Triberg Waterfalls
Cascading mountain falls through granite gorges
Follow forest boardwalks alongside Germany's highest series of waterfalls tumbling 163 metres.
TribergNatureWaterfalls
Black Forest, Germany
Ideal: 3–5 daysBest: May–OctPrice: Moderate
In 60 seconds
Black Forest in 60 seconds
The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is Germany's iconic upland wilderness, rising from the Rhine valley into brooding fir canopies, glacial tarns and sunlit pasture valleys. From the cascading falls of Triberg and the mountain heights of the Feldberg to historic spa retreats like Baden-Baden, the region marries profound nature with deep Baden tradition. Scenic panoramic roads like the Schwarzwaldhochstraße connect shingle-roofed farmhouses, thermal baths and wood-fired gastronomy.
MountainsSpa
Best for
- Nature
- Hiking
Known for
- Triberg Waterfalls
- Feldberg summit
- Schwarzwaldhochstraße
- Cuckoo clocks & Black Forest cake
Skip if
You are looking for dense metropolitan nightlife or flat coastal landscapes.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Black Forest fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Feldberg Summit & Lake Feldsee
Highest mountain peak in the Black Forest
Ascend to the 1,493-metre summit for expansive panoramas reaching the Swiss Alps, then circle the glacial tarn below.
FeldbergMountainPanoramic view
Black Forest Open-Air Museum Vogtsbauernhof
ModerateHistoric timber farmsteads and rural workshops
Step into authentic 16th-century thatched farmhouses showcasing centuries of rural Alpine living.
GutachFarmhouseHeritage
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Coffee & fika
Mornings, and the slow hour between things.
Café Schäfer
ModerateBirthplace of the original Black Forest gateau recipe
Taste authentic Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte crafted with original 1915 cherry kirsch water notes.
TribergBlack Forest CakeHeritage
Café König
ModerateGrand Belle Époque patisserie and salon
Refined afternoon coffee and praline confectionery in a classic 19th-century spa town salon.
Baden-BadenSalonTortes
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Gasthof zum Kreuz
ModerateCozy timbered inn serving Baden venison and Maultaschen
Hearty forest game stews and buttered Spätzle served beside a tiled ceramic stove.
St. PeterBadenInn
Hofgut Sternen
ModerateHistoric coaching inn at the foot of the Ravenna Gorge
Tender Black Forest trout and smoked ham platters where Goethe once stayed in 1779.
HöllentalCoaching innTraditional
Schwarzwaldstube
Very expensiveLegendary alpine dining in Baiersbronn
One of Europe's premier culinary temples, celebrating regional Baden and haute cuisine in Baiersbronn.
Baiersbronn-TonbachFine diningMichelin
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Lake Mummelsee & Hornisgrinde
Glacial cirque lake and high moorland boardwalk
Stroll around the mythical lake and hike the wooden boardwalk across the Hornisgrinde peat moor.
SeebachLakeMoorland
Münstertal Valley
Idyllic pastured valley beneath the Belchen peak
Experience deep rural tranquility among grazing cattle, historic abbey towers and farmhouse cheese dairies.
MünstertalPasturesValley
Ravenna Gorge (Ravennaschlucht)
Dramatic stone viaduct and gorge trail
Hike the wooden steps alongside rushing mountain torrents beneath the 58-metre railway stone viaduct.
BreitnauGorgeViaduct
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Alpirsbacher Brauwelt
InexpensiveHistoric monastery brewery taproom
Sample fresh aromatic monastic beers brewed with pure Black Forest spring water since 1877.
AlpirsbachBreweryMonastery beer
Monkey 47 Stills Distillery Tavern
ExpensiveBoutique gin distillery in the forest hills
Artisanal Black Forest dry gin crafted with 47 local botanicals and cranberries.
SchömbergBotanicalsGin
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Southern High Black Forest
Feldberg peak, glacial lakes and Titisee
High alpine scenery, mountain ridge hiking and winter sports centers.
Murg & Kinzig Valleys
Half-timbered market towns, orchards and farm trails
Gentler green valleys lined with timbered farmsteads, vineyards and fruit orchards.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Freiburg im Breisgau
ExpensiveSunny university gateway city with Gothic minster
Ideal base with train connections into the gorges, lively wine bars and cobblestone streets.
CityMinster
Hinterzarten & Titisee
ExpensiveAlpine trailheads and lake shores
Stay right on hiking trailheads with immediate access to mountain rail lines.
NatureTrails
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Freiburg im Breisgau is served by high-speed ICE trains from Frankfurt, Basel and Zurich.
- Getting around
- The Höllentalbahn railway climbs dramatically through mountain passes, and regional buses connect valleys.
- Konus guest card
- Overnight guests in participating villages receive the KONUS card offering free regional transit.
- Hiking trails
- The legendary Westweg trail stretches 285 km along the mountain ridge from Pforzheim to Basel.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1100s
Monasteries such as St. Peter and Hirsau settle the mountain valleys, clearing forest land for agriculture.
- 1667
The first wood-carved Black Forest cuckoo clock mechanisms are developed by local craftsmen.
- 1900
The Westweg is mapped as Germany's first official dedicated long-distance hiking trail.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Baden-Baden
UNESCO Great Spa Town of Europe with thermal baths
Bathe in the mineral-rich waters of the Roman-Irish Friedrichsbad and Caracalla Therme.
40 min by train from FreiburgThermal spaUNESCO
Colmar & Alsace
Half-timbered French wine village across the Rhine
Hop across the river Rhine to explore the fairy-tale timbered canals of Little Venice in Colmar.
45 min by regional bus/trainAlsaceCanals