May I ask what is the most interesting part about Black Forest? Where will you choose to stay for 1 night? Any cruise available there?

Take your pick from the following as to what's interesting:<BR><BR>You could tour the southern part of the Black Forest area from Freiburg, a university town with a wonderful old town, magnificent cathedral and an interesting pedestrian area leading to it and the Munsterplatz which is surrounded by architectural delights and a wealth of shops and restaurants. Go to www.freiburg-online.com/freiburg/english/multimedia/html/frameset-diashow.html<BR><BR><BR>From Freiburg, drive east on Rte 31 to Hinterzarten, then north on Rte 500 to Furtwangen where one of the first tributaries of the Danube, the river Breg, begins. Furtwangen has a museum, the Deutsches Uhrenmuseum, that exhibits more than a thousand clocks and watches and workshops where you can see how clocks are made by hand. This is a town in the heart of cuckoo clock country. Backtrack a short distance on Rte 500 and follow the signs to Gutenbach, Rte 294. You’ll be traveling west through the Simonswald Forest and the Wilde Gutach Valley towards Gutach. Once in Gutach turn left and left again at Waldkirch. You’ll now be on the Schwarzwalder Panoramastrasse (Black Forest Panoramic Road) which climbs a winding path to the Kandel mountain and returns after a series of bends and turns to Furtwangen. In Furtwangen, look for road signs leading east to Vohrenach and Hammereisenbach. At Hammereisenbach,, continue south through Eisenbach to Titisee with it picturesque lake. Continue south on Rte B317 to Todinau a town surrounded by mountains on all sides. For a view of the Black Forest from a mountaintop, take the chairlift up the Hasenborn. There is a road leading directly to Freiburg from Todinau that passes between a number of mountains and provides some attractive views.<BR><BR>If, instead, you choose a hotel near Strasbourg, you can easily tour parts of the northern Black Forest including the Schwarzwald Hochstrasse (Black Forest High Road). Take Rte E52 (28) east from Strasbourg to Rte 3 south to Offenburg, then Rte 33 southeast to Gengenbach, a town that will make you forget about Rothenburg. Gengenbach has been carefully preserved with gates, towers, old walls and timber-framed houses. It’s nowhere near as well known as Rothenburg and you’ll encounter far fewer tourists. Check the website: www.badenpage.de/gengenbach where you can take a “walking tour” of the village. Continue on Rte 33 to Hausach where you’ll find the Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof, an open-air museum with typical 16th and 17th century Black Forest homes and working water powered sawmills. From Hausach, take Rte 294 north to Freudenstadt, then Rte 28 west about 12 kms to Rte 500. Turn right onto 500, the Black Forest High Road and continue to Baden-Baden, the spa town. You can take Rte 3 south from Baden-Baden back to Rte 28 and Strasbourg, or cross the Rhine just west of Baden-Baden and take Rte 68 southbound to Strasbourg.<BR><BR>Neither one of these itineraries involves much mileage but each will easily consume a full day, with stops for strolling through villages and stops to enjoy scenic views. <BR>

So much to like in all of it. I could see making Oberkirch and all that whole valley to the east as a second home - - even though my heart generally otherwise belongs to France.<BR><BR>The only cruising, as far as I know, is across the Rhine in Alsace.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

I'm sorry - - if you meant cruising like ON the Rhine in Germany, then that is not what you will find in Alsace. There is some houseboat self-drive stuff there.<BR>

to the top<BR>

So there are no Rhine cruises from Strasbourg down to Basel? does something about the river preclude it? or just visually uninteresting? Weird, since it passes between two areas so interesting to a lot of people: the Black forest and Alsace.<BR>

I stayed at a lovely, small inn just outside Gengenbach last year. Their restaurant is wonderful. Great breakfasts, too. We had a large room with two beds and a sitting room, a large patio overlooking the garden. The room included a CD/Radio, a TV/VCR with movies (American movies but in German). The shower had a shower massage overhead and several sprayers so we would get hit from all directions. All this for under $100 a night for the two of us including breakfast.<BR><BR>www.badenpage.de/hotel-benz/<BR>

Hallo Jolin,<BR><BR>You can in fact cruise from the Rhine at Mannheim all the way down the Neckar river to Plochingen, which is just SE of Stuttgart. This is only really bringing you to the northern edge of the Black Forest proper though. <BR><BR>To recommend a one day visit in the Black Forest I would need to know more about your interests, how you are travelling etc.<BR>Harzer

Hi Diane!<BR><BR>I'm sorry to say this but I cannot imagine how you could have paid nearly $100 for the accommodation you are describing.<BR>I have just done quick search on accommodation in Gengenbach and found far more comfortable places (two bedrooms, fully equipped kitchen, separate sitting room, all the facilities you mentioned, and situated on a producing property with a deer enclosure just outside your back door) for 35 - 48 Euros a night. Even with breakfast this is barely half what you paid. You must have had full board to justify that price.<BR><BR>In fact I was so impressed with what I found that I have just altered my itinerary to include a week in Gengenbach in my travels next June.<BR><BR>Harzer

Diane!<BR><BR>Sorry, that should read 'wine-producing' property i.e they have a cellar of wines and Schnaps produced from their own grapes, with tasting rights for the guests.<BR>Harzer

Well, Harzer, she didn't make it up, She did say "We..." and said "UNDER $100 a night"<BR><BR>Gave the reference too - - <BR><BR>big as day, they proclaim:<BR><BR>Alle Preise pro Person und Tag (inkl. Fr&uuml;hst&uuml;cksb&uuml;ffet), zuz&uuml;glich Kurtaxe <BR><BR>Doppelstudio-Panorama<BR>(in der 2. und 3. Etage mit Blick ins Tal u. Wald, ca. 38 qm, Wohn- und Schlafbereich, Sitzecke, Dusche, WC, SAT-TV, Haarf&ouml;n, Kosmetikspiegel, Minibar, Telefon mit Durchwahl, Balkon)<BR><BR>EUR 42,--<BR><BR>And a single (standard) is in line with what you said - - 42 per person also.<BR><BR>Doesn't seem so mysterious to me.<BR><BR>Looks like a lovely place, Diane.<BR><BR>Love hearing about places like this from someone who has been there and enjoyed it.<BR>

I was the person who recommended the Hotel Benz to Diane based upon my own experience with the inn and the criteria that Diane defined. Rates now are somewhat higher than they were this time last year.

I suppose I should have remembered that, Wes - - looking at the "root" - - www.badenpage.de - - I believe that I have looked at this before, based on your receommendations. Always appreciate your stuff.<BR>

I enjoy all of the Schwarzwald but my preference is the route southeast from Offenburg - via Gengenbach - Hausach - Wolfach - Gutach (Vogtsbauernhof) - Triberg - Furtwangen - Titisee. Of those - Gengenbach is a favorite (the Benz is nice - http://www.bavariaben.com/hotelbenzgengenbach.html - but if you are looking for bargains - definitely try the farms in this area - to include any of these - http://www.bavariaben.com/farmscentralbf.html

Regarding Hotel Benz, we paid $75 for their largest twin room, and $38 for a single (there were three of us). That included tax and an incredible breakfast where they cooked eggs to order, squeezed orange juice on request, buffet offered meats, cheeses, nuts, dried fruits, and so many other things I can't remember. We had dinner there three nights as it was so wonderful. Second and third nights we ordered half-board having five-course dinners for $16 per person inclusive (wine extra). The food was presented so beautifully we took photographs, and the restaurant is pretty.<BR><BR>I travel for a living as a meeting planner and stay at luxury hotels and resorts. The dinner at Hotel Benz compared favorably to meals I've had at outrageously expensive restaurants. <BR><BR>I'm sure there are many wonderful places to stay in the Black Forest. My thanks to Wes for recommending this one. We had a wonderful time and hope to return.

Rex, one of us must have flunked math at school. $US100 is something like 115E is it not?<BR><BR>I'm talking a self-catering apartment for two to five people for somewhere between 33E and 48E a night for the whole place. The lower price is for two people, the higher one for five. There is no breakfast thrown in here, you have the facilities to fix your own.<BR><BR>I'm so glad you Americans haven't managed to find the sort of place we stay in, or my friend and I wouldn't be living in luxury for under 20E a night each for very much longer.<BR><BR>Aren't you the guy that is keen on Iphofen? We went there last year because of your recommendation and were quite delighted with the town and its wider neighbourhood, and also with the wonderful vineyard accommodation just out of town for DM75 (38E) a night for two, with breakfast. What is this in US dollars and cents? Well, the Sesterhof in Gengenbach is on a par with what we had in Iphofen, only cheaper.<BR><BR>Have a nice day<BR>Harzer<BR>

There can't possibly be any comparison between a self-accommodating property that charges by the week and an inn that charges by the night.<BR>

Hi Bill!<BR><BR>Who said anything about charging by the week? Look up the sites I am referring to ('Gengenbach' into your search window) and see for yourself. Prices are quoted by the night. You get a discount on these as a rule if you stay a week. <BR><BR>Harzer