Road Trip from the Rhine Valley to the Black Forest: Exploring Waterfalls, Lakes and Scenic Towns
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| Typical view in the black forest |
We have lived in Germany for more than ten years and have explored quite a bit of the country. We travelled around Germany the most during the years after COVID, when international travel was not recommended. We took it as an opportunity to explore Germany by car, and it turned out to be absolutely lovely!
I wrote about some of those adventures but never got around to documenting others, such as the Harz Mountains or the stunning landscapes of southern Germany, with their snow-capped mountains and beautiful lakes.
Here is one of the road trips I wrote about back then: North Germany Road Trip - Highlights from Our Adventure.
Recently, my cousin and her husband came to visit us for a few days. We started thinking about which of Germany's hidden gems we should introduce them to. The Rhine Valley was an easy choice. We decided to turn the visit into a road trip, explore the Black Forest, and finish in Munich, where my relatives would continue their European adventure.
Despite living in Germany for so many years, we had never properly explored the Black Forest region. So this was the perfect opportunity to discover it with some good company!
Our week-long road trip took us from Koblenz to Rüdesheim to the Black Forest, before ending in Munich.
First Stop: Koblenz and the Rhine Valley
We love visiting the Rhine and Mosel valleys every couple of years. They are perfect places to slow down and recharge. The endless vineyards, scenic hiking trails, local delicacies and beautiful views of the rivers always make me happy. And the best part? Both valleys are only about two hours away from us!
I wrote about one of our earlier trips here: Rhine Valley - Home to Countless Castles.
Our first stop on this road trip was Koblenz, a historic city at the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel rivers.
We spent half a day here, walking to the famous Deutsches Eck, where the two rivers meet. The monumental equestrian statue of Emperor Wilhelm I makes this a particularly striking landmark. There is something fascinating about standing at the point where two major rivers come together!
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| A photo I clicked in 2015! |
We then took the cable car across the Rhine to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress side, enjoying wonderful views of the city and the surrounding landscape. Our destination was the viewpoint known as Koblenzer Kanten – Rhein-Mosel-Blick, which offers a lovely panorama of the Rhine, the Mosel and the city below.
It was a relaxed start to the trip, with a little history, some sightseeing and plenty of river views.
Rüdesheim: Vineyards, Castles and Federweißer
From Koblenz, we continued to Rüdesheim am Rhein, where we spent two nights. This cosy little town on the banks of the Rhine was the perfect place to wander through the streets and soak up the scenery.
September is also a wonderful time to visit the Rhine Valley because it is Federweißer season!
Federweißer is young, partially fermented wine made from freshly harvested grapes. It is available for a limited period in autumn, when the new wine harvest begins to make its way into local shops and restaurants. It is sweet, slightly fizzy and quite different from the finished wines most people are familiar with.
For me, trying seasonal specialities like this is one of the nicest ways to experience local culture. And of course, what better place to enjoy it than in a German wine-growing region?
Highlights of Rüdesheim
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| Exploring Rüdescheim |
1. Drosselgasse
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| Cozy street |
This narrow, lively lane is one of Rüdesheim's best-known attractions. It is lined with traditional restaurants, wine taverns and souvenir shops. In the evenings, it has a particularly cheerful atmosphere, with music and people enjoying local wine.
2. The cable car ride over the vineyards
The cable car takes you gently over the vineyards, offering beautiful views of the town, the river and the surrounding hills.
3. Niederwald Monument
At the top of the vineyards stands the impressive Niederwald Monument, built to commemorate the unification of Germany in 1871. The monument is worth visiting not only for its historical significance but also for the sweeping views across the Rhine Valley.
The surrounding landscape is part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, a 65-kilometre stretch between Bingen/Rüdesheim and Koblenz. The region is famous for its steep terraced vineyards, historic towns and numerous castles perched on hilltops overlooking the river.
Unfortunately, this year brought very little rainfall, and the Rhine was running unusually low. The river simply wasn't at its majestic best. We also couldn't take the river cruise that we had hoped would give our guests a different perspective of the castles lining both banks.
We have done a Rhine cruise before and would love to repeat it someday. There is something special about sailing past castle after castle while the vineyards rise steeply on either side.
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| Rheinstein castle |
Instead, we used the time to visit Burg Rheinstein, a picturesque castle overlooking the Rhine.
Time for Flammkuchen!
For lunch, we introduced my cousin to another regional favourite: Flammkuchen.
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| A vegan flammkuchen |
Often described as a thin-crust pizza, Flammkuchen originated in the Alsace region (northeastern France) and is also popular in parts of Germany, including the Rhine Valley. It is a simple dish, but the thin, crisp base and creamy topping make it delicious.
Between the regional food, wine and beautiful scenery, the Rhine Valley had given our trip a wonderful start.
Places we covered in the Black Forest:
- Triberg
- Titisee
- Todtnau Waterfall and the Suspension Bridge
- Freiburg
- Mummelsee
Into the Black Forest: Our Base in Triberg
Our next destination was Triberg, where we based ourselves for exploring the Black Forest in different directions.
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| First impression of Triberg 🤩 |
Things to Do in Triberg
1. House of 1000 Clocks
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| The shop from outside |
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| The shop from inside |
2. The World's Largest Cuckoo Clock
Another popular attraction nearby is the World's Largest Cuckoo Clock. For a small entrance fee, visitors can go inside and see the clock mechanism.
We were lucky enough to arrive around noon and watch the cuckoo emerge and do its thing. That was definitely the highlight!
We also went inside to see the mechanism, although I personally found the exterior and the cuckoo performance more interesting than the interior.
3. Triberg Waterfalls
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| Cascade of Triberg waterfalls |
The Triberg Waterfalls are among the best-known natural attractions in the region. The Gutach River cascades down a series of rocky steps through the forest, with walking paths offering different views of the falls.
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| Waterfall from different levels |
Unfortunately, the unusually dry weather had taken its toll here as well. The waterfalls were reduced to a mere trickle in places. They were still beautiful, but we could only imagine how impressive they must look after a period of good rainfall.
The entrance ticket also includes access to two nearby museums, which makes the visit more worthwhile.
Black Forest Museum: A good place to learn about the history, traditions and everyday life of the region.
Triberg-Fantasy: A colourful attraction filled with optical illusions and photo opportunities.
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| Triberg-Fantasy museum |
4. Eat authentic black forest cake
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| Every café seems to claim it sells the 'authentic' black forest cake |
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| Lots of souvenir shops in Triberg |
Titisee: A Relaxing Afternoon by the Lake
We took a boat ride around the lake, which was a pleasant way to appreciate the scenery without having to do much walking.
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| Lake Titisee |
Sometimes, a destination doesn't need a long list of attractions. A beautiful lake, fresh air and a leisurely boat ride are more than enough!
Todtnau Waterfall and the Suspension Bridge
We did a circular walk of roughly two hours, combining the bridge with the waterfall trails. The suspension bridge stretches high above the valley and offers spectacular views of the surrounding forested slopes.
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| Spectacular view from the bridge |
Walking across it gives you a wonderful sense of the scale of the landscape.
After crossing the bridge, we followed the walking route back towards the parking area, passing the waterfall along the way.
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| Bridge from below |
The Todtnau Waterfall is a series of cascades, with the main waterfall being the most impressive section. As you might have guessed by now, the low rainfall meant that there wasn't much water flowing during our visit. Even so, the rocky cascades, forest setting and views from the surrounding paths made the walk worthwhile.
Freiburg: History, Sunshine and a Lovely City Vibe
I had heard of Freiburg im Breisgau as one of the sunniest cities in Germany, so I was curious to see it for myself.
And we loved it!
Freiburg has a very different atmosphere from the small towns and forest attractions we had been visiting. It is a lively university city with a beautiful historic centre, cafés, shops and a relaxed, outdoorsy feel.
Things to See in Freiburg
1. Walk around the Old Town
The best way to experience Freiburg is simply to wander around its historic centre. One of the city's distinctive features is its Bächle - narrow water channels running alongside many streets.
2. Martinstor and Schwabentor
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| Wolfshöhle restaurant sign on the left and Martinstor on the right |
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| A better view of Martinstor from the other side |
Freiburg has two famous surviving medieval city gates: Martinstor and Schwabentor. They offer a glimpse into the city's medieval past and make for lovely photographs.
3. Seepark
If you want a quieter break from sightseeing, head to Seepark in the western part of the city. The park surrounds a lake and has walking paths, green spaces and plenty of room to relax.
4. Freiburg Minster (Freiburger Münster)
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| Towering spire of the Freiburg Cathedral |
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| Stained glass windows inside the Freiburg Cathedral |
The highlight of the historic centre is Freiburg Minster, the city's magnificent Gothic cathedral. Its impressive architecture and tall spire dominate the skyline.
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| Lively Münsterplatz |
Nearby, you will find the Historical Merchants' Hall (Historisches Kaufhaus), a striking dark-red, late-Gothic building on Münsterplatz. With its ornate façade and distinctive red colour, it is another architectural gem worth admiring while exploring the Old Town.
Mummelsee: A Mysterious Lake in the Black Forest
Mummelsee is a small mountain lake along the scenic Black Forest High Road.
On the way there, we first stopped at Aussichtsplattform Ellbachseeblick, a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the surrounding landscape.
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| Panoramic view from the platform |
Mummelsee itself is a lake formed by glacial activity, surrounded by dense forest and mountain scenery. Unlike the clear blue lakes you might picture when thinking of Alpine landscapes, its water can appear quite dark, reflecting the surrounding trees and the depths of the lake.
There is a walking path around the lake, making it easy to enjoy the scenery from different angles.
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| Mysterious Mummelsee lake |
At the top, you will find the Hornisgrinde Tower (Hornisgrindeturm). The tower was closed during our visit.
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| We could see the starting point of our hike from the top |
The Journey Continues: Lake Constance and Munich
With that, our Black Forest adventure came to an end. But we still had one more stop before reaching Munich.
On the drive east, we stopped at Lake Constance (Bodensee) for a couple of hours. The lake is enormous, with Germany, Switzerland and Austria all sharing its shores.
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| Lindau on lake Constance |
We had already explored the Lake Constance region in 2018, so this was more of a short break than a full sightseeing visit. Nevertheless, it was a lovely place to stretch our legs and enjoy the scenery before continuing our journey.
Finally, we arrived in Munich and took my cousin and her husband straight to Oktoberfest!
After vineyards, castles, waterfalls, lakes and forest trails, ending the trip at one of Germany's most famous festivals felt absolutely perfect. Traditional Bavarian outfits, lively beer tents, music and the festive atmosphere made it a memorable finale.
It doesn't get much more German than that!
Final Thoughts: The Black Forest Has Won Us Over
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| Our AirBnb hosts were farmers who owned chickens and cows kept in nearby sheds |
Sandeep and I were thoroughly enchanted by the Black Forest. We are already looking forward to returning to the Black Forest for a mini holiday next year. Perhaps we will see the waterfalls flowing more strongly, discover a few new hiking trails and spend more time soaking in the scenery.
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