The Black Forest

The Schwarzwald or Black Forest is known internationally for its natural beauty and outdoor recreation. Hiking and biking trails weave through the forest to quiet villages and amazing panoramas. Traditional handicraft such as cuckoo clock construction and glassblowing are practiced there to this day. Delicious local specialties like Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cherry cake), cherry schnapps, and Black Forest ham are exported internationally but always taste better locally. Although you can visit year-round, the best time to enjoy the beautiful landscapes is from May to September or for winter sports and activities from December to February.

Geography

The Black Forest is a sub-Alpine mountainous region in southwestern Germany. The region is usually said to take its name from the dense forest that blocks much of the daylight. Roman writers called the mountains “Abnoba” and the “Silva Marciana”; the Latin “silva nigra” only appears in medieval documents.

It is an area about 150 km (93 mi) long and up to 50 km (31 mi) wide with two distinct parts characterized by different weather patterns. The North is covered with dense forests thanks to high levels of rain, but it is also exposed to western winds. The terrain is characterized by steep changes in elevation and narrow valleys. The South is higher on average, but it has gentler slopes and is sheltered by the Vosges (a low mountain range along the border with France), which makes it drier.

In comparison to other places in Germany, the Black Forest has much lower population density. As you explore the region, you will find mostly small towns and villages or even just farmhouses standing alone.

Getting There

From Stuttgart, it is easy to reach the Black Forest by car using the surrounding highways: the A8 (Stuttgart-Karlsruhe), A81 (Stuttgart-Singen) and A5 (Karlsruhe-Basel). Have a look at this map.

Alternatively, it is possible to visit the Black Forest using public transportation. The whole region has quite a good railway network and bus connections. Bikes and dogs are usually permitted on the trains, and some buses even have trailers for bikes. Generally speaking, the more touristy an area, the better the public transport is. Some of the railway routes are also very interesting and scenic.

Most local hotels or vacation apartments offer their guests the KONUS Guest Card which allows you to ride regional trains and buses for free.

Sources: Black Forest Tourism: KONUS guest card Checked: Nov 2026

Culture

Traditional Dress

The Bollenhut has become a trademark of the Black Forest in the same way the Dirndl and Lederhose represent Bavaria, although this strange wide straw hat with red or black pom-poms (depending on the relationship status of the woman) has been part of the traditional costume of only three communities in the Central Black Forest. You can find them at many souvenir shops. The region otherwise has a great variety of traditional outfits, because each community had their own unique way of dressing. You can see examples in the Schwarzwaldmuseum (Black Forest Museum) in Triberg.

Historical Farm Life

The open-air museum Schwarzwaelder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof intends to give visitors a historical experience of how people used to live in the Black Forest. It was founded in 1964 with the restoration of the original farmstead. Since then, many original structures have been transported and reconstructed there, including mills, storehouses, a day laborer’s cottage, and a chapel. The buildings are decorated, furnished, and equipped with authentic historical items from the 16th through 19th centuries. Better yet, craftspeople in period attire give demonstrations, and in the summer you can eat a local meal prepared at the cooking demonstration.

Close to the museum there is a 1-km long mountain toboggan run which takes you on an exciting ride down the mountains, around bends and through tunnels.

Cuckoo Clocks (Kuckucksuhr)

These clocks are famous the world over, and they got their start in the Black Forest. You can buy all kinds of designs from local manufacturers, from very traditional house designs to more modern looks. Consider visiting Rombach & Haas in Schonach, a clockmaker founded in 1894.

The town of Schonach features one of the cuckoo clocks that has been awarded “World’s Largest” by the Guinness Book of World Records. It’s 50 times larger than a traditional clock and you can even walk inside to see the gears at work.

The Deutsches Uhrenmuseum (German Clock Museum) got started more than 150 years ago as part of the University of Furtwangen, which originally offered courses in clockmaking. Today it’s an IT school, but the museum is still popular. Its collection has more than 8,000 clocks and objects from around the world, with about 1,000 clocks on display. The museum is currently closed for a major renovation and no reopening date has been set, so check its website before planning a visit.

Sources: German Clock Museum: Closure for renovation Checked: Nov 2026

Glass-Blowing

Mouth-blown glass has been an artisanal craft in the Black Forest for more than 1,000 years. Today only two glassworks remain open: Dorotheenhuette in the town of Wolfach and Glasmanufaktur Hofgut Sternen in Breitnau. There you can visit the workshops to learn about the glassmaking process. You can actually see the glassgrinders and glassblowers at work.

At the Dorotheenhuette, every visitor has the opportunity to blow their own glass vase (with professional assistance). They also have a museum on the history of glassmaking. It includes an exhibit of glass more than 2,000 years old, as well as exhibits on modern uses of glass. There is also an outlet store selling pieces with slight (often nearly undetectable) flaws, plus a dedicated Christmas shop full of beautifully festive decorations.

Mining

The Museums-Bergwerk Schauinsland (Mining Museum of Schauinsland), not far from Freiburg, offers an underground experience of three mining periods. The Black Forest was a source of silver as well as some other metals including iron, copper, and lead. Depending on how much you want to learn about metal ore mining and the history of mining technology, you can choose guided tours ranging from 45 minutes to two and a half hours. The regularly scheduled tours are in German, but English leaflets are available and groups can book tours in advance in English. You can also find information about mines (no longer in production) that are open to the public.

Sources: Schauinsland Mining Museum: Standard tours Checked: Nov 2026

Food and Drink

Cake and Brandy

Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cherry cake) is a decadent cake that tastes as good as it looks. Chocolate sponge cake is layered in tiers with whipped cream and cherries between, doused in Kirschwasser (cherry brandy), then topped with additional cream, cherries, and chocolate shavings on top. The colorless, double-distilled cherry brandy is also offered in restaurants in a small shot after a nice dinner and is sold in decorative bottles as gifts. The foothills in the west and south are perfectly suited for orchards, which cultivate not only cherries but also plums, apples, and pears.

Ham

Black Forest ham is a boneless ham, salted and seasoned with a variety of spices including pepper, garlic, coriander, and juniper berries. It is dry cured, cold smoked till it achieves its distinctive nearly black color on the outside, and finally air cured once again. If you’ve had Black Forest ham in the USA, you might never have had the real thing: the protected designation is not respected in the States. Consider visiting the Black Forest Ham Museum in the Feldberg Tower, open from May to October.

Sources: Southern Black Forest Nature Park: Black Forest Ham Museum Checked: Nov 2026

Wine

Germany’s third largest wine region extends into the western foothills of the Black Forest. The wine is sold everywhere in local restaurants. Wine lovers can travel the Badische Weinstraße (Baden Wine Route), a tourist route of around 500 km (310 mi) through the Baden wine region, dedicated to wine. You can taste wine and simple local food at so-called “Strausswirtschaft” or “Besen,” simple wine taverns which are operated by the wine grower and opened only for a few weeks in spring and fall. In the fall there are many wine festivals in the region. Mueller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder and Gutedel are typical white wines in the Black Forest, and Spaetburgunder, Schwarzriesling and Dornfelder are common reds.