My husband and I will be traveling from Bacharach to Munich via car in late September for 2 days. We aren't very interested in the Baths in Baden Baden, and we're from Colorado and see a lot of forests. Does the Black Forest warrant it's own trip? If so, where are some non-touristy stops? Otherwise, we thought we might go through Heidleberg and Tuebingen. Thoughts? We are planning a side trip to Fuessen from Munich, after our tent reservation at Oktoberfest. And later traveling through Rothenburg up to Berlin.
Posted by
Paradise
7066 posts
The Black Forest has lots of interesting towns where folks live life at a slow pace, carry on region-specific traditions, and speak funny German dialects in a very scenic part of Germany. You can find heavy tourism and/or Rick-niks in some spots (Staufen, Baden-Baden, Freiburg, Titisee, Triberg) but there are lots of other great (and greater) places to explore. I suggest you check out Bavaria Ben's Black-Forest-heavy trip reports to get some idea as to whether you'd enjoy yourself there. I certainly have enjoyed my trips there. Schiltach, Haslach, and Gengenbach are especially fetching little places, IMO. Villingen is an old walled town with towers and an attractive pedestrianized old town - virtually no tourism at all: VILLINGEN Maybe you'll do as Ben did on his 2012 trip and include the Heidelberg and Neckar Valley region on the way to the BF: Bavaria Ben, 2012 Ben's other recent Black Forest trip reports: Bavaria Ben, 2011 Bavaria Ben, 2010(includes Gutach and the Vogtsbauernhof)
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
The southern Black Forest is impressive, but probably not to someone from Colorado. And even this region is nothing compared to the Alps. The northern and centra Black Forest is typical of southern and central Germany- scenic, but not particularly unique. Go through Heidelberg and Tübingen instead. And from Heidelberg to Tübingen, take the route that follows the course of the Neckar river upstream to Heilbron, rather than the direct Autobahn route. This is one of the more scenic drives in Germany. Comparable to the Mittelrhein, if not quite at the same level.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
The Black Forest region is okay, but they're just rolling, forested hills. If you're going as far as Fuessen, just go a little farther south into Western Austria and the Alps. To me, they're prettier than most places in Colorado, and without the mobile homes.