Travel guide – the black forest
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Overview
The Black Forest (Schwarzwald in German) covers a range of birch and pine studded hills along 100 miles (161km) of southwest Germany’s border with France. The forest is renowned as a holiday mecca with its picturesque fairy-tale villages, spa-bath resorts, hiking trails and ski resorts. The first famous holidaymaker to enjoy rest and recuperation in the Black Forest was the Roman emperor Caracalla who stopped at the natural spring waters, at what is now the town of Baden-Baden, around 2,000 years ago. Since then the Forest has been the chosen destination of the rich and famous: everyone who is anyone from Napoleon to Mark Twain has come to take the waters and enjoy the forest’s natural beauty.
In medieval times the local people developed the traditional skills of woodcarving, glass-blowing, jewellery-making and clock-making, and these are still followed today to the delight of tourists with spending money in their pockets. The Black Forest has also become known for its local delicacies like Black Forest ham and cherry cake.
The most central town in the Black Forest is Freudenstadt, which is the starting point for hundreds of miles of hiking and ski-trails through the nearby hills. Most visitors, however, prefer to find accommodation in guest lodges in the small villages sprinkled throughout the region, exploring by car, on foot or bicycle.
The playground of Europe’s royalty and aristocracy in the early 1800s, Germany’s famed resort town of Baden-Baden, in the heart of the Black Forest, still draws thousands of tourists who come to relax in the waters and gamble in the casino. The Friedrichsbad bathhouse has been the scene of much pampering for about 120 years. Those seeking rest and recuperation still enjoy its steamy marble confines, soaking in mineral water in the nude. Male and female facilities remain separate, and the roughly three-hour bathing routine follows a strict regimen of showers, hot-air blasts, steam baths and massages. Nearby are the equally famous Baths of Caracalla, which features indoor and outdoor waterfalls, swimming pools and jacuzzis. The complex houses a 2,000-year-old Roman bath once used by the Emperor Caracalla. The town’s casino was built in the 1850s in the style of the Palace of Versailles, and is worth seeing even for those who do not gamble.
Black Forest cake and cuckoo clocks are what most visitors travel to Freiburg for, but the beautiful city has far more to offer than the expected. The recommended way to explore the town and environs is by bicycle (there are plenty for hire) along more than 93 miles (150km) of bicycle paths. What one will find is a wealth of ancient history, some delicious food and wine, and breathtaking natural beauty. The city (really a large town) is known for its university, magnificent cathedral and medieval treasures, and a somewhat bohemian vibe with its street musicians and pavement artists. The Altstadt (Old City) is picturesque, featuring canals and dozens of historic buildings. A cable car carries passengers on scenic trips up the Schauinsland Mountain from the Stadtgarten to enjoy the view from the mountaintop restaurant. Freiburg hosts a music festival in mid-June each year, followed by a wine festival at the end of June and a wine-tasting festival in mid-August. Visitors very much enjoy the local Black Forest cuisine on offer at Freiburg’s restaurants.
Founded by the Romans as a mercantile centre on the northern edge of the Black Forest, Pforzheim, at the confluence of the Wurm, Enz and Nagold Rivers, is today the centre for traditional jewellery and clock-making. The town features a fascinating Technisches Museum (at 81 Bleichstrasse, tel: 07231 392869), to commemmorate the important role time-keeping has played in Pforzheim’s history. The museum features a reconstruction of a clock-making studio in the 19th century. Jewellery is also important in the town and the Schmuckmuseum collection features pieces dating from the 3rd century BC through to modern times. Pforzheim also has an interesting Alpine Garden which has 100,000 or more varieties of high-altitude plants growing in a natural setting beside the Wurm River.
The true spirit of the Black Forest is brought to life in the Schwarzwald-Museum of Triberg, which documents the old traditions and lifestyle of this unique region, with displays of costumes, handcrafts (including clocks) and furnishings. It also boasts Europe’s biggest barrel organ collection. Nearby Gutach contains original Black Forest homes up to four centuries old at the Freilchtmuseum Schwarzwalder. An exceptional waterfall at Gutach drops down the mountainside in seven stages, accessible by a walking trail. South of Triberg a huge variety of elaborate Black Forest clocks is on display at the German Clock Museum, to be found at Gerwigstrasse in the village of Furtwangen.
Climate
Coastal regions of Germany have a temperate climate with warm summers and mild cloudy winters. Inland, the climate is more continental with warmer summers and colder winters. The Alpine and upland regions have cooler weather and more rain. Rain can be expected throughout the country all year round.
Health
There are no serious health risks in Germany, although there have been recent outbreaks of measles in Bavaria, Lower Saxony, and North Rhine Westphalia. The German health service is excellent. There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK and most EU countries, whose citizens are entitled to free medical and dental treatment on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Nationals of other countries should take out medical insurance. Cases of bird flu have been reported, but no human infections have been found. The risk is low for travellers to Germany, but all close contact with wild, caged or domestic birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes should be well cooked as a precaution.
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