Overview
The Black Forest is a landscape of hills, dark woods, deep valleys and waterfalls stretching roughly 100 miles parallel to the Vosges Mountains. Known for its spas, holiday resorts and restorative mountain air, it has long been one of Germany’s favorite regions for walking, hiking and rural escapes.
Most communities here are farming villages of large Catholic families, often clustered in isolated farmhouses built in a form unique to the region. Homes are constructed on slopes: the lower level houses livestock in winter, the upper level functions as a barn accessed from the hillside, and the living quarters sit between these spaces for added warmth. Roofs are steep and overhanging to shed heavy winter snowfall.
The region belongs to Baden-Württemberg and bears cultural influence from France, Switzerland, Austria, and periods of Habsburg and French occupation. Traditional customs remain strong — helped along today by tourism — and local costumes vary from valley to valley. The most iconic is the Bollenhut of the Gutach Valley: a flat women’s hat topped with huge red and black pompoms, frequently seen on regional dolls and souvenirs.
Traditional weddings retain unique characteristics. Brides wearing old-style dress appear in heavy silk with intricate embroidery, a high ruffled collar and a glittering headdress decorated with glass ornaments. Guests may be invited to the couple’s home beforehand to inspect gifts and furnishings. The groom welcomes each visitor with schnapps — occasionally with predictable results by ceremony time. Later celebrations can be enormous; guests often pay for their own food and drink, sparing the bride’s family the cost of feeding multitudes.
The Black Forest inspired many German Romantics in music and literature. Its thick woods and atmospheric valleys seem naturally inhabited by goblins, witches and noble knights. Although not tied specifically to the region, it provides the perfect backdrop for retelling Grimm’s Fairy Tales — Tom Thumb, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, and Cinderella — all originally recorded in local dialects as the Brothers Grimm travelled through German-speaking lands.
Many tales were far darker than their modern retellings. The brutal original ending of Cinderella, for instance, included the stepsisters mutilating their own feet to fit into the slipper, only to be exposed by doves calling from a hazel tree. Grimm stories often feature disturbing elements — murder, cannibalism, torture, abuse, and cruelty — reflecting a harsher medieval worldview rather than the softened versions known today.
The word Wald (forest) originally suggested a place of sanctuary or religious significance among pagan Germanic tribes. Tree worship was widespread, and those who damaged sacred trees could be punished severely. Many ancient customs survive today, transformed into Christmas traditions: mistletoe kissing honors the spirit of the oak branch, while bringing a Christmas tree (Tannenbaum) indoors stems from pre-Christian rituals.
The Black Forest economy relies heavily on tourism and agriculture, but also thrives on cottage industries such as cuckoo-clock making. Many homes double as workshops where parts made by one family are assembled by another. Franz Anton Ketterer of Schönwald is credited (in the 17th century) with adapting church-organ bellows to create the first mechanical cuckoo call.
Local specialties include kirsch — a potent cherry schnapps — Black Forest cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte), and hearty plates of cured or smoked meats.
Titisee
Titisee is one of the central Black Forest’s most popular lake resorts, offering windsurfing, water-skiing, and short boat cruises. Walkways along the lakeshore feature cafés and shops. The Drubba complex at the end of the main parade provides parking, a restaurant with English menus, multi-currency acceptance, and numerous souvenir stores. Prices are mid-range and convenient for groups.
Höllental
The Höllental (“Hell Valley”) is among the region’s most dramatic landscapes. The road from Freiburg to Titisee passes through winding valleys, villages, farmhouses and forested slopes. In winter the region becomes a classic alpine snowscape. At the steepest ascent, look for the natural ski-jump high above the road.
The most striking section is a narrow rocky gorge barely wide enough for the road. High on a cliff stands the Hirschsprung (“stag leap”) statue, marking a legendary point where a stag was said to have jumped across the chasm. A nearby train station shares the same name; if you reach it before seeing the statue, you’ve missed the view.
This valley is an ideal moment to share Grimm tales or play German Romantic music such as Beethoven or Wagner — if they don’t appreciate it here, they never will.
Freiburg-im-Breisgau
Population: 180,000. Freiburg is the cultural and commercial capital of the Black Forest — a historic university town founded in the 12th century by the Dukes of Zähringen. Remains of their castle overlook the cathedral. The town prospered along the trade route linking Swabia and Alsace.
Freiburg joined the Habsburg Empire, endured a 20-year French occupation (1677–1697), and later witnessed the 1770 farewell of Maria Antonia — the future Marie Antoinette — as she departed Austria for France. In a ceremony on a neutral platform in the Rhine, she shed Austrian dress and reappeared as the Dauphine of France.
The city suffered heavy bomb damage during WWII; many buildings were reconstructed. Today it is noted for its relaxed charm, warm climate and lively university presence. Located in the Dreiländereck — the “three-country corner” — Freiburg is minutes from both France and Switzerland. Small streams called Bächle run through the streets, historically used for firefighting and watering cattle.
The Visit: Freiburg
Most tours make a brief stop here to visit the cathedral. Enter along the Dreisam River, then follow the Ring roads through the university district, founded in 1457 and still one of Germany’s most distinguished institutions. The bus park lies near Karlsplatz, a short walk from Münsterplatz and the cathedral.
Münsterplatz was once a cemetery until 1513. Today it hosts a superb market featuring local produce and international delicacies. The red Kaufhaus, with Habsburg statues and coats of arms, dominates the square. Nearby are Wenzinger’s former home (now the town museum) and several patrician houses.
The Cathedral
Founded as the Zähringen family church, Freiburg Minster spans the full Gothic period. Early Romanesque sections of red sandstone contrast with later Gothic flying buttresses and stained-glass windows. Gargoyles serve both decorative and practical purposes, channeling rainwater away from the building.
The delicate open-work spire — a masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic — dates to the 16th century. Inside, many original stained-glass windows survive, funded by guilds and wealthy families. The west portal features biblical carvings including the Wise and Foolish Virgins, the Last Supper, and Judgment Day.
The tower (open daily except Monday) offers panoramic views. The largest bell, “Susanne,” dates from the 13th century. Visitors should be reminded that the cathedral is an active place of worship.
Nearby, the Kornhaus once stored grain and later housed the theatre; the Rathaus Square and Oberlinden Square contain historic inns, guild houses and one of the city’s oldest remaining gates, Schwabentor.
As you depart, note that Freiburg was home to cartographer Martin Waldseemüller — the man who first named “America” on a map.