Since it's foundation in 1120, Freiburg im Breisgau, a city in Baden-Württemberg has become a cultural and historical mosaic of colours and variety. Situated in the heart of the Black Forest in the South Western tip of Germany, Freiburg straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg and is home to those who thrive on cultural diversity and high quality education, as well as for those who want a perfect European vacation. It has a population of 225,000, living in an area of 153 sq km.
How to Get There:
Freiburg is accessed by road, rail and air. The nearest airport is Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg EuroAirport lies just inside Switzerland’s borders with France and Germany. EuroAirport is actually on French soil, connected to Switzerland by road, and shared with Mulhouse (France) and Freiburg (Germany).
Getting from the EuroAirport to Freiburg itself takes less than an hour by bus. EasyJet provides regular services to Liverpool, Luton, Nice, Barcelona, amongst others. You can also come via the airports Zürich, Strassburg, Stuttgart or Frankfurt in 2 to 3 hours by bus or car. Frankfurt Airport connects to Freiburg by ICE/IC direct rail. Intra-city travel is easy, since Freiburg has an excellent public transit system. This is anchored by an expanding web of tram routes, integrated with feeder buses.
What to See:
Freiburg is a hub for regional tourism and operates the longest cable car trip (3.6 km) in Germany. The city has an unusual system of gutters (Bächle) that run throughout its centre. These Bächle, used to provide water to fight fires and feed livestock and never for sewage, constantly flow with water diverted from the Dreisam. During summer, the running water provides natural cooling. Freiburg Minster is Freiburg's most famous building and landmark. Its 116 metre spire is a masterpiece of deesign. Other places are the Münsterplatz (minster square), which hosts a huge, colourful market weekdays; Historisches Kaufhaus, the Historical Merchants' Hall and the Augustinerplatz. There are five art galleries, the Konkret Martin Woern, Meier, Foth - Markus Foth, Albert Baumgarten and Freiburg Galleries.
Where to Eat:
There are a number of places to wine and dine well, like the St. Ottilien Waldrestaurant, St. Valentin Waldrestaurant, Toscana Firenze Italian Restaurant and the Gasthaus zum Stahl, but for a taste of the local food, Freiburg the Wine City and Black Forest Gateau are recommended.
Events:
International Tent Music Festival, Alemannic Carnival and Freiburg Wine Festival are popular. The city is known for its high standard of living and advanced environmental practices. Located in the middle of a major wine-growing region, Freiburg is tourist entrepot to the truly beautiful Black Forest. The meteorological department claims that the city is the sunniest and warmest in Germany.
Hotels:
There are well over forty hotels in Freiburg, catering to all categories of visitors, apart from numerous bed and breakfast homes. Of the hotels, Hotel Schwarzwälder Hof,Central Hotel Freiburg,Hotel Am Rathaus,City Hotel, Hotel am Stadtgarten,Colombi Hotel Freiburg and Hotel Oberkirch are all good, with prices in the mid-ranges. Cheaper accommodation is also available.
