We are staying in Strasbourg for 3 nights and have 4 days to drive to the black forest before going to Colmar .We thought we would stay around Freiburg for 3 nights, explore the area, drive down to Lake Konstanz , stay there for 1 night, and drive back to Alsace for the last 3 days.
Could someone tell me if 3 nights is too much for Freiburg, how far Lake Konstanz is from there and it there is a small town close to the lake where we can stay and not be invaded by tourists?
Does anybody have any other suggestions for us on where to go from Strasbourg without doing a lot of driving? We like to stay in one place and do day trips?
Thanksa lot.
Evelyne Ervin
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Freiburg is a lovely town, but I don't know that I'd spend three nights there. However, Colmar is close, as is Staufen, which is a perfectly charming little town with two tiny brooks running down the main street, and an outdoor wine kiosk. It is worth a visit, perhaps an overnight. You could stay in the very hotel from where Mephistophele is said to have taken Faust off to hell.

I wasn't impressed by Konstanz, but Meersburg, on the other side of the lake, is really beautiful. We stayed at the Gasthof zum Bären, with its unique oriel windows. We'd love to have spent more time in Meersburg. You can take a boat trip to Mainau, the flower island. A pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

I don't recall seeing a lot of foreign tourists in Meersburg, but the Germans know it well.

Freiburg is down in the valley, very close to Colmar. You might consider staying up in the Black Forest in a town like Hinterzarten, Titisee, Schluchsee. A very beautiful hotel with excellent cuisine, spa and pool is Adler in Haeusern. www.adler-schwarzwald.de

There is landscape, mountains, lakes, farmhouses with rustic restaurants, cuckoo clock manufactures.

There are hundreds of hotels there. Driving time from Freiburg to the Black Forest is 45 to 60 min, depending on traffic conditions.

titisee is very touristy, including japanese menus, but we had fun the one night we stayed there.

My kids still remember the sign at one of the hotels on the lake "hotel seehof - am see".

I think that there are probably nicer places, on the whole.

Strasbourg wasn't terribly interesting for me - maybe you'll like it better.

Freiburg was more enjoyable - more character, I'd say. There are other smaller, worthwhile towns in the area too. Gengenbach is a particularly nice walled town, full of half-timbered homes, cobblestones, towers; good for a daytrip or overnight. I stayed in Elzach last spring - a very untouristy scenic setting, good for daytrips up to Hausach, Gutach, or Triberg as well as into Freiburg. Had a cozy private B&B with balcony for less than 20 euros there.

Titisee is so picturesque that it can be forgiven for attracting so many visitors - do go there.

On Bodensee, Meersburg is nice but is completely inundated with tourists, mostly German, but we're talking busloads. You might enjoy the little village of Moos, about 2-3 km from Radolfzell, or Radolfzell itself if you want a larger town. We rented an apartment in Moos for one week several years ago and enjoyed the peace and quiet and the daytrips to the other towns around Bodensee.

Enjoy your trip.

Thank you so much for all that wonderful advice. I've been reading 10 different guide books and spending hours on the internet, so much so that I'm very confused right now. I' m so glad I thought of registering as a member with Fodors; in 5 minutes, 4 kind other members gave me more valuable information about the area than hours spent reading guide books.I will certainly make very good use of their advice. Again, many thanks!!!
Evelyne