Central Black Forest Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Gengenbach
Villingen-Schwenningen
Triberg im Schwarzwald which includes signage
Triberg im Schwarzwald featuring street scenes
Triberg im Schwarzwald which includes a park and a bridge
Find long-held traditions, quaint towns and vistas of spectacular natural beauty in the heart of Germany’s fairy-tale forest.

The Central Black Forest region contains all the charming culture and stunning wilderness that makes the wider Black Forest area such a popular destination. Discover its combination of time-honored craftsmanship, hilltop walks and idyllic towns. Although it is relatively small, Central Black Forest packs in so many museums, heritage sites and hiking trails that you never need to leave the region during your visit to southwestern Germany.

Start your exploration in the Black Forest Open Air Museum. Here, centuries of culture are preserved in a series of farmhouses and cottages that show how local families and communities used to live. Watch costumed actors, often wearing the bobble-covered Bollenhut hat, demonstrate traditional handicrafts.

Head to one of the towns to see half-timbered houses and medieval churches. Wander the old town of GengenbachOpens in a new window to soak up a typical Black Forest atmosphere. Look for the symmetrical pink façade of the Town Hall, which turns into a building-sized advent calendar in December.

Tour the other towns in the region. Shop for local produce in the markets of busy OffenburgOpens in a new window and buy a cuckoo clock in Triberg im SchwarzwaldOpens in a new window. In Villingen-SchwenningenOpens in a new window, the Black Forest’s proud history meets Germany’s more modern side. Find trendy shopping venues and cool cafés across the city.

No trip to Central Black Forest is complete without spending time in the countryside. Experience the magic of the Triberg Waterfalls and explore the ruins of Hochburg Castle. Trek along walking routes leading up Kandel, an accessible mountain summit, and through the fields of the Kinzig Valley.

Rent a car for the most convenient way to explore the compact region. Offenburg and Freudenstadt in the north and Waldkirch and Villingen-Schwenningen in the south are the most convenient towns to use as gateways.

Central Black Forest can be visited at any time of year, with peak season in the summer months of July and August. Visit in winter, when the town squares are lit up with the festive twinkling lights of Christmas markets.

Where to stay in Central Black Forest

Gengenbach Old Town

While visiting Gengenbach Old Town, you might make a stop by sights like Gengenbach Town Hall and Upper Gate Tower.

Gengenbach Old Town
Novotel Freiburg am Konzerthaus
Novotel Freiburg am Konzerthaus
4 out of 5
Konrad Adenauer Platz 2, Freiburg im Breisgau, BW
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is AU$170 per night from 13 Apr to 14 Apr
AU$170
includes taxes & fees
13 Apr - 14 Apr
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Freiburg im Breisgau. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,002 reviews)
Perfect location
"The hotel is in the perfect location - near to the train station and the city centre. Our room was a good size, bed was comfy, and there was a kettle for making tea and coffee, which was great. The only downside to our trip was the swimming pool and sauna were closed for renovations...and we had ..."

Reviewed on 27 Mar. 2025

Novotel Freiburg am Konzerthaus
MOXY Rust
MOXY Rust
3 out of 5
Jakob-Schneider-Strasse 2, Rust
The price is AU$201 per night from 9 Apr to 10 Apr
AU$201
includes taxes & fees
9 Apr - 10 Apr
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Rust. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a 24-hour health club. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
9/10 Wonderful! (674 reviews)
Lovely stay
"Lovely welcome and great information gained to us - very friendly staff indeed and they do really have a busy job catering to everyone’s needs and different languages as well. We had pizza in the evening and it was lovely for a good price. Very close to Europa Park and they have a shuttle bus to ..."

Reviewed on 31 Mar. 2025

MOXY Rust
FourSide Hotel Ringsheim, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
FourSide Hotel Ringsheim, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Elzstraße 4, Ringsheim
The price is AU$143 per night from 6 Apr to 7 Apr
AU$143
includes taxes & fees
6 Apr - 7 Apr
Stay at this hotel in Ringsheim. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (402 reviews)
"It is a short bus ride from Europa Park"

Reviewed on 29 Oct. 2024

FourSide Hotel Ringsheim, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Ferienwohnung Misita
Ferienwohnung Misita
Fischerstr. 16, Rust, BW
Stay at this aparthotel in Rust. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and daily housekeeping. Popular attractions Europa-Park and Rulantica are located nearby.
9/10 Wonderful! (152 reviews)
"Serviceable family rental flat a very short walk to Europa Park. Beds were comfortable, kitchen was hard to use as there were basic things like a colander and a spatula missing. Easy walk to Lidl or Edeka. Really can't beat the location, and a lot of space for the price."

Reviewed on 4 Jul. 2024

Ferienwohnung Misita
Atelierhaus Beckmann, the space for your holidays
Atelierhaus Beckmann, the space for your holidays
Gengenbach
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in Gengenbach. Enjoy a garden, patios, and an in-room coffeemaker. Popular attractions Upper Gate Tower and ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (32 reviews)
Perfect apartment in perfect location
"This is a perfect holiday location....the apartment has everything you need & was spotlessly clean. Gengenbach is probably the prettiest town we saw in the Black Forest & a fantastic base to explore the region. We stayed 11 nights & used the train on the Konus card scheme every day bar 1.....great ..."

Reviewed on 27 Sep. 2019

Atelierhaus Beckmann, the space for your holidays
Black Forest house for nature lovers in a secluded location from 04/25 Outdoor sauna on request
Black Forest house for nature lovers in a secluded location from 04/25 Outdoor sauna on request
Wolfach
Stay at this vacation home in Wolfach. Enjoy free WiFi, a sauna, and a garden. Popular attractions Dorotheenhutte Wolfach and MiMa, Museum for Minerals and Mathematics ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (60 reviews)
Wandelvakantie
"Prachtige locatie voor magnifieke wandelingen. Het huisje heeft alles wat we nodig hebben maar niet voor de winter. Die verwarming met hout is echt niet gezond. het huis is een en al rook. Er komt rook uit in de living via die buizen. Die installatie moet nagekeken worden."

Reviewed on 12 Feb. 2023

Black Forest house for nature lovers in a secluded location from 04/25 Outdoor sauna on request
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Cities near Central Black Forest