The Black Forest of Germany is a heavily wooded mountainous region in the southwestern part of the nation. While its French neighbour to the west, the Alps to the south, Bavaria’s heart to the east, and the Rhine River valley to the north are much more popular destinations, a Black Forest road-trip is an exciting and breath-taking journey.
You won’t have to worry about missing out on your Vitamin D fix if you visit this part of Germany, it’s one of the sunniest areas in the country. Instead of going back to Spain or the South of France yet again, you can experience a new and exciting culture.
Furthermore, the region boasts excellent roads, less tourists, incredible scenery, and hearty German food and drinks—all of which we believe make for the perfect motorhome destination.
We’re going to try to back up that audacious declaration with some evidence and itinerary suggestions. Have you visited this area, or have you never thought of it? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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The Best Things About the Black Forest Germany
There are many vineyards here, surprisingly enough, in addition to towering mountains, dense forests, clear lakes and rivers, these hills are dotted with colourful, timber-framed structures for you to enjoy.
Because of its proximity to famous destinations, there are fewer tourists clogging up the roads and parking here. However, it will still be busy in the summer, so be warned!
You don’t need to worry about driving on the tiny mountain passes in Germany; the roads here are well constructed and maintained, and spacious enough to accommodate those larger campervans and motorhomes.
Camping spots in the Black Forest Park are plentiful, but they are often tiny and already full in peak season.
The Amazing food
When visiting the Black Forest in Germany, you can enjoy massive breaded Schnitzels, local pork sausages, Spaetzle (a sort of doughy noodle), venison and ham, and, of course, a slice of Black Forest Gateau.
The Black Forest gateau is a rich chocolate cake with cherries, cream, and so much Kirschwasser that you may not be able to drive after eating a slice (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is the local term for it).
It’s so important that Kirschwasser is included in a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte that the presence of Kirschwasser is LAWFULLY required in a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte!
The locals are a real delight—we encourage you to strike up conversations with them at traditional shared tables in bars whenever the opportunity presents itself—they will have great recommendations and interesting stories to tell, we assure you.
Fairy Tails
All of those classic fairy tales you enjoyed as a child—Rapunzel, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, RumpelStiltskin—were based on local events and recorded by the Brothers Grimm as they roamed from pub to pub collecting folktales. When you hike through the woods, you can appreciate why the area’s mystery and mystique are so strong.
The clocks
Cuckoo clocks are made here, and every Black Forest guide mentions them.
What to do in the Black Forest
The Black Forest High Route (B500) is one of the oldest and best-known roads in all of Germany and leads over 60km. It is a beautiful and scenic route that is a must do in the Black Forest with plenty of amazing stops along the way.
Wildline Suspension Bridge is 60 metres above ground and 380 metres long above the black forest. The bridge moves when it is windy and when other people are walking across it, so it is certainly not one for people who don’t like heights! The bridge is on the Sommerberg in Bad Wildbad, and there are also some other attractions here including a viewing platform with a slide and a children’s play park. It cost around 9euros per person to cross the bridge. If you like a bit of adrenaline and want some fantastic views over the Black Forest, then this is definitely one for you.
Lake Mummelsee is another great spot in the Black Forest. It is a popular tourist spot located directly on the famous Black Forest high road, 1032m above sea level. The lake is a very mystical and magical place with lots of myths surrounded it, included the legend of a mermaid that lives in the lake, and it is also said to be inhabited by the King of the Mummelsee. Lake Mummelsee is a great place for the whole family with lots of information boards around the lake with more information on the different myths and legends and also games for children to play.
Triberg Waterfalls are one of the highest waterfalls in Germany, with a descent of 163m and are well worth planning into your Black Forest trip. You do have to pay to see the waterfall which we thought was a shame as we feel that natural beauty like this should be free for everybody to see. There is a path to follow which zigzags up so that you can see the waterfall at different levels.
If you’d like to know more about the Triberg Waterfall, you can check out our blog post here – Triberg Waterfall Germany – Everything You Need To Know
The Feldberg Mountain is the highest mountain in the Black Forest region at 1493m above sea level and there are some fantastic hiking routes around this area. We followed this walking route that we found on All Trails – Explore | AllTrails – which was great, and we really enjoyed it. If you enjoy hiking, then we would highly suggest this area of the Black Forest.
A visit to Baden-Baden, the capital of the Black Forest region, is the perfect way to finish off a Black Forest tour.
Take a walk through the beautiful riverside gardens or explore the high-end fashion on offer, both of which can be accessed via the Spa. We visited the Caracalla Thermal Baths which were lovely, and we really enjoyed it.
We enjoyed our day trip to Baden-Baden because it had a very quaint and relaxed feeling and seemed to be more focused on shopping and relaxing than socialising and exploring. If you’re looking for upscale shops and spa days, you should have no trouble staying here for a couple more days. It is also a great starting point for exploring the northern half of the region.
Summary
Here’s why we think that Black Forest Germany is the perfect destination for a motorhome road trip.
We loved our time in the Black Forest a lot and hope to come back one day and explore some more.
Let us know in the comments if you enjoyed reading this post—and then go explore!
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I have always wanted to travel and luckily I always got to travel to some amazing countries while I was growing up with my family and this really encouraged me to continue this and get out into the world on my own when I was older.
My goal growing up was really to see as much of the world as I could, but then I started going to work and really concentrating on my career and travel took a back seat. I still tried to get away a few times a year but I always knew there was an end goal which was to travel as much as possible.
So I got my head down and worked as hard as I could as an e-commerce manager. I have always been techy, I love computers and websites, so that’s where it gave me the idea to start this blog and also have my own web design agency. If you want to check it out or need any help then please take a look rrwebdesign.co.uk (shameless plug there)
But after covid, we both knew this was now the right time to take the leap and go and see the world after being trapped inside our house and working from home for a couple of years. We realised more than ever that you only get one life and you really need to make the most of it and do what you love!
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