Freiburg im Breisgau Travel Forum

Hello there! I'm accompanying my boyfriend on a business trip to Freiburg next month. We have plans for the weekends (Munich, then Zurich) but during the week I'll be on my own all day and pretty much every evening since my boyfriend will be working and networking Mon-Fri.

I've never been to Europe before and I'm very excited, but I don't know much about Freiburg (I'd never heard of it before, to be honest) or how to keep busy all week. Are there tour group companies in the area? Cities nearby that would be easy for a non-German speaking person to get to (and safely back from)? I'd rather find a few day long tour group to join than go out and about alone (I imagine it will get pretty lonely by the end of the week), but since I probably will be alone, any tips in general for what to do?

Thanks!

Hi,

Here are some links that might help you: http://www.freiburg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1143535_l2/index.html
http://www.freiburg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1143513_l2/index.html
http://www.freiburg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1143513_l2/index.html
The first two are in English, for some reason the third (about culture) only works in German. If you like, you could let me know when your solo-days are in Freiburg, then I can check what's there to do (thing like expositions, concerts etc.)

good luck,
Lubama05

Freiburg is a very nice town. I'm sure you'll like it there. The Black Forest is very close, you can also hop across the Rhine for a quick visit in France or go and visit Basel in Switzerland, more than enough for a week.

http://www.blackforest-tourism.com/ tells you about the Black Forest.

The train ticket Baden-Württenberg Ticket is valid until Basel and is 18 Euro for one person. It's valid on all local trains after 9 am.

Enjoy your stay.

Definitely Basel (Switzerland) and Colmar (France). I did that myself while on business trip in Freiburg. See my respective pages for tips how to get there and what to do.

Also, I did a half-day excursion to the talles mountain in the vicinity of Freiburg - actually right outside the city borders - in the Black Forest. Again, see my Freiburg page for more info.

Freiburg itself is well worth to explore for one full day or two half days. It will keep you busy enough! Don't try to see too much, better soak up the atmosphere, watch the locals, have a glass of local wine and so.

Freiburg is one of those few cities that were bombed into rubble in late '44 but is nonetheless a nice place to live in or visit. Sadly, the "Bächle" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freiburg_bächle) will be dried out when you arrive.

Freiburg is a University town attracting students from around the globe, so you won't have problems finding bars, clubs or pubs or people your age who speak English.

You could visit Strasbourg, France; Basel, Switzerland or Baden-Baden, a spa-town not far from Freiburg. As said before, Freiburg is surrounded by the Black Forest with some nice lakes. You could rent a car or bike and explore the area.

I'm pretty sure there are tour group companies, but they aren't my cup of tea (and I have friends in Freiburg so why would I bother touring with a group of strangers?).
Best, drop the tourist information a mail and check what they have to offer in this respect.

But with only 5 days, you won't have much time getting bored anyway.

As for staying safe: Normal precautions will do.
I'm sure you'll enjoy Freiburg - consider yourself lucky.

From Freiburg you have frequent trains (half hourly) into the Black Forest.
http://www.titisee.de/servlet/PB/menu/1148699_l2/index.html
http://en.feldberg-schwarzwald.de/

Another idea besides trips to cities is the Black Forest Open Air Museum
http://www.vogtsbauernhof.org/

Baden-Baden, the ultimate spa town with the nicest casino in Europe
http://www.baden-baden.de/en/index.html

Europa-Park (one of the best leisure parks in Europe)
http://www.europapark.de/

Also a must in Freiburg the farmers market around the cathedral
http://www.fwtm.freiburg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1151530/index.html
Mo-Fr 07:30 - 13:00
Sa 07:30 - 13:30

> I'd never heard of it before, to be honest
Freiburg heads the list of the most liveable cities in Germany. The region has the nicest climate in Germany, the best food, excellent wine and beer (e.g. Rothaus).

I would recommend to skip the weekend trip to Munich and Zürich. Quite far, i.e. you loose considerable time on traveling. You can find equal interesting sites if not better closer to Freiburg.

> I would recommend to skip the weekend trip to Munich and Zürich.
> Quite far, i.e. you loose considerable time on traveling.

My thoughts exactly (just forgot to express them ;-) ).

The Baden-Württemberg Ticket, btw, is only valid on regional trains (including public transport / mass transit in cities), not on IC or ICE trains.
On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the not-before-9am-restriction does not apply.

Oh, and if you happen to fly into Frankfurt, head to "Fernbahnhof" at the airport to catch your train to Freiburg.
http://www.airportcity-frankfurt.com/include/airport-city.com/jsp/static/terminal/images//all.gif
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
From: FRA
To: Freiburg HBF

From the Euroairport (Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg) there's a bus leaving from the French side of the airport.
http://www.freiburger-reisedienst.de/en/airportbus/timetable.php

If you enjoy art, they will have a special exhibition of paintings of Venice, which includes Monet works, at the Beyeler Foundation Museum in Basel. They also have permanent collections of modern art that include works by Andy Warhol, and Paul Klee, among others. The web site: www.beyeler.com/fondation/e/html_11sonderaus/01_aktuelle/intro.htm.

You can travel by train quite easily. The German rail site is: www.bahn.de. Pay special attention to the link there for laender tickets. These are discounted tickets that allow for travel within the different German states. I'm not sure, but I think both Basel, and Colmar, are covered as well. You might wish to visit the Basel Tourism Office web site. They will have links for the Basel Card, which will allow for discounts, several walking tours within the city, and the zoo, among others. Gary

Basel is covered by the Baden Württemberg Ticket, but as far I know Colmar isn't.

Basel train stations (Basel Bad Bf and Basel SBB) are covered by the Baden-Württemberg Ticket.

Often stations just across the border (e.g. Basel SBB) are covered by the Baden-Württemberg Ticket. But this does not apply to Strasbourg. Colmar is anyway not that close to the border and the direct train route via Breisach is interrupted since WWII.

There are direct buses from Freiburg to Colmar
http://www.suedbadenbus.de/suedbadenbus/view/mdb/suedbadenbus/pdf/MDB51918-flyer_erb_aug08.pdf
Best deal will be a "RegioElsassTicket" for EUR 10,80. A 24 hours ticket covering all local public transport inside the RVF, the SBG bus line 1076 to Colmar and a few bus lines into the Vosges.

RVF is the local public transport network of Freiburg and area
http://www.rvf.de/PDF/Liniennetzplan.pdf
A RVF 24 hours ticket for Freiburg is EUR 5,00. For the whole RVF network (e.g. to Titisee or Feldberg) EUR 10,00. Covered are the regional trains (S-Bahn, RB, RE), trams and buses inside the area the tickets are bought for.

These tickets are also available as a mini group version (2-5 persons) for barely more than the one person price (e.g. RegioElsassTicket is EUR 18,30 for 2-5 persons compared to EUR 10,80 for 1 person).

You have to validate (stamp) the 24 hours ticket before first use.

I, too am travelling to Freiburg for 4 days in late October. The answers to your question are very helpful for me also. I was wondering where to buy the bus ticket to Colmar. Is the local tourist office helpful for non-German speakers?

One of the reasons I chose to spend time in Freiburg is the University. I enjoy speaking with young persons about culture and world events. I would like to know where would be a good place in the afternoon to hang out to meet the local people.
I also like good coffee & pastries. Perhaps a local cafe could be recomended.

John, There are more cafes in the old own (and thus close to the University's main building) than I can count. Löwenstrasse and Niemensstraße are two somewhat narrow streets that link the University with Kaiser-Josef-St, the main street. There alone are a couple of bars or cafes.

In summer, you'll see many students sitting on the steps of Augustinerplatz, but I suspect it will be too chilly to sit outside when you are there. At Augustinerplatz, you'll find a rustic Italian cafe ("Capri"), which is quite popular among students.

With that being said: Freiburg's University is actually spread across the city, with the main building in downtown Freiburg and other faculties more in the outskirts. Hence, there is not only one particular place or area where you'll meet students.

Gagh ... forgot about half of your question ...

Tickets for the bus to Colmar can be purchased onboard or at DB's (German Reilway ..) ticket vending machines.

The staff at the tourist office are supposed to be helpful. :-)
You may have bad luck and the lady speaks 5 languages fluently but no English at all. Changes are slim, though ...