Travel Guide Freiburg

Freiburg, which is one of the brightest and sunniest regions in Germany. Moreover, it has a number of wooded hills surrounding a fairy tale. Altstadt is a place that instantly captures your heart. However, the town center is playing the role of the city as a regional transport hub making Freiburg a great base for two or three days of exploration of the surrounding hills and the Southern Black Forest. There are perfect cafes, restaurants, and nightlife after a day in the mountains.  It’s possible to get a glimpse of the top attractions in Freiburg in just one day, in particular, if you are driving through the Black Forest on a longer trip. It is worth spending a night or two there at least. However, you could as well use it as a starting point to go through the Black Forest Region during a week-long excursion. Let’s discuss travel guide now:

What to Do in Freiburg im Breslau

Here is what to do in Freiburg:

Visit Freiburg Münster

This 116-meter tall Freiburger Münster is definitely beautiful. Now that I have already lived in Cologne for three years, I can already say that there is a beautiful church in the center of every German city! Construction of Freiburger Münster began around 1200 AD and was built in a Romanesque manner. With time and new construction, other styles were blended in, for example the Gothic style, that you can easily see on the main tower and steeple.

Marvel at the City Gates

It is not always that you have the chance to not only read history, but you can literally walk through it and that is what Freiburg gives you at their two medieval city gates – Martinstor and Scwabentor. Thin walls surrounded the city in the 12th and 13th centuries. The city was entered by five towered gates for visitors. The two towers that have remained intact until today, stand as a witness to the long history of Freiburg and the ability of Germans to go through many wars in their motherland. Both of the buildings are interesting to see, and they differ quite a lot though. For many it is a tie between Martin’s Gate and Schwabentor, but one will lead you up Castle Hill, from where you can enjoy an amazing, panoramic view of the entire city.

Wander the Altstadt

For everyone, what makes Freiburg enchanting is the little streets and shady squares where the Altstadt is, so I would advise spending some time and getting a little lost there. While in the Altstadt, don’t ignore the small water canals running next to the roads (go by the name of Baechle in German) which are one of the unique construction features of Freiburg.

The area surrounding Freiburger Münster has some other great sights, including the Historical Merchants’ Hall. This unique 14th century building has a magnificent exterior comprised of marbles, gold leaf and arch details. Walk to the Whale House (Haus zum Walfisch in German), a red painted Gothic style mansion that was Erasmus of Rotterdam’s former home. Carrying over from the 16th century, the colorful black and white doors make a perfect background for selfies.

Boutique and Alternative Shopping

Being a city of that size at all, the shopping scene of Freiburg is really cool. We have an abundance of small, quaint stores that showcase local culture and artists. If you want to go shopping at Salzstrasse and Grünwälder then you’ll have an extra assortment of shops but some places are also present throughout Freiburg. I really enjoy the funky mix of pre-used house ware at Nische Shop and also the minimalistic, high-quality clothes for women at Blickfang. If you have never been to a concept store in Germany, Lust auf Gut would be a good example of one. In other words, it is a series of small concept stores in one place. You will definitely get to meet unique product mixes such as flowers and home decor or coffee shop and vintage clothes.

Where to Eat in Freiburg?

Freiburg, as a good restaurant city, serves you the best food while traveling in Freiburg. If you need breakfast and coffee, go to the cute Fili Cafe. There you can find delicious espresso and awesome bakeries. Sample a few regional and seasonal products offered by the Freiburg Farmers Market. It fills the cathedral on all days except Sundays. Among them, regional farmers and producers selling seasonal fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat and honey will be the most.

As in the rest of Germany, there is a regional sausage assortment in the Black Forest and the most known is the Long Red (German: Lange Rote). Such red and skinless, grilled sausage which is 35 cm long and is from Freiburg. The Lange Rote is often given in a small bun or bread roll with the extra toppings of stone ground mustard or pickled fried onions. It is the beloved dish of the locals, and on the north side of the famous cathedral of Freiberg, an entire row of sausage stands offers this regional specialty.

Where to Drink in Freiburg

Freiburger Pilsener is a bottom fermented beer which is the most common type of beer that you will see around Freiburg. Freiburg has a rich history in craft brewing and dates back centuries. Brewing evokes a sense of local pride which binds people together. Currently Freiburg, Germany has eight craft breweries that qualify it to be the country’s capital of craft beer. The Braukollektiv has been brewing since 2014 craft beer with a touch of tartness. A craft beer tasting experience at the Bierhandlung beer shop featuring a trained beer sommelier is another option for you. 

Top Things to See in the Vicinity of Freiburg

From tasty local food to charming small towns, there is a wide range of fabulous things to do in the Black Forest area. If you are planning to stay a week in Black Forest, you can have one-week itinerary which may include some activities to keep you entertained. Moreover, you might go for an express Black Forest tour in a long weekend, however I prefer it to be somewhat longer. This is a list of the best things to do in and around Frieburg.

Triberg Waterfalls

Deep in the thick forest located behind the town of Triberg, Triberg Falls are the tallest waterfalls in Germany. Setting on multiple levels of the rock and water pools, these falls seem to be perpetually wrapped in a mist that turn the trees and paths on the edges to a fairytale look. It reminds me of a fairy tale from the collection of the Brothers Grimm! They are beautiful and ethereal to behold.

Titisee & Schluchsee

Within this area of the Black Forest, there are a number of tiny lakes and every one of them is prettier than the other. Lake Titisee is the most popular lake in the Black Forest. With the backdrop of the green mountains, this lake provides boats on rent if you are interested to spend some time on the water.

Feldberg & Ravenna Gorge

Less than an hour’s drive from Freiburg, you can find the Feldberg which is the highest mountain in the territory of Baden-Württemberg. We will have lots of outdoor adventures in this part of the Black Forest. The 1-hour hike to Feldsee lake is a good option that is an easy and short hike but with a good payoff. This lake is a little bit secluded and only foot traffic, which usually there are not many people. For a stunning and eye-catching view from above, take the Feldberg cable car up the mountain.

Accommodation in Freiburg

Freeburg can’t quite as much as other cities in the Black Forest in the way of stylish or boutique accommodation. They are often more historical and dated to an extent. However, Hotel Oberkirch is located in a central place with the cathedral view. But for something closer to the train station, we have been able to stay at the newly built Courtyard by Marriott. The rooms are spacious and modern, and the hotel’s amenities are good.

How to get there?

Here is how you can get to Freiburg:

Plane

The best way to get to Freiburg, Germany by plane, is to fly into EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, which is situated about 43 km from the center of the city. From there, you either prefer to take a train or a bus directly to Freiburg.

Car

If you are driving to Freiburg by car, the best way is to use A5 Motorway which links the city with some major cities in Germany like Frankfurt and Munich. The city center has several parking garages.

Train

However, there are many train stations in Freiburg, yet the main one for most of the travelers is Freiburg Hauptbahnhof. Freiburg is directly accessible with trains from most major cities in Germany, e.g. Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin.

Conclusion

Visiting Freiburg, Germany as a tourist offers the chance to travel to Black Forest and its beautiful natural assets. Whether cycling along the beautiful Rhine river or finding out more about the local culture and food, this small city will not disappoint the visitors with the variety of what it has to offer. Plan your trip today!