Germany's Enchanted Forest
Cuckoo clocks, cake, and luxurious spas.
Nestled in the southwestern corner of Germany is a land of rolling hills covered in lush green spruce trees between crisscrossing flowing rivers, streams, and quaint mountain towns. Schwarzwald, or the black forest to English speakers is a popular tourist destination for Germans and foreigners alike.
The black forest stretches some 6000 square kilometres, providing endless opportunities to enjoy nature, visit medieval towns/castles, and relax in the many spas of the area. This is truly a glimpse of paradise.
Of course, if we all had as much time as we wanted here, we would do everything, but unfortunately our time is finite. Keeping this in mind, here is 5 of the best things to do in the black forest:
Visit one of the many medieval towns in the area and get lost in a maze of half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets. Some of the classic medieval style towns include Heidelburg, Schiltach, Gengenbach and many more. Depending on your mood there many be something for you in each town.
Picturesque view of Heidelberg castle. 
The warm glow of Schiltach on a cold Winter night. 
The streets of Gengenbach on a quiet evening. 2. Relax in the world-famous spas of Baden-Baden. Friedrichsbad and Caracalla are the two most popular spas in the region to bath in the warm thermal waters and let your troubles melt away.
Take a hike! Literally!
The black forest is filled with magnificent hikes but three of the most popular are:
a) Allerheilig Wasserfalle (All-saints water fall). This is just a 0.6 km out-and-back trail in the town of Oppenau. Don’t let the short hike fool you, this trail is filled with magical foot bridges and rocky outcrops serenaded by the sound of water.
b) Ruhestein to Lake Wildsee. This trail is slightly longer, following an 8.2 km circular track. It offers stunning views and natural black forest paths while taking roughly 2.5 hours.
c) Wutach Gorge. Here, the river carved out a 200 m deep canyon. This provides sheer cliffs, stunning vistas and interesting trails. This one is the longest trail at 10.6 km and takes about 4-5 hours to complete.
Eat a piece of black forest cake…..in the black forest. Seriously, no trip would be complete with this, no matter how cliché it is. Chocolate, cream, cherries! What’s not to love!
5. Finally, check out the famous giant Cuckoo clocks to complete your enchanted forest journey. These really speak for themselves, plus its a great excuse to explore more black forest towns….and maybe eat some more cake.
Thanks for reading!
I hope you enjoyed this quick overview of the Black Forest.
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You should do Berlin next, or the Cinque Terre!