Paris, Alsace, Black Forest, Berner Oberland in 30 Days
Jul 26th, 2019, 09:52 AM
#21
Of course, i am a great fan of Strasbourg and go there as often as possible, but I am thrilled that you visited Mont Sainte Odile and Obernai. Actually, Obernai is my ancestral favorite, because all my life my grandparents and then my parents took me to a restaurant along the main street through town (unfortunately it no longer exists, I think) for an always fabulous choucroute. Of course my grandfather was a curmudgeon and always announce that choucroute was total crap. He always ordered a trout instead.
To show you how much I love Strasbourg, yes, here is another link to a photo report including the lovely boat trip: Strasbourg in September | Any Port in a Storm
To show you how much I love Strasbourg, yes, here is another link to a photo report including the lovely boat trip: Strasbourg in September | Any Port in a Storm
Jul 26th, 2019, 06:25 PM
#22
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You are visiting places that have long been on my wish list, and your observations are confirming why I want to visit them! Thanks for your well-done report, TravelerKaren -- I look forward to reading more.
Jul 27th, 2019, 06:28 AM
#25
Of course, i am a great fan of Strasbourg and go there as often as possible, but I am thrilled that you visited Mont Sainte Odile and Obernai. Actually, Obernai is my ancestral favorite, because all my life my grandparents and then my parents took me to a restaurant along the main street through town (unfortunately it no longer exists, I think) for an always fabulous choucroute. Of course my grandfather was a curmudgeon and always announce that choucroute was total crap. He always ordered a trout instead.
To show you how much I love Strasbourg, yes, here is another link to a photo report including the lovely boat trip: Strasbourg in September | Any Port in a Storm
To show you how much I love Strasbourg, yes, here is another link to a photo report including the lovely boat trip: Strasbourg in September | Any Port in a Storm
Jul 27th, 2019, 06:30 AM
#26
Jul 27th, 2019, 06:32 AM
#27
Jul 27th, 2019, 07:10 AM
#28
Day 16 – Baden-Baden
I was fearful about departing the parking garage in Strasbourg, but the exit was easier than the entry. Fortunately, nobody was coming in as we were leaving. We were surprised at how different this city looked compared to the cities/towns in Alsace.
We had read that these German towns along the border with France were so similar but we found this not to be the case in Baden-Baden. The architecture was completely different, most buildings from the Belle Epoque period. This spa town oozed class. This was another city that we were glad we stayed in and didn’t do as a day trip. It’s a short drive from Strasbourg to Baden-Baden. We stayed next to the Casino and across from the open air concert stage at the Dorint Maison Messmer, a beautiful hotel. Normally we don’t stay at 5* properties but we found a good deal on this hotel and liked the location and it’s garage parking availability. We arrived early before check-in so the hotel parked our car for us in their parking garage and made arrangements to have our bags delivered to our room when it became available.
We picked up a map of the town and were off to explore. We stopped at the casino to get tickets for the tour at noon. It is one of those casinos that reminded me of Monte Carlo but on a smaller scale. Gorgeous, classy rooms with beautiful paintings and heavy red drapery. Red was the predominate color. I wonder if red makes you gamble more 😊
Next we came upon the imposing Trinkhalle with its Corinthian columns and gorgeous frescoes. You would think it was housing an impressive collection of Renaissance paintings. But it is no more than an awfully grand home for the city’s tourist information office and a place to book tickets for local cultural events.
In the Middle Ages, the Marktplatz, or marketplace, was the vibrant center of daily life in Baden-Baden. Now, it is mostly a quiet area of cobblestone streets, a few cafes, a historic church (the Stiftskirche, whose original structure on this site is said to date back to about 1200) and a lushly landscaped, terraced garden that, from its upper levels, offers sweeping views of the city below. It was indeed a lovely, peaceful stroll in this area.
We then walked to Lichentaler Allee with its lovely, tree-lined promenade. We wandered through the Gonneranlage rose garden, a jewel box of a park that features more than 400 varieties of roses that bloom from May to October.
Afterwards we found ourselves on some pedestrian streets looking for the Russian Orthodox Church that we spotted as we drove into the city. There is a large Russian population in Baden-Baden which is evident in the signs and menus throughout the city. The church is small but beautiful. When we stepped inside it was dark and couldn’t see much, but after we deposited 1Euro each into the offering box, the lady working the gift shop turned on the lights. The floor and the side walls are covered with white marble. The vault is partly embellished with golden and blue mosaics in the Byzantine style. It’s really beautiful. It follows the same basic scheme as in all Orthodox churches. In the middle the “Royal Door” can be observed. Through that Door comes Christ, the “King of kings”. Besides there are also icons representing Archangels and the Virgin as well as John the Baptist. All and all it’s a very interesting church which shouldn’t be missed while in Baden-Baden.
We wandered up the Sophienstrasse which is called the “Fifth Avenue of Baden-Baden.” As we wandered pass the Gasthaus Lowenbrau, we thought it looked typically touristy but the menu looked good so we decided that would be where we’d eat dinner tonight.As we passed by the Friedrichsbad spa, we thought it looked really grand. But we weren’t taking a spa day since it is a strictly enforced, no-clothes-allowed spa. 😊After returning late afternoon to rest and freshen up, we returned to the Gasthaus Lowenbrau for dinner. All of the wait staff were in typical German attire and thought it rather kitschy but we still enjoyed the lovely setting and the meal was remarkably good. As we were walking back to the hotel, we found that the Baden-Baden Philharmonic was performing in the open air concert stage next to our hotel. We were pleasantly surprised that we were able to secure 2 seats and enjoy the free concert. They were playing movie themes which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Day 17 – Baden-Baden
We had decided that breakfast at the hotel was just too expensive, so we took a 5-minute walk to Sophienstrasse to Peters Am Leo. This was a great little breakfast place with lots of offerings and very reasonably priced, certainly better than the 36 euro breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we wanted to take the bus to the Merkur funicular but there was a display of all fire fighting equipment and the buses couldn’t get through the area, so we decided to walk to the funicular. It was a beautiful walk through the outskirts of Baden-Baden but it was all uphill🤪. We reached the funicular and took it to Merkur. We were hoping to see the hang gliders but it was too windy for them. We would see plenty of hang gliders when we got to Switzerland. We took the elevator to the top of the tower for some magnificent views over the city. We spent several hours here and decided to walk back to town from the funicular and stumbled upon gorgeous cascading fountains, lots of greenery and trees in a residential neighborhood park. We found out later that this park is called Wasserkunstanlage Paradies.
We walked around town on our return, stopped to see the Roman Ruins and then came across an amazing display of seafood offerings at the casual café called Nordsee. My DH’s mouth was watering - he loves seafood and could eat it at every meal. They had a large display case full of huge lobster tails, langoustines, shrimp sandwiches, plates of every kind of fish, etc. So we had to stop here for lunch. We had shrimp sandwiches and plates of langoustines and thought the food excellent, especially for a fast-food type of café.
After browsing some of the shops and more people watching, we went back to the room to freshen up and get ready for another evening concert by the Baden-Baden Philharmonic. Too full from lunch, we skipped dinner but had a coffee and Black Forest Cake (you must have Black Forest Cake while in the Black Forest 😊
at the Eiscafe.
Up Next Freiburg....
I was fearful about departing the parking garage in Strasbourg, but the exit was easier than the entry. Fortunately, nobody was coming in as we were leaving. We were surprised at how different this city looked compared to the cities/towns in Alsace.
We had read that these German towns along the border with France were so similar but we found this not to be the case in Baden-Baden. The architecture was completely different, most buildings from the Belle Epoque period. This spa town oozed class. This was another city that we were glad we stayed in and didn’t do as a day trip. It’s a short drive from Strasbourg to Baden-Baden. We stayed next to the Casino and across from the open air concert stage at the Dorint Maison Messmer, a beautiful hotel. Normally we don’t stay at 5* properties but we found a good deal on this hotel and liked the location and it’s garage parking availability. We arrived early before check-in so the hotel parked our car for us in their parking garage and made arrangements to have our bags delivered to our room when it became available.
We picked up a map of the town and were off to explore. We stopped at the casino to get tickets for the tour at noon. It is one of those casinos that reminded me of Monte Carlo but on a smaller scale. Gorgeous, classy rooms with beautiful paintings and heavy red drapery. Red was the predominate color. I wonder if red makes you gamble more 😊
Next we came upon the imposing Trinkhalle with its Corinthian columns and gorgeous frescoes. You would think it was housing an impressive collection of Renaissance paintings. But it is no more than an awfully grand home for the city’s tourist information office and a place to book tickets for local cultural events.
In the Middle Ages, the Marktplatz, or marketplace, was the vibrant center of daily life in Baden-Baden. Now, it is mostly a quiet area of cobblestone streets, a few cafes, a historic church (the Stiftskirche, whose original structure on this site is said to date back to about 1200) and a lushly landscaped, terraced garden that, from its upper levels, offers sweeping views of the city below. It was indeed a lovely, peaceful stroll in this area.
We then walked to Lichentaler Allee with its lovely, tree-lined promenade. We wandered through the Gonneranlage rose garden, a jewel box of a park that features more than 400 varieties of roses that bloom from May to October.
Afterwards we found ourselves on some pedestrian streets looking for the Russian Orthodox Church that we spotted as we drove into the city. There is a large Russian population in Baden-Baden which is evident in the signs and menus throughout the city. The church is small but beautiful. When we stepped inside it was dark and couldn’t see much, but after we deposited 1Euro each into the offering box, the lady working the gift shop turned on the lights. The floor and the side walls are covered with white marble. The vault is partly embellished with golden and blue mosaics in the Byzantine style. It’s really beautiful. It follows the same basic scheme as in all Orthodox churches. In the middle the “Royal Door” can be observed. Through that Door comes Christ, the “King of kings”. Besides there are also icons representing Archangels and the Virgin as well as John the Baptist. All and all it’s a very interesting church which shouldn’t be missed while in Baden-Baden.
We wandered up the Sophienstrasse which is called the “Fifth Avenue of Baden-Baden.” As we wandered pass the Gasthaus Lowenbrau, we thought it looked typically touristy but the menu looked good so we decided that would be where we’d eat dinner tonight.As we passed by the Friedrichsbad spa, we thought it looked really grand. But we weren’t taking a spa day since it is a strictly enforced, no-clothes-allowed spa. 😊After returning late afternoon to rest and freshen up, we returned to the Gasthaus Lowenbrau for dinner. All of the wait staff were in typical German attire and thought it rather kitschy but we still enjoyed the lovely setting and the meal was remarkably good. As we were walking back to the hotel, we found that the Baden-Baden Philharmonic was performing in the open air concert stage next to our hotel. We were pleasantly surprised that we were able to secure 2 seats and enjoy the free concert. They were playing movie themes which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Day 17 – Baden-Baden
We had decided that breakfast at the hotel was just too expensive, so we took a 5-minute walk to Sophienstrasse to Peters Am Leo. This was a great little breakfast place with lots of offerings and very reasonably priced, certainly better than the 36 euro breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we wanted to take the bus to the Merkur funicular but there was a display of all fire fighting equipment and the buses couldn’t get through the area, so we decided to walk to the funicular. It was a beautiful walk through the outskirts of Baden-Baden but it was all uphill🤪. We reached the funicular and took it to Merkur. We were hoping to see the hang gliders but it was too windy for them. We would see plenty of hang gliders when we got to Switzerland. We took the elevator to the top of the tower for some magnificent views over the city. We spent several hours here and decided to walk back to town from the funicular and stumbled upon gorgeous cascading fountains, lots of greenery and trees in a residential neighborhood park. We found out later that this park is called Wasserkunstanlage Paradies.
We walked around town on our return, stopped to see the Roman Ruins and then came across an amazing display of seafood offerings at the casual café called Nordsee. My DH’s mouth was watering - he loves seafood and could eat it at every meal. They had a large display case full of huge lobster tails, langoustines, shrimp sandwiches, plates of every kind of fish, etc. So we had to stop here for lunch. We had shrimp sandwiches and plates of langoustines and thought the food excellent, especially for a fast-food type of café.
After browsing some of the shops and more people watching, we went back to the room to freshen up and get ready for another evening concert by the Baden-Baden Philharmonic. Too full from lunch, we skipped dinner but had a coffee and Black Forest Cake (you must have Black Forest Cake while in the Black Forest 😊
at the Eiscafe.Up Next Freiburg....
Jul 27th, 2019, 03:44 PM
#29
I love Strasbourg, too . Hunawihr was my favourite of the little villages south, but we totally loved Wissembourg a bit north, too.
I like your mix of locations, nice contrasts and not too much travelling.
. Hunawihr was my favourite of the little villages south, but we totally loved Wissembourg a bit north, too. I like your mix of locations, nice contrasts and not too much travelling.
Jul 28th, 2019, 08:57 AM
#30
The pace on this trip turned out to be perfect for us.
Jul 28th, 2019, 09:18 AM
#31
Day 18 – Freiburg im Breisgau with stops in Gegenbach and Hausach
After another wonderful breakfast at our new favorite café, we headed to Gengenbach on the western edge of the Black Forest, a short drive from Baden-Baden. This is another cute gingerbread town with lots of charm and half-timbered houses. We found parking easy and close to the historical old town. We entered through one of the two remaining medieval gates and spent about 2 hours wandering around this beautiful town with flowers overflowing every window box.
It has a gorgeously restored Town Hall but we were not able to go inside as it was closed on Sunday. It would be amazing to be here in December as there is a daily ceremony where a new painted window is revealed during each day of December until Christmas. Additionally, we missed visiting the Stadtkirche Sankt Marien because of church services. We walked to the other end of the town and out the other gate over the bridge to admire the lovely vineyards and orchards perched above the town. There were lots of cafes in the old town square but having just finished breakfast, we didn’t partake of anything here. This town is a must see while in the area, but would suggest not visiting on a Sunday or Monday.
We headed to Hausach next and drove through some very scenic areas. The main sight in this town is the Husen Castle perched high above the town. The town is very small and not much to see and again given this was a Sunday, not much was open.
We found the small gravel road that pointed the way to the castle ruins. This is one of those very narrow roads with 2-way traffic that you hope you don’t encounter. Fortunately, we didn’t run into any cars coming down the mountain as we were headed up. There was a small parking lot mid-way up the mountain with a few other cars so we parked here and followed the signs to the trails leading to the castle ruins. After walking about an hour uphill looking for the castle, we finally turned around and headed back to the car. We kept seeing signs pointing to the castle ruins but could never see the castle from the trails we were on. Even though we didn’t get to the castle, the views were beautiful.
We arrived in Freiburg about 3pm and easily found our hotel, the Best Western Premier Hotel Victoria. We again picked this hotel for its location just outside the old town, and its private parking lot.
We fell in love with this vibrant university city immediately. While this is a city with a population over 200,000, the old town and its surroundings are easily walkable. With our handy little map, we entered the city near the Rathausplatz and were immediately enchanted with the gorgeous Old and New Town Halls. It is a merger of two former burghers houses dating from the 16th C that were linked by a central arcaded section and turned into the town hall. In front of both of the Town Hall buildings are mosaic coats of arms representing each of Freiburg’s sister cities, including Madison, WI. There are a scattering of cafes opposite the town hall where you can admire these striking buildings and people-watch.
As we walked through the town, we noticed these little “canals” running throughout. They are called ‘Bachles” and were designed in the 13th C to keep fires from spreading. We saw children playing in the streams throughout the city. We had to remind ourselves to look down often to keep from falling into one, which was difficult because we were always looking up in awe at the beautiful buildings.
We turned onto Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse and saw one of the two surviving towers of Freiburg’s former town walls called St. Martin’s Tower. There were tram lines crisscrossing everywhere and it was surprising how quiet they were.
Our next stop was the main square of Freiburg, called Munsterplatz where they host a bustling outdoor market in the mornings. We were too late today but planned to visit it during our stay. As we turned into the square the imposing magnificent cathedral caught our breath. Most impressive was the lacy spire towering over the squarer. We walked around the outside first to take in the unique statues and gargoyles. There is a ‘praying devil’ and other strange looking characters including a ‘mooning’ gargoyle 😊 Unfortunately, there is scaffolding on one side of the cathedral, as it needs constant upkeep because the walls are made from a soft sandstone that is fragile. At least we could admire the views from the front and right sides without being blocked by scaffolding. Inside there are pictures of Freiburg after it was devastated by WWII bombs but the cathedral was one of the few structures that survived.
The large Munsterplatz has some other beautiful buildings including the Historical Merchant House with it’s deep red color and the City History Museum. One of our favorite streets was between the City History Museum and the Merchant House called Konviktstrasse. This narrow lane is draped with wisteria and some small shops and cafes. The wisteria was not in bloom during our visit but I can only imagine how beautiful it would have been had we seen it then.
We were now starving so decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel and we noticed a great looking Italian restaurant called La Piazza with a beautiful garden courtyard. We were ready to relax with a glass of wine and a quick meal. The pizza was delicious and DH had pasta with seafood which made him happy.
Next up: Gutach, Triberg, more Freiburg
After another wonderful breakfast at our new favorite café, we headed to Gengenbach on the western edge of the Black Forest, a short drive from Baden-Baden. This is another cute gingerbread town with lots of charm and half-timbered houses. We found parking easy and close to the historical old town. We entered through one of the two remaining medieval gates and spent about 2 hours wandering around this beautiful town with flowers overflowing every window box.
It has a gorgeously restored Town Hall but we were not able to go inside as it was closed on Sunday. It would be amazing to be here in December as there is a daily ceremony where a new painted window is revealed during each day of December until Christmas. Additionally, we missed visiting the Stadtkirche Sankt Marien because of church services. We walked to the other end of the town and out the other gate over the bridge to admire the lovely vineyards and orchards perched above the town. There were lots of cafes in the old town square but having just finished breakfast, we didn’t partake of anything here. This town is a must see while in the area, but would suggest not visiting on a Sunday or Monday.
We headed to Hausach next and drove through some very scenic areas. The main sight in this town is the Husen Castle perched high above the town. The town is very small and not much to see and again given this was a Sunday, not much was open.
We found the small gravel road that pointed the way to the castle ruins. This is one of those very narrow roads with 2-way traffic that you hope you don’t encounter. Fortunately, we didn’t run into any cars coming down the mountain as we were headed up. There was a small parking lot mid-way up the mountain with a few other cars so we parked here and followed the signs to the trails leading to the castle ruins. After walking about an hour uphill looking for the castle, we finally turned around and headed back to the car. We kept seeing signs pointing to the castle ruins but could never see the castle from the trails we were on. Even though we didn’t get to the castle, the views were beautiful.
We arrived in Freiburg about 3pm and easily found our hotel, the Best Western Premier Hotel Victoria. We again picked this hotel for its location just outside the old town, and its private parking lot.
We fell in love with this vibrant university city immediately. While this is a city with a population over 200,000, the old town and its surroundings are easily walkable. With our handy little map, we entered the city near the Rathausplatz and were immediately enchanted with the gorgeous Old and New Town Halls. It is a merger of two former burghers houses dating from the 16th C that were linked by a central arcaded section and turned into the town hall. In front of both of the Town Hall buildings are mosaic coats of arms representing each of Freiburg’s sister cities, including Madison, WI. There are a scattering of cafes opposite the town hall where you can admire these striking buildings and people-watch.
As we walked through the town, we noticed these little “canals” running throughout. They are called ‘Bachles” and were designed in the 13th C to keep fires from spreading. We saw children playing in the streams throughout the city. We had to remind ourselves to look down often to keep from falling into one, which was difficult because we were always looking up in awe at the beautiful buildings.
We turned onto Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse and saw one of the two surviving towers of Freiburg’s former town walls called St. Martin’s Tower. There were tram lines crisscrossing everywhere and it was surprising how quiet they were.
Our next stop was the main square of Freiburg, called Munsterplatz where they host a bustling outdoor market in the mornings. We were too late today but planned to visit it during our stay. As we turned into the square the imposing magnificent cathedral caught our breath. Most impressive was the lacy spire towering over the squarer. We walked around the outside first to take in the unique statues and gargoyles. There is a ‘praying devil’ and other strange looking characters including a ‘mooning’ gargoyle 😊 Unfortunately, there is scaffolding on one side of the cathedral, as it needs constant upkeep because the walls are made from a soft sandstone that is fragile. At least we could admire the views from the front and right sides without being blocked by scaffolding. Inside there are pictures of Freiburg after it was devastated by WWII bombs but the cathedral was one of the few structures that survived.
The large Munsterplatz has some other beautiful buildings including the Historical Merchant House with it’s deep red color and the City History Museum. One of our favorite streets was between the City History Museum and the Merchant House called Konviktstrasse. This narrow lane is draped with wisteria and some small shops and cafes. The wisteria was not in bloom during our visit but I can only imagine how beautiful it would have been had we seen it then.
We were now starving so decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel and we noticed a great looking Italian restaurant called La Piazza with a beautiful garden courtyard. We were ready to relax with a glass of wine and a quick meal. The pizza was delicious and DH had pasta with seafood which made him happy.
Next up: Gutach, Triberg, more Freiburg
Jul 28th, 2019, 10:31 AM
#32
Ah, yes the ankle breaking Bächle!
We've visited Freiburg im Breisgau twice and quickly learned to watch our step!
Your summer photos are a nice contrast to those of ours taken in December. Pretty little city, isn't it?
We've visited Freiburg im Breisgau twice and quickly learned to watch our step!
Your summer photos are a nice contrast to those of ours taken in December. Pretty little city, isn't it?
Jul 28th, 2019, 10:43 AM
#33
The German cities across the Rhine are indeed lovely, although I have to confess that Baden Baden is one of the only ones that I have visited properly. Weirdly enough, the only town with which I became very familiar was untouristy Offenburg, because one of my best friends was stationed there for his military service (back when it still existed) and I drove to pick him up with other friends from time to time. But Offenburg was pleasant as well.
Jul 29th, 2019, 07:20 AM
#35
Melnq8: Happy to see you following us! Freiburg is indeed a beautiful city. We were surprised how much we enjoyed it.
kerouac: Next visit, we'll need to make time to visit Offenburg. So many wonderful towns in this area.
StCirq: I need to look up Ochsenschwansuppe Thanks for following us.
kerouac: Next visit, we'll need to make time to visit Offenburg. So many wonderful towns in this area.
StCirq: I need to look up Ochsenschwansuppe
Thanks for following us.
Jul 29th, 2019, 08:11 AM
#36
Day 19 – Scenic drive to Gutach and Triberg Waterfalls, more Freiburg
After a wonderful breakfast in the hotel’s charming breakfast room, we drove to the town of Gutach to explore the Vogtsbauernhof Black Forest Open-Air Museum. We found exiting the hotel and city very easy and enjoyed the scenery along our drive. This museum is a collection of old farm buildings around an old farmhouse; some house exhibits on the local dress and lifestyles and some have demonstrations. The only original structure was built in 1612 and was occupied until 1965. It was interesting to see how the roof is wider than the frame of the house so that there would be dry storage space under the eaves. Surrounding the main building are several smaller ones to explore including a farm mill, day laborer’s cottage, bakery and distillery and saw mill. We highly recommend a visit to this museum while in this area.
After leaving the museum we drove to Triberg to visit Germany’s highest waterfall. We didn’t spend time in the town. It looked full of touristy souvenir shops and the streets were crowded, so we headed directly to the street parking area near the falls. From where we parked, it was a short hike uphill to the entrance. It was a gorgeous day for hiking the trails along its steep misty gorge and we stopped at many lookout spots along the paths for different views of the waterfalls. We spent about 2 hrs wandering here and highly recommend a visit.
After returning to Freiburg, we freshened up and continued our walk around the old town. We passed the second of Freiburg’s surviving gates, the Schwabentor, and then headed down to the river where we followed it until we reached the picturesque restaurant Sichelschmiede overlooking the canal where we would have a delightful dinner.
As we headed back to our hotel for the night, we passed the Augustiner Museum where we would spend several hours on our last day in Freiburg.
After a wonderful breakfast in the hotel’s charming breakfast room, we drove to the town of Gutach to explore the Vogtsbauernhof Black Forest Open-Air Museum. We found exiting the hotel and city very easy and enjoyed the scenery along our drive. This museum is a collection of old farm buildings around an old farmhouse; some house exhibits on the local dress and lifestyles and some have demonstrations. The only original structure was built in 1612 and was occupied until 1965. It was interesting to see how the roof is wider than the frame of the house so that there would be dry storage space under the eaves. Surrounding the main building are several smaller ones to explore including a farm mill, day laborer’s cottage, bakery and distillery and saw mill. We highly recommend a visit to this museum while in this area.
After leaving the museum we drove to Triberg to visit Germany’s highest waterfall. We didn’t spend time in the town. It looked full of touristy souvenir shops and the streets were crowded, so we headed directly to the street parking area near the falls. From where we parked, it was a short hike uphill to the entrance. It was a gorgeous day for hiking the trails along its steep misty gorge and we stopped at many lookout spots along the paths for different views of the waterfalls. We spent about 2 hrs wandering here and highly recommend a visit.
After returning to Freiburg, we freshened up and continued our walk around the old town. We passed the second of Freiburg’s surviving gates, the Schwabentor, and then headed down to the river where we followed it until we reached the picturesque restaurant Sichelschmiede overlooking the canal where we would have a delightful dinner.
As we headed back to our hotel for the night, we passed the Augustiner Museum where we would spend several hours on our last day in Freiburg.
Jul 30th, 2019, 08:05 AM
#38
Day 20: Day trips from Freiburg to Staufen, and St Margen and St. Peter scenic loop
We woke to another beautiful day and after another pleasant breakfast, headed out to the town of Staufen. Surrounded by a vineyard covered mountain and overlooked by castle ruins, this town was a delight to explore. We found parking easy and close to the old town.
Like Freiburg, Staufen has little canals (Bachles) running along its main street, the Haupstrasse. We walked to the Marktplatz and admired the fountain upon which a soldier holds the shield of Staufen with its symbol, three golden goblets on a red field. Dominating the square is the Town Hall in both Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The coats of arms represent various powers that have controlled Staufen over the centuries. We then strolled the Hauptstrasse, admiring the beautiful buildings along this colorful street. There is a red building called Gasthaus zum Lowen that we read was owned by a popular and successful doctor/scientist. He lived and worked in this house, experimenting with chemical processes until an accidental explosion killed him around the year 1540. We reached the “Wine Fountain” and admired the large wine press that was on exhibit.
After we explored the main drag, we walked around many of the cobbled streets. It was interesting to see photos of the damage done to the town during WWII and the rebuilding of the town to mirror it exactly as it was before the buildings were destroyed by the bombs.
After spending about 2 hrs in this lovely town, we headed to the countryside to enjoy the scenic ride to the towns of St. Margen and St. Peter. We didn’t stop in St. Margen but rode through the town which was very small but scenic. We stopped for a view of the town from an overlook as we headed to St. Peter. The town looked lovely from a distance. There is a 2-hr trail that you can take from St. Margen to St. Peter but since we had the car, we didn’t want to spend 4 hrs on a round-trip hike. I’m sure this would have been a pleasant hike.
Arriving in St. Peter, we parked in the lot below the beautiful Benedictine Abbey. We spent time wandering this cute town and had lunch at one of the few restaurants on the main square, a pizzeria with a lovely terrace overlooking the vineyard covered hills.After our leisurely lunch, we explored the Benedictine Abbey and church for a glimpse at the Rococo interior. It’s interesting to see that people live in homes inside the abbey walls. Maybe they work at the Abbey?
Day 21 – Freiburg
We would spend our last day in Freiburg enjoying the rest of the old town sites, visiting museums and spending time on Castle Hill.
We love exploring French markets and Freiburg’s was no exception. We enjoyed looking at the colorful fruits and vegetables and watching locals vying for attention to get their favorites. As we wandered the market, we encountered a group of 4 young men singing acapella. They were quite good and we listened to them for about 15 minutes. In addition to the produce, there were some crafts vendors showing their unique designs. We bought a wooden bowl and wine holder made from olive wood as gifts for friends.
After exploring the market, we headed to the wonderful Augustiner Museum, Freiburg’s top museum. It does a great job of displaying its fine art and medieval artifacts in inventive ways around the reconstructed Augustinian church. There are interactive media stations that offer excellent information in English. The top floors show off the 19th century paintings and gargoyles while the 2nd floor contains the 16th to 19th C stained glass and the bottom floor displays some of the cathedral’s original 13th C medieval statuary.
The City History Museum was included in our one-day museum pass so we made a stop here. The most interesting exhibit was the models of the city, one from 1590 and the other from the early 1700’s.
We walked to the city’s Stadtgarten, a park within the Neuburg district. This lovely park has lots of trees and lakes and we enjoyed watching families and students enjoying the outdoors. After watching a family of ducks and strolling its grounds for about an hour, we took the funicular to the top of Castle Hill for beautiful views of Freiburg. We enjoyed a drink at the Schlossle restaurant while taking in the views of the city. All that remains of the fort that was once here are a few stony walls. We hiked a little higher to a stone bastion and after taking in the views from here, we headed back down to the city.
Next up: Wengen, Switzerland
We woke to another beautiful day and after another pleasant breakfast, headed out to the town of Staufen. Surrounded by a vineyard covered mountain and overlooked by castle ruins, this town was a delight to explore. We found parking easy and close to the old town.
Like Freiburg, Staufen has little canals (Bachles) running along its main street, the Haupstrasse. We walked to the Marktplatz and admired the fountain upon which a soldier holds the shield of Staufen with its symbol, three golden goblets on a red field. Dominating the square is the Town Hall in both Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The coats of arms represent various powers that have controlled Staufen over the centuries. We then strolled the Hauptstrasse, admiring the beautiful buildings along this colorful street. There is a red building called Gasthaus zum Lowen that we read was owned by a popular and successful doctor/scientist. He lived and worked in this house, experimenting with chemical processes until an accidental explosion killed him around the year 1540. We reached the “Wine Fountain” and admired the large wine press that was on exhibit.
After we explored the main drag, we walked around many of the cobbled streets. It was interesting to see photos of the damage done to the town during WWII and the rebuilding of the town to mirror it exactly as it was before the buildings were destroyed by the bombs.
After spending about 2 hrs in this lovely town, we headed to the countryside to enjoy the scenic ride to the towns of St. Margen and St. Peter. We didn’t stop in St. Margen but rode through the town which was very small but scenic. We stopped for a view of the town from an overlook as we headed to St. Peter. The town looked lovely from a distance. There is a 2-hr trail that you can take from St. Margen to St. Peter but since we had the car, we didn’t want to spend 4 hrs on a round-trip hike. I’m sure this would have been a pleasant hike.
Arriving in St. Peter, we parked in the lot below the beautiful Benedictine Abbey. We spent time wandering this cute town and had lunch at one of the few restaurants on the main square, a pizzeria with a lovely terrace overlooking the vineyard covered hills.After our leisurely lunch, we explored the Benedictine Abbey and church for a glimpse at the Rococo interior. It’s interesting to see that people live in homes inside the abbey walls. Maybe they work at the Abbey?
Day 21 – Freiburg
We would spend our last day in Freiburg enjoying the rest of the old town sites, visiting museums and spending time on Castle Hill.
We love exploring French markets and Freiburg’s was no exception. We enjoyed looking at the colorful fruits and vegetables and watching locals vying for attention to get their favorites. As we wandered the market, we encountered a group of 4 young men singing acapella. They were quite good and we listened to them for about 15 minutes. In addition to the produce, there were some crafts vendors showing their unique designs. We bought a wooden bowl and wine holder made from olive wood as gifts for friends.
After exploring the market, we headed to the wonderful Augustiner Museum, Freiburg’s top museum. It does a great job of displaying its fine art and medieval artifacts in inventive ways around the reconstructed Augustinian church. There are interactive media stations that offer excellent information in English. The top floors show off the 19th century paintings and gargoyles while the 2nd floor contains the 16th to 19th C stained glass and the bottom floor displays some of the cathedral’s original 13th C medieval statuary.
The City History Museum was included in our one-day museum pass so we made a stop here. The most interesting exhibit was the models of the city, one from 1590 and the other from the early 1700’s.
We walked to the city’s Stadtgarten, a park within the Neuburg district. This lovely park has lots of trees and lakes and we enjoyed watching families and students enjoying the outdoors. After watching a family of ducks and strolling its grounds for about an hour, we took the funicular to the top of Castle Hill for beautiful views of Freiburg. We enjoyed a drink at the Schlossle restaurant while taking in the views of the city. All that remains of the fort that was once here are a few stony walls. We hiked a little higher to a stone bastion and after taking in the views from here, we headed back down to the city.
Next up: Wengen, Switzerland
