Freiburg will always hold a special piece of my heart. I spent one year living and working in the city. Freiburg is one of the eco-friendliest cities in Germany, and is nestled at the bottom of the beautiful Black Forest. I know the city very well and would like to tell you my favourite things to do in Freiburg.
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Where to stay in Freiburg
| Price Range | Accommodation | Why Stay Here? |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Black Forest Hostel | Great dorms – no bunk beds! Kitchen on site to keep your budget down. |
| Mid-Range | City Hotel Freiburg | Basic, clean private rooms close to Freiburg city centre |
| Luxury | Novotel Freiburg Am Konzerthaus | Luxury rooms and suites. Onsite pool and buffet breakfast provided. |
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Things to do in Freiburg
1 Climb the Munster
The cathedral, located in the centre of Freiburg and also known as Freiburg minster, is an excellent example of German gothic architecture. Furthermore, it’s open all evening and I used to occasionally visit the Munster after work.
It’s free to visit, with the exception of the the bell tower. I recommend paying the small fee to see the beautiful view over Freiburg.
How to get here: The cathedral is located in the centre of the city. It’s hard to miss! To get to it by public transport, take the tram to Bertoldsbrunnen.
2 Explore Schlossberg
Schlossberg is the hill looking directly over Freiburg. To visit Schlossberg, you can either take the small funicular (like a mini-train!) up the hill from Stadtgarten (costs €3) or take the gentle stroll up to the top.
Once you have arrived, follow the trail around the edge of the hill to Kanonenplatz, for a beautiful view of the Munster.
From here continue to Kastaniengarten, where you will be blessed with a stunning view over the Schwabentor. The beer garden located here is the perfect place to watch sunset and enjoy a few steins of German beer – one of my favourite things to do in Freiburg
If you fancy spending a bit longer here, you can walk round to the south side and down into Oberau – a district of Freiburg in the East. From here you can take a tram back to the city.
How to get here: Schlossberg is located to the east of Freiburg. To visit, take the tram to Europaplatz.
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3 See the sunset on Schwabentor
Schwabentor is one of two town gates found in Freiburg. The other is called Martinstor. Arguably, Schwabentor is the more beautiful, as Martinstor is now home to a McDonalds! It’s even more stunning at sunset.
Schwabentor is best visited after a trip up Schlossberg. Take the small walkway through the gate and back down into Freiburg. There is no cost.
How to get here: To visit directly, take the tram to SchwabentorPlatz.
4 Go swimming in Seepark
Seepark is one of the most popular parks in Freiburg. The lake is the centrepiece of the park. There are many places where you can have a picnic or sunbathe along its banks.
The lake is great for swimming! You will likely see students from the nearby university jumping into the lake from the bridge on hot summer summer evenings.
After 5 PM, the park fills with people spilling out from work who are looking to enjoy the sunshine and have a BBQ.
In Germany, drinking and eating outside is very popular. At Seepark especially, many people will enjoy a beer… or three! I spent many summer evenings in this gorgeous park after work.
How to get there: Take the tram to Freiburg Am Bischofskreuz or Berliner Allee.
5 Hike Schauinsland
Schauinsland is a mountain located on the edge of the Black Forest. It is the closest mountain to Freiburg, therefore, making it very easy to visit. It’s easily accessibile by cable car.
Alternatively, it’s possible to hike up Schauinsland. However, this would make it a daytrip from Freiburg.
There are excellent hiking trails located at the top of the mountain (following taking the cable car).
Furthermore, the restaurant at the top, offers yummy German food with a beautiful view. Although it is slightly overpriced.
In winter, you can also go sledging here. It’s a pretty awesome set up – with a lift for you and your sledge to get back to the top of the hill. Unfortunately, when I visited, my boyfriend and I forgot to bring cash… don’t repeat my mistakes!
How to get there: Take tram line two to Dorfstrasse (20 minutes), then jump on bus 21, outside the stop, to Schaiunsland Talbahn (10 minutes). Then, you will arrive at the bottom of the cable car.
6 Wander through Augustiner Museum
Augustiner Museum is the best museum in Freiburg. Personally, I’m not big on museums, so I only spent an hour here. That being said, the art collection and details about the history of Schwarzwald were fascinating.
Entrance to the museum costs 7 €.
How to get there: Take the tram to Oberlinden.
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7 Eat waffles at Rathaus Platz
Rathaus is German for town hall, and Platz means square! So literally, the town hall square is definitely a top thing to do in Freiburg, beautiful old buildings.
There is also a great little waffle restaurant on this square, called Eiscafe Lazzarin. Sit outside and enjoy your surroundings while tucking into strawberry and chocolate waffles!
How to get there: Take the tram to Bertoldsbrunnen.
8 Eat German Food
Your visit to Freiburg wouldn’t be complete without tucking into some yummy German food. I recommend the following foods to try in Freiburg:
- Schnitzel – the most famous dish! It is breaded flattened meat (usually pork) fried in oil. Schnitzel is delicious and rightly so eaten all across the world.
- Spaghetti Eis – This German ice cream dish was designed for kids but is also great for all ages. The bottom layer is whipped cream, the middle layer is ice cream that looks like spaghetti, followed by a top layer of strawberry sauce and white chocolate shavings.
- Bratwurst – of course German sausages have to be tried. Best of all, most restaurants will serve these.
- Sauerkraut – a cabbage dish often cooked in beer. An acquired taste – many Germans rave about it but for me it was a bit too pickley!
The best place in Freiburg to eat German food is MartinsBrau. I recommend having the schnitzel with mushroom sauce and pan fried potatoes.
The last time I ate here, the fire alarm sounded, and we ended up eating on the street outside the restaurant. The waiters continued to bring out our food and we ended up chatting with the locals while we had dinner…. What a great experience!
9 Drink German Beer
Of course this makes the list…. Germany is very famous for its beer! Now I’m definitely not a beer person, however my boyfriend is a big fan. As a result, I have been dragged around the best beer places in Freiburg, often slightly unwillingly!
There are many different beers to taste in Germany. Feierling is the best place to go for drinks; it’s very popular the locals.
10 Explore the market in MunsterPlatz
MunsterPlatz is another square with the cathedral (Munster) at its centre. The square itself, is an attraction in its own right and a great thing to do in Freiburg. The square has a market on weekends, where you can buy local foods and delicious drinks.
At Christmas, this square hosts a huge German Christmas market.
Also, not to forget, the wine fair that descends on the MunsterPlatz every summer. Normally held in July, if you’re in Freiburg during this, be sure to go. You can sample lots of tasty wines and even some wine slushies… my personal favourite.
How to get there: Take the tram to Bertoldsbrunnen.
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How to get around Freiburg
- Bicycle: the most common form of transport around the city. Best of all, Freiburg is relatively flat and has excellent bicycle lanes – like most of Germany. You can hire a bicycle from the Radstation – the circular building next to the train station.
- Tram: the city has an extensive network of trams with 5 lines, serving 20 out of the 28 districts in Freiburg.
- Bus: not as commonly used as other modes of transportation; however, sometimes necessary when visiting attractions on the outskirts of the city.
- Car: Definitely hire a car if you would like to explore the rest of Baden Wuttermberg or further afield in Germany
How to get to Freiburg
By Air:
- Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport is the closest option. After you arrive, take the Flixbus from outside the airport to Freiburg city centre. This takes roughly one hour and costs $20. You can book here.
- Baden-Baden Airport is the next closest option located in Germany. Although small, Ryanair recently introduced budget flights to this airport. So it’s worth checking out if you’re flying from the UK.
- Freiburg is connected to many nearby cities by train.
- Basel is 50 minutes away, Munich five hours away and Stuttgart two hours away.
- Freiburg is on the border with France. Therefore, many French cities are within easy reach. Strasbourg is only one hour from Freiburg.
- Book through Deutsche Bahn.
By Bus:
- Flixbus runs an extensive network throughout Freiburg and beyond with prices starting at just 5 €.
By Car:
- There are many car parks on the edges of the city. If you park inside the city remember that some are time limited to just one hour.
Money saving tips in Freiburg
- Walk: the city centre is easily travelled by foot. Save money by walking instead of using the tram. You’ll also see some beautiful cobbled streets on the way.
- Eat in: you’ll find lots of new foods in Germany’s supermarkets. Think about cooking in instead of eating out as it’s significantly cheaper.
- Have a picnic: in the summer, the parks are the best place to spend your time – not restaurants! Pick up some beers and food from the supermarket and head out for the day.
Read more budget travel tips.
When to visit Freiburg
I would highly recommend visiting Freiburg in the winter. In winter, Freiburg is transformed into a winter wonderland. The mountains, and occasionally the city, are covered with snow. While the temperature may be as low as minus 20 °C, the city is very beautiful. You can take a day trip skiing and visit the Christmas markets.
During summer, Freiburg is hot. As Freiberg is so far inland, temperatures reach 35 °C. This is not so good for sightseeing, however, is great for time in the park or swimming in lakes.
Notably, spring and autumn are both good times of year to visit. It’s neither too hot or cold, therefore, good for sightseeing.
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Where to eat
MartinsBrau
- Go here for: Bratwurst and Schnitzel
- Estimated Cost: 12€ per person
- How to get there: Take the tram to Holzmarkt
- Address: Kaiser-Joseph-Straße 237, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Eiscafé Portofino
- Go here for: Spaghetti Eis and ice cream sundaes
- Estimated Cost: From 1€ (a scoop) to 6€ (a sundae)
- How to get there: Take the tram to Stadttheater
- Address: Bertoldstraße 44, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Feierling
- Go here for: Locally brewed German beer
- Estimated cost: 4€ a beer
- How to get there: Take the tram to Oberlinden.
- Address: Gerberau 46, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Schlappen
- Go here for: Flammkuchen and Bratwurst
- Estimated Cost: 8€ per person
- How to get there: Take the tram to Bertoldsbrunnen
- Address: Beim Martinstor, Löwenstraße 2, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Café Schmidt
- Go here for: Patisseries and black forest Gateau.
- Cost: 4€ per cake
- How to get there: Take the tram to Stadtheater
- Address: Bertoldstraße 19, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Get Insured
Getting insured is essential for every trip. You don’t want to get yourself into a sticky situation without any coverage! I recommend True Traveller insurance. These cover most pre-existing conditions – such as mental illness.
If you have no pre-existing conditions – Check out World Nomads.
Make sure you get insurance that covers all activities you would like to do while away.
Get connected
Pick up a SIM card when you land in Germany. You can get a cheap SIM in Aldi – which I highly recommend! If you’d rather have one when you land in the country, get a prepaid sim card before you arrive,
Staying safe
In general, Freiburg is a safe city. It’s a smaller size compared with many popular tourists spots, and doesn’t have a huge problem with pick-pocketers. Here are some tips below:
- Keep an eye on your drink: I had my drink spiked while living in Freiburg.
- Wear your backpack on your front in crowds.
- Ensure your valuables are in a zipped pocket.
Keep your money safe!
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I hope this has given you many things to do in Freiburg. The city and it’s people are both beautiful. I hope you have a great trip! If you have longer to explore the area, there are many other beautiful places to visit in Baden-Wurttemberg.
Hi i am in freoburg now having a mid-life crisis and i dunno what to do and none of the stufff u posted i feel i can do in my present state. Help