Route from Amsterdam to Black Forest and back

Check train connection options with Deutsche Bahn: https://int.bahn.de/en/.

Hint: Black Forest is a long way. Harz Mountains with highest Mt. Brocken are closer and offer with old towns such as Goslar a remarkable World Heritage Site.

If you want to drive a car in Germany ensure the validity of your driving license in Germany and possibly also an IDP is needed to have valid driving permission in Germany (see same source).

Listing some more interests would help to do recommendations. For some kind of interests I would not recommend South Germany, for others not the northern part.

A friend spent last week in Amsterdam and really liked it. But avoid having a car while there.

You don't drive or train from Amsterdam to the Black Forest. You fly. Go into Basel, it takes an hour 20 minutes and costs less than $100. Rent a car and go where you want to hike.

You don't drive or train from Amsterdam to the Black Forest. You fly

opinions vary

A daily direct train from Amsterdam to Zürich goes right through, easy to go from Offenburg or Freiburg im Breisgau.

Thanks for the recommendations! I know the quickest way to get to the Black Forest would be the fly but I was trying to use this trip as an opportunity to explore some of the cities conveniently located along the route. We generally enjoy exploring cities with a historic district. We generally try to stay in one hotel at least two nights. We enjoy learning about culture and history. We probably wouldn't want to spend more than an hour or two a day in a museum though. In general we really enjoy doing guided walking tours

I probably should also add that my wife is a pescatarian. So she does not eat meat but she does eat dairy and eggs and occasionally fish. Will it be very difficult to find food?

No, not at all. The German restaurants I went to had a decent amount of both fish and vegetarian options. And the same goes for Amsterdam. Most European restaurants are very aware of food restrictions and will always offer options.

And I think you will really enjoy Gengenbach, one of my favorite places! I stayed there for 4 nights in 2022 and absolutely loved it. The town is very charming with beautiful half-timbered houses (it's frequently called a "chocolate box" village) and has a beautiful Altstadt, with quite a few restaurants and cafes to choose from. There are lots of things to do on a day trip there and it's very quick (and easy) 40 minute train ride from Strasbourg, if you want day trip options. The town also has a decent amount of good restaurants, cafes and bars.

The town church (Saint Marion) is quite beautiful, and the medieval gates to the city are really interesting. The Benedictine Abbey is also worth a visit, and behind it are some cloistered gardens that were a joy to wander through. This was one of my favorite places. It was peaceful and inviting and I could have stayed for hours. There were little signs of inspiration scattered around, and some children from a nearby kindergarten playing on one side.

Also don't miss a walk through Engelgasse and Höllengasse streets (near the Tourist info center). Here you will find cobblestones and half-timbered houses, flower pots and cats resting on doormats and quaint dolls in the window. I felt like I had walked back in time when I strolled through these quaint and narrow streets.

There is also a nice hike you can take that will get you above the town with some absolutely beautiful views of below. The hike ends up at a church called St. Jakob auf dem Bergle that sits above town. The TIC in town will have maps showing you how to get there. it was a really nice hike and as I said, the views are just lovely!

Assuming places to stop on the way to Gengenbach, A stop in the Mosel Velley is in order as it is Strassenweinfest season on the weekends at various villages along the river.

Thanks so much for the tip! Any other favorites along the route from Amsterdam to the black forest? Or even a bit off the route?

A few suggestions to research assuming mostly train travel. Note that if you get a car the general advice from this forum is to stay in one country with the car.

To the Black Forest - Cologne, Mosel Valley, middle Rhine (Bacharach, St Goar etc.), Trier, Speyer (need a car), maybe Baden-Baden (a bit touristy but not without charm).

From the Black Forest - Strasbourg/Colmar. There are fast trains from Strasbourg that change in Brussels or Paris that will get you back to Amsterdam.

Thank you so much this is exactly the kind of information I was looking for!

Some information about hiking trails https://www.germany.travel/en/nature-outdoor-activities/hiking.html