Stuttgart Travel Forum

Hi!!

I want to come to Stuttgart this summer. Is it a good idea to come from Bonn or from Basel (Switzerland)?

Also, how does one go to the Black forest? what can be done there? can one join groups for a day hike or something?

Would really appreciate your inputs.

Thanks! :)

Hi
Well Basel is closer to Stuttgart than Bonn and certainly much closer to the Black Forest, which starts just over the border from Basel. It depends whether you will have a car or not which I recommend for the Black Forest as it spreads from the Swiss border to about Baden Baden, a town I suggest you start with. Baden Baden is a spa town and a bit expensive, but they have a tourist office which can help you with your day tours and hiking etc.

The Black Forest is famous for the Cuckoo clock and many villages will claim to have the world's biggest - that's just tourist stuff as I think the forest itself is the attraction with walking paths and wildlife (still have bears!).

There are lovely historic villages also, like the walled town of Gegenbach which has a nice square of half timbered houses. This is also wine country.

I don't know why you want to go to Stuttgart but its main claim to fame (apart from the city centre) are the motoring museums of both Porsche and Mercedes Benz.

If you don't have a car, then base yourself in a town like Baden or Gegenbach and do tours from there.
A word of warning, summer can be very busy there.

Hope this helps
John

Some links to help you planing the route.
e.g. logical would be Bonn - Heidelberg - Stuttgart - Black Forest - Basel

ICE network Germany
http://www.bahn.de/p/view/mdb/pv/pdf/fernverkehr/MDB44389-ice_2008_neu.pdf
IC/EC network Germany
http://www.bahn.de/p/view/mdb/pv/pdf/fernverkehr/MDB44388-ec_ic_2008_neu.pdf
railroads in the state Baden-Württemberg (Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Black Forest)
http://www.bahn.de/p/view/mdb/pv/planen_buchen/liniennetzkarten/2008/MDB49102-bawue_ticket_2008_streckenkarte.pdf

There are 2 main railroads through the Black Forest
Black Forest Railway: Offenburg - Villingen (- Donaueschingen)
Hell Valley Railway: Freiburg - Titisee (- Donaueschingen)
E.g. on the Black Valley Railway there are
Gengenbach - nice medieval town
http://www.stadt-gengenbach.de
Vogtsbauernhof Black Forest Open Air Museum near Hausach
http://www.vogtsbauernhof.org
Triberg - famous for its Cuckoo Clocks and waterfalls
http://www.triberg.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=24
http://www.dasferienland.de/e/

Black Forest Tourism
http://www.blackforest-tourism.com

> can one join groups for a day hike or something?
Some tourist offices offer such tours. But you can do the more popular hiking routes also by your own.