hang-out for the rich. This picturesque town is beautifully…
Related: Baden Baden travel guide
Oberharmersbach
Oberharmersbach is a beautiful village in the heart of the Black Forest in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Famous for its fresh air, gorgeous natural surroundings and rustic charm, Oberharmersbach offers a wide range of recreational and leisure activities—from…
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Triberg
Triberg is a small town in the heart of the Black Forest which is famous for its Waterfalls: Choose among three different paths and follow its 7-tiered course as it makes a vertical drop of 496 feet. Ride the Black Forest Railway with its breathtaking…
Related: Triberg travel guide
Titisee-Neustadt
Titisee-Neustadt is a city in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The town is a spa known for its Kneipp hydrotherapeutic and curative methods. Furthermore, it is a winter sport center.
Related: Titisee-Neustadt travel guide
Tuttlingen
Tuttlingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg built around the ruins of a fortress built in the Middle Ages. It is a major industrial center and is also known for the beauty of the surrounding landscape and its proximity to the source of the Danube river.
Related: Tuttlingen travel guide
Kirchzarten
Kirchzarten is a town in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in the federal-state of Baden-Württemberg in southwestern Germany.
Related: Kirchzarten travel guide
Königsfeld im Schwarzwald
Königsfeld im Schwarzwald is a town in the district of Schwarzwald-Baar in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is the northern most town of the district Schwarzwald Baar. Königsfeld has six boroughs (Königsfeld, Neuhausen, Erdmannsweiler, Buchenberg,…
Schiltach
Schiltach is a town in the district of Rottweil, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the eastern Black Forest, on the river Kinzig, 20 km south of Freudenstadt.
Related: Schiltach travel guide
Calw
Calw is a municipality in the middle of Baden-Württemberg in the south of Germany, capital of the district Calw. It is located in the northern Black Forest.
Related: Calw travel guide
Schwarzwald-Baar
Schwarzwald-Baar is a district (Kreis) in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Ortenaukreis, Rottweil, Tuttlingen, Constance, the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen, and the districts Waldshut, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald…
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Most Popular Destinations in Germany
Germany has numerous cities of interest to tourists; these are the top nine travel destinations:
- Berlin - the reunified and reinvigorated capital of Germany; known for its division during the Cold War - and the Berlin Wall. Today its a metropolis of diversity with elegant clubs, galleries and traditional restaurants. It is also a haven for shoppers.
- Bremen - one of the most important cities in northern Germany, its old town will be of interest to travelers who want a slice of history.
- Cologne - Germany's fourth-largest city. Cologne was founded by the Romans and is 2000 years old with its huge cathedral, Romanesque churches, and archaeological sites. Cologne also well known for its carnival and its Christopher-Street-Day parade. Don't forget to try the local cuisine and of course the local beer, called "Kölsch".
- Dresden - once called
Florence on the Elbe
, and world-famous for its Frauenkirche and historic center which was destroyed during the war, the city offers more than what the average traveller can expect: Great festivals, all kinds of cultural entertainment, vibrant night life, and surrounded by beautiful natural vistas. Dresden hosts the Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections) which is one of the world's most impressive museums and collections. The art collections consist of eleven museums, of which the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and the Grünes Gewölbe are the most well-known. - Dusseldorf - Germany's capital of fashion, the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia offers a wide scale of fascinating new architecture. Right along the shores of river Rhine, the "Altstadt" and the "Medienhafen" are among the best places in Germany to enjoy a vibrant nightlife. Being one of the country's wealthiest cities, the atmosphere is very pleasant. Germans call it "the only metropolis ending with -dorf (German for village)".
- Frankfurt - Germany's leading financial center, transportation hub, seat of the European Central Bank (ECB), international trade fair center (Book Fair, Motor Show), hub of multicultural activity (30% Immigrants), and site of numerous world-class museums and theaters. It is also Germany's only city with enough skyscrapers to have a skyline.
- Hamburg - Germany's second-largest city, famous for its harbour as well as its liberal and tolerant culture. Don't miss the Reeperbahn with its night clubs and casinos. Hamburg is also popular for its many musicals.
- Hannover - One of Germany's newer
tourist cities
, having hosted various international events in recent times. - Munich - Bavaria's beautiful capital city and Southern Germany's primate city. Third largest city in Germany, Munich is the site of the famous Oktoberfest and the gateway to the Alps.
- Nuremberg - Second largest city in Bavaria, after WW2 over 90% of the old-town was destroyed. Today it has already been reconstructed, including the Gothic Kaiserburg Castle (Emperor's Castle of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation). You can also visit the Nazi party rally grounds, the Documentation Centre and Courtroom 600 - venue of the Nuremberg Trails.
[ source: Wikitravel ]