Flwrhead

I've reworked our 8 night itinerary to start in the Black Forest, but am wondering if anyone has thoughts on which town is better for a base? I initially thought Baden-Baden,but as Frieburg is a university town and I'm traveling with my 24yo son, he might find the nightlife there more interesting. We are traveling solely by train in late March/early April. Thoughts?

Melnq8

I can't speak to Baden-Baden, but we found Freiburg the perfect base for making day trips to Staufen, Colmar, Basel and parts of the Black Forest. I enjoyed Freiburg, and we returned the following year.

I have to say though, we visited in December and found the Black Forest underwhelming that time of year. It strikes me as more of a summer destination, and that's saying something because I rarely travel the summer!

Flwrhead

Thank you Mel, I finished reading your trip report this morning! Thank you for so much info!

My son will go wherever, once I showed him a picture of Burg Eltz he happily gave up on Neuschwanstein, lol.

eta - it's so hard to know what to see, it's already a terrible time of year to visit (no wonder the airfare was reasonable). We're staying two, maybe three, nights in Koblenz because it's on the Rhine, close to Cologne, and Burg Eltz, plus seems interesting in and of itself. Then the last three nights in Frankfurt with day trips to Wurzburg and likely Heidelberg/Rothendam, etc. A lot will depend on the weather!

Melnq8

Wow, Burg Eltz looks fascinating - I assume you noticed that it's closed until April 1?

Flwrhead

CURSES!!!! No, but it's so beautiful that I would go early to see it, even just to walk to it. We aren't leaving until April 2. Might have to make it a day trip from Frankfurt because now I am determined to see it!

Lubitsch

Wow, so that is the result of your reworked itinerary from here Probably an insane itinerary for 8 nights in/out of Frankfurt ? How the heck does the Black Forest come into the game? Which is a terrible idea as Melnq8 says in a gently veiled way because it is even more about small (and mostly mediocre) towns, comparatively difficult with public transport and even less suitable for bad weather. Also thinking about Baden-Baden and Freiburg as base towns for the Black Forest is the classical evidence that the poster hasn't understood what the Black Forest is. Both towns lie barely on the edge of it and are completely unrepresentative of it. They also don't issue the gratis KONUS card for public transport.

What Burg Eltz has to do with anything is beyond me (Melnq8 already pointed out the small problem with it) and what makes you think that Koblenz is a great base town, too. It has no strong museums itself and was heavily destroyed in WWII. It is a good base town in a warmer period because it allows you to branch out towards Mosel and Rhine but both rivers are only modestly attractive in winter especially the Upper Middle Rhine valley is one of the most depressing places on earth on a bad winter day. If you really want to move towards Cologne then Bonn would arguably be a more logical choice.

Also I gave you a long list of good and inexpensive day trips from Frankfurt, but Würzburg certainly isn't around the corner, Heidelberg not that cheap and "Rothendam" ... yeah, no. Have a nice time planning, I'm out here.

Flwrhead

Wow, you really DO shit all over people's itineraries! Glad you're out, the insults you hurl aren't worth any practical or useful information you may have.

And you most certainly can take advantage of the KONUS from Freiburg: https://www.schwarzwald-tourismus.in...iburg-feldberg

Melnq8

They also don't issue the gratis KONUS card for public transport.

Freiburg does.

swandav2000

Hi Flwrhead,

A few years ago, I visited both Freiburg and Baden-Baden by train. Freiburg was by far my favorite -- it's an absolutely lovely smal city, and I could definitely get lost there for a few says, even without considering the countryside.

Baden-Baden is a very sweet resort town with lots of Roman and Romantic historical remains. It has an intriguing old town full of winding alleys, and a pleasant river running through town. But it was a bit hard to get to-- the train station is about 8 miles outside of town, so you have to take an additional bus to get into town.

Freiburg was simply fascinating, with medieval buildings, winding cobbled streets, and cozy corners everywhere. There are nice walks outside of town that would be pretty and interesting in any weather without heavy snowfall (I like to walk); Rick Steves gives detailed information about one walk, from Sankt Märgen to Sankt Peter, I think it is.

Have fun as you plan!

s

quokka

To correct a misunderstanding: The KONUS card is valid within Freiburg, but accommodations in Freiburg do not issue it. The same applies to Baden-Baden. I have checked the list. Hence, staying in either city you will not get it.

MyriamC

We are in Baiersbronn right now. Starting our drive of the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse to Baden-Baden in a few minutes. We had hoped to have snow to do some Nordic ski but there is no snow in sight. With snow the Black Forest is a great place to be. With clouds and mist it is a sad area, though it's still great for hikers.
However, there 's enough to keep us busy. Tomorrow we' ll visit Strasbourg and we want to re-visit Titisee in the southern Schwarzwald, where we spent a week with lots of snow many years ago.

neckervd

Freiburg has more to offer than Baden-Baden.
Don't forget to visit Mainz (between Koblenz and Freiburg). If you like smaller places, you may check Speyer, Gengenbach or Brettten.
If you want to go into the Black Forest for hiking (as most Germans do), you will find well signmarked trails over the whole territory.

neckervd

TO MYRIAM
https://www.hochschwarzwald.de/Titis...tisee-Neustadt

Lubitsch

Quokka has already confirmed my KONUS info - and amusingly you thought my suggestions pretty good here Probably an insane itinerary for 8 nights in/out of Frankfurt but like most users you can't take criticism. It's a waste of time. Drag your poor son into deserted areas across the whole country and have fun.

MyriamC

I know. I consult weather forecasts and webcams all the time. But since this was the only week my husband and I had no other obligations, we just went. Our previous visit to Titisee was 35 years ago. I remember we walked on the frozen lake and we langlaufed in the forests. It was so beautiful.

StCirq

I have visited both, though not recently, and found that there was far more to do in Freiburg and just a younger, more vibrant feeling all around. Baden-Baden, while beautiful, struck me as a staid retirement community with baths and pharmacies.

Melnq8

The KONUS card is valid within Freiburg, but accommodations in Freiburg do not issue it.

Mine did - twice (Hotel Minerva). And this still appears on their website:

In addition, as a guest of our hotel you receive the special advantage of being able to use all public transport free of charge - from the day of your arrival to the day of your departure.

For us that meant The Konus Card. Perhaps it's changed, but I'd definitely ask.

I just looked here, and Freiburg isn't listed as of April 2019.

https://www.blackforest-tourism.com/info/KONUS

Flwrhead

I appreciate that you appear to know what you're talking about, and I do appreciate the suggestions given in the other thread.

Guess what - I've never been to Germany before! I don't know what towns are good for train travel and connecting to other trains! Don't know if you've been to the states, but train travel is mostly non-existent here. Rather than come into a forum and ask stupid questions and be browbeaten (which was foolish to try to avoid because it'll happen anyway), I've researched DB, downloaded the app, looked at what towns are hubs and tried to plan accordingly. Only to be disparaged.

If you don't have anything helpful to add, if your purpose in commenting is solely to make me feel badly, then please don't bother.

Flwrhead

So crazy, you're right, it's on their website (I've tried to call the hotel but will have to call again, got voicemail) but not on the flyer. I also tried calling the Schwarzwald Tourismus office in Frieburg but they're already closed for the day. I'll keep trying because now I want a definitive answer!

quokka

I'd rather understand this a s public transport within the city of Freiburg. If thy had the KONUS they'd name it such.