Still loving the little towns of Germany
I recently sat down to try to remember the times I’d been to Germany. I love it so much I keep going back. My first time I flew straight into Munich, and toured with a friend, Marc, from southern Germany to Salzburg, Bad Tölz, Lake Konstanz and Villingen-Schwenningen, where his parents lived, and Berlin. The next time was only 18 months later when we were on a tour around Germany including Ulm, Strauburg, Munich and Freiburg. Then only 6 months later I was back again in Bad Tölz, Munich, Freiburg and Berlin. Then two years later I went back, but this time was extra special - Marc my friend was getting married just out of Freiburg, and to be honest, I was ecstatic to have an excuse to go back again!
I can’t tell you what I love about Germany, but it just keeps pulling me back. Bad Tölz is a bigger town, and an easy train ride into Munich, it’s a great place for families to stay with shops and restaurants all there but the ability to do the touristy sites of Munich or even Salzburg easily. Marc and I stayed there on the way from Salzburg to Konstanz to break up the journey, but he’d never been there before either, it was a chance find that was fate as I later went with my family. Berlin has an amazing history, and this feel about it, I can’t even explain. It’s old and new, stuck up and grungy all in one city. Two visits have still not been enough for me.
But now I really want to talk about Freiburg. This was my third time visiting but my first real experience of Freiburg. Here’s a map. This is the bottom west corner of Germany, over the grey line to the left is France, a bit further North West is Luxembourg, South is Switzerland and South East you have Liechtenstein and Austria. (For anyone who doesn’t know where Lake Konstanz the start of it is the blue dot just below ‘Singen’). And that big green area that Freiburg is on the edge of is home to Belle and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast) otherwise known as the Black Forest. Freiburg is around a 2 hour drive from Zurich, a few hour train ride from Munich and Paris.
Freiburg itself is quite a big town, with lots of shops and restaurants surrounding a cobblestone square where the Freiburg Cathedral is, a large Gothic Style cathedral which has been under a lot of reconstruction for the last few years. I spent most of a day just walking around looking at the quaint old buildings interspersed with modern buildings. This photo of the cathedral is taken from the top of one of the more modern buildings where there is a rooftop bar/restaurant which is really popular in summer months.
I’m not sure this is going to help give credit as to why I love Freiburg so much, but one of the most famous things in Freiburg are the bächle that run through the old town. It is said these drains, that flow with fresh water through old town, used to be the town water supply. Be careful not to step in one though, as the locals will tell you that if you accidentally step in one you will marry a Freiburger…
I didn’t stay in Freiburg, I stayed about 15 minutes by train out in a small town called Kirchzarten. The most charming town with only a couple of restaurants and the basic shops. The townspeople were all lovely, and I felt that the tourists here were more local tourists, rather than Freiburg where there were tourists from around the world in different groups.
No trip to this part of the world is complete without a visit to the Black Forest, and of course a piece of Black Forest Cake… The day after the wedding we headed up into the Black Forest and were delighted there was a bacon festival happening. I actually didn’t see any bacon, but we were able to line the street of the town as people from different parts of the area walked through in traditional outfits, then we headed up to the market area where we ate Currywurst (Curried sausages), and other ‘delicacies’.
From this particular town we were able to work off our lunch by walking up into the bush a little and discover one of the many waterfalls in the Black Forest. The Black Forest, unfortunately, is really touristy, I’ve not been anywhere were the souvenir shops don’t abound, and so it’s good for a day visit, but it’s probably one of the main reasons I like to stay in other towns, that are less touristy.
Having had all of these different experiences staying in towns and cities, I would recommend to anyone going to Germany to take your time, it’s a big country with lots to see. And make sure you head out of the city a little. Most people can speak basic English, and with a little bit of German you can make it work. Everyone is friendly, and the beer is good, my one piece of advice though – don’t go to Germany if you are on a diet, the amount of carbs in their food makes me wonder how there are so many thin people there…
To end here is a photo of the 3 Aussies with the Bride and Groom: