Three days is the sweet spot for the Black Forest. It is long enough to see a lively city, a lake, a waterfall and a spa town, and short enough that you do not spend the trip in a car. The plan below uses Freiburg as a base for the first two days, with an optional move north for the third. It works by train, bus and cable car, and it can be adapted to a car if you prefer.
Day one: Freiburg old town and the hills
Start in the Münster square when the market is in full swing. Climb the tower if the weather is clear, wander the lanes and the Bächle channels, and have a Lange Rote sausage or a coffee on the square. After lunch, walk up the Schlossberg, either on foot or with the Schlossbergbahn railway, for a free 360 degree view over the cathedral and the Rhine plain. If you have energy and clear weather, ride the Schauinsland cable car for a mountain walk, but plan around its annual maintenance closure in late autumn. Finish with Flammkuchen and a glass of local Pinot in a wine bar in the old town.
Day two: Titisee, the Feldberg and a waterfall
Take the Höllentalbahn from Freiburg, which climbs through a dramatic gorge to Hinterzarten and Titisee in about forty minutes. Walk the shore of Lake Titisee in the morning before the coaches arrive, browse the cuckoo clock shops, and then continue by bus or car to the Feldberg, the highest mountain in the region. The cable car and tower have seasonal closures, so check the operator before you go, but even without the lift, the moorland trails and views are rewarding. If you have a car and time, finish at the Todtnau Waterfall, a 97 metre drop that is one of the highest in Germany, or at Schluchsee, the largest lake in the Black Forest. Return to Freiburg for dinner, or sleep in Hinterzarten if you want a quiet night in the hills.
Day three, option A: Triberg and the clocks
Take the Schwarzwaldbahn railway to Triberg, or join a guided day tour if you do not want to drive. Walk the seven-stage waterfall path, which drops 163 metres beside the town, look for red squirrels, and then visit the Black Forest museum and the House of 1000 Clocks. A slice of Black Forest cherry cake is mandatory. Allow at least four hours in total, and add the Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum in the Gutach valley if you are driving and the season allows.
Day three, option B: Baden-Baden
If the thermal baths are the main draw, take a train to Baden-Baden and a bus or taxi to the centre, since the main station sits outside the town. Stroll the Lichtentaler Allee, then soak at Caracalla Spa or try the historic Friedrichsbad. In the afternoon, take a bus or taxi up the Black Forest High Road to the Mummelsee, a small glacial lake with a legend. If you are travelling with children, the Treetop Walk at Bad Wildbad is an easy, step-free forest outing instead.
Option C: Europa-Park or Rulantica
If the group includes younger children or theme park fans, devote the third day to Europa-Park, about forty minutes from Freiburg, or to the Rulantica water park next door. Both need a full day, and the theme park is seasonal, so check dates.
Getting around
Freiburg is the rail hub, so you can do days one and two entirely by public transport. Buy regional day tickets that cover trains and buses in the area, and check timetables for the evening return from Titisee and the Feldberg, since services thin out. Baden-Baden is reached by train via Karlsruhe or Offenburg, and day tours from Freiburg or Strasbourg are a good alternative to driving.
Where to stay
Freiburg is the best base for the first two days. Hotel Rappen sits on the Münster square, City Hotel Freiburg and Hotel Stadt Freiburg suit tighter budgets, and the Colombi Hotel is the polished choice. If you prefer to wake up in the hills, Parkhotel Adler in Hinterzarten is a calm base for the second day. For the Baden-Baden option, Maison Messmer and Brenners Park-Hotel put the baths on your doorstep.
Weather and clothing
The hills are colder and wetter than the Rhine plain, so pack layers, waterproof shoes and a hat in every season. Fog on the plain often means sunshine on the summits, which makes the Schauinsland or Feldberg a good bet on a grey morning. Many restaurants close one day a week, so check before planning a special dinner, and remember that sights reduce their hours in winter. Budget a little slack for each day. Black Forest roads and railways are slower than the map suggests, and a long lunch is part of the experience, so resist the urge to add a fourth stop. If the weather turns, swap the outdoor stops for the Freiburg museums, a spa session or a cake-and-coffee afternoon, and keep the cable car or lake for the next clear morning.
