You are currently viewing The 20 essential plans to do and see in the Black Forest at Christmas
Warming up at the central bonfire of the Christmas market in the Ravenna Gorge in the Black Forest at Christmas

The 20 essential plans to do and see in the Black Forest at Christmas

In this post you will find plans to do and what to see in the Black Forest at Christmas or even in summer. They serve the same for most plans.

An article that is part of our Complete guide to travel to the Black Forest at Christmas, where you will find the best and worst of our trip, our route through the Black Forest, tips, travel costs and prices and much more about our experience and trip to the Black Forest at Christmas

Also, if you want to combine a trip with Alsace at Christmas, as we did on our last trip, here is the Complete guide to travel to Alsace at Christmas.

We are the Kucavana family, we are traveling with our two children of 7 and 10 years old and our 2 adopted dogs. We usually travel in our motorhome called Kucavana, but we also like to travel by plane and backpacking. We enjoy each learning process as a family and we hope to help you as well so that you enjoy traveling as much as we do.

To be closer to you follow us on our social networks: YouTube e Instagram

Next, we show you a selection of the 20 best plans for what to do in the Black Forest at Christmas and, above all, what to see in the Black Forest at Christmas. A selection made after our two trips to the Black Forest.

Walking through a street in the center of Freiburg at Christmas
Walking through a street in the center of Freiburg at Christmas

They are all plans to travel at Christmas in the Black Forest that you will be delighted with whether you are traveling with children or not!

Ahh and if you want to forget about planning your route and riding it and you prefer to save time and trust our experience in the Black Forest, you can right now request our personalized route advice and organization service through the Black Forest. We will organize your route so that you only click on the coordinates and your GPS will directly take you to the place. Click below and we'll start helping you!

Mount custom route
Mount custom route

Before knowing what to see in the Black Forest at Christmas, 2 things to keep in mind

1 In the Black Forest at Christmas it is cold and it often snows: Mandatory winter tires

That said, if you are going to travel to the Black Forest at Christmas with your vehicle, keep in mind that in Germany it is mandatory to wear winter tires when there is a forecast of snow or it has snowed. Therefore, take winter tires on your trip to the Black Forest at Christmas.

On the road, between Titisee and Triberg snowing
On the road, between Titisee and Triberg snowing

2 Documents needed to travel to the Black Forest at Christmas

For this trip do not forget to bring both for adults and for children your Valid ID or passport and also for any health problem the European sanitary card that you can do on the social security website and receive it at home.

In addition, we have used to hire the travel insurance from Iati Escapadas, that due to its cost, we go more calm with the children and we know that later we avoid anything the co-payments that health has in Germany. I leave here the link with a discount that on top of the discount if you hire it through this link you help us to continue writing on the blog.

If you want you can read more tips in our article with 10 more curiosities and tips you should know before traveling to the Black Forest at ChristmasI'm sure you'll be fine.

Map what to see in the Black Forest at Christmas

Below, I leave you the map with all the places of interest, museums, charming towns, Christmas markets and much more in the Black Forest to see on your trip. A map that we made as a base to later design our route.

What to do and what to see in the Black Forest at Christmas? The 20 essential plans for your route through the Black Forest at Christmas

After these tips that will go so well for you and curiosities about Christmas in the Black Forest and about the trip to the Black Forest at Christmas, we finally delve into our 20 plans we recommend about your questions about what to do in the Black Forest at Christmas and what to see in the Black Forest at Christmas.

Ecomuseum of Alsace, the carpentry
Ecomuseum of Alsace, the carpentry

1 Traveling to the Black Forest at Christmas means starting at the Alsace Ecomuseum in Christmas mode... it's not the Black Forest, we know it and we're not crazy... but it's at the entrance and it gives us lots of clues about Black Forest traditions in Christmas!

You cannot miss this plan to discover a town from 200 years ago in Alsace and where you can see actors and do workshops on Alsatian traditions. Traditions of German origin that will serve you for your trip through the Black Forest at Christmas.

Freiburg im Breisgau cathedral
Freiburg im Breisgau cathedral

2 Visit the university capital and gateway to the Black Forest: Freiburg at Christmas, a first thing to see in the Black Forest at Christmas

With more than 120 stops at the Christmas market, narrow streets and fairytale houses, Freiburg at Christmas is the place with the most atmosphere we have visited. An open and university environment where the greenest capital in Europe shines in all its splendor.

By the way, don't miss anything from Freiburg at Christmas with this Free tour that they do for free and that you can book here.

The Titisee hot springs of Badeparadise
The Titisee hot springs of Badeparadise

3 Enjoy the lake and the hot springs of Titisee

If you are looking for tranquility, Titisee in winter and Christmas is an ideal place. Site, where you can also relax or have fun in Badeparadise, a spa with different areas where you can enjoy slides in its Galaxy area or relax in the Palmenoase, where between palm trees you can plunge into hot waters indoors and outdoors and with a bar in the water to have a good German beer or Caribbean cocktail. We advise you to buy the entrance to the two areas, especially if you go with children, they will love the super slides and wave pool.

A piece of advice buy tickets in advance online at bathing paradise and you will save a lot of money.

If you go by motorhome or camper, Titisee has a paid motorhome area with all services 200 meters from the spa and 2 minutes from the town center. Although if you do not have to do Services, the spa has a free parking lot for motorhomes just outside the paid car park that it has.

4 Visit the Christmas market in the Ravenna Gorge, one of the best and most magical in Germany

Under a viaduct where the Harry Potter train passes and between nature near a river and a small hill with views, this Christmas market is unique in Germany and in the world. Perhaps because of where it is, we found it endearing and magical. We needed it to snow for sure to finish crying about how beautiful it was.

The market is only held on weekends, from Friday to Sunday, from the end of November to the last weekend before December 25.

To access the market, you need an advance ticket on the market website, which costs 5 euros per adult. https://www.hochschwarzwald.de/veranstaltungen-hochschwarzwald/weihnachtsmarkt-ravennaschlucht .. You have to buy the ticket in time because it fills up. And apart from the same purchase you have to reserve the shuttle bus or the parking lot that includes the round trip.

We advise against parking there, because it is too small for motorhomes and we would not help make the place sustainable for our motorhome sector in the area. We advise you to take the entrance with the free shuttle bus from Titisee. In 10 minutes the bus takes you and to leave the buses leave very regularly. It is very practical and they are very punctual.

In addition, in Titisee if you go by motorhome there is a motorhome area and you can take the bus 5 minutes away from this car park.

As it says on the entrance you have to be 15 minutes before in the bus queue. Those 10 minutes are used to check the tickets and then go to the bus to leave on time. They are very punctual. I would tell you to arrive 15 minutes before so make sure you go seated and not standing on the bus.

Then you have 2 hours to spend at the Ravenna market, enough. And within those two hours you can take the bus back, which works very well and in 10 minutes you are in Titisee again.

Having a Glühwein, mulled wine, at the Ravenna Gorge flea market in the Black Forest
Having a Glühwein, mulled wine, at the Ravenna Gorge flea market in the Black Forest

5 Drinking mulled wine to warm the soul and hands

The plan to drink glühwein, mulled wine with spices is a must at any of the Christmas markets in the Black Forest at Christmas.

6 Skiing or simply visiting the highest mountain in the Black Forest: the Felberg

The Felberg with 1400 and a few meters high is the highest peak in the Black Forest and one of the most important ski resorts in the area, although you will find many others throughout the Black Forest.

Cuckoo clocks, one of the symbols of the Black Forest

7 Visit the German Clock Museum

Following the road to Triberg, we will find the museum of the icon of the Black Forest: the cuckoo clocks.

We can stop at the German Clock Museum in Furtwangen here:

GPS coordinates: N48°02'58.2″E 8°12'32.0″/48.049510, 8.208890

One of the sections of the Triberg waterfall, the highest in Germany
One of the sections of the Triberg waterfall, the highest in Germany

8 Visit the highest waterfall in Germany in Triberg

A waterfall divided into 5 sections, although we can only see a few less, it is said to be the highest in Germany and is in Triberg, the city par excellence of cuckoo clocks.

In the circuit to visit the waterfall, there is also a path that they say there are squirrels. At the entrance they sell peanuts for them. The thing is, we didn't see a single one at Christmas, maybe it's too cold...

Something you should know is that there is a family ticket for two adults and two children that for 15 euros is great and includes a visit to the waterfalls and the Black Forest museum that I explain below.

The Black Forest Museum in Triberg
The Black Forest Museum in Triberg

9 Surprise yourself with everything that the Black Forest houses in the Black Forest museum in Triberg

Accessing through the Triberg tourist office and with the entrance to the waterfalls we entered this museum that seemed small from the outside. Perhaps because of the expectations, then we were surprised.

From the traditional clothing of the Black Forest with those colored pom-pom hats, going through how the traditional watchmakers lived, visiting different cuckoo clocks, musical organs, ski elements, model trains and even going through the simulation of a mine of the Black Forest, this museum teaches you the deepest-rooted traditions of this beautiful German region.

The largest cuckoo clock in the world
The largest cuckoo clock in the world

10 Discover the largest cuckoo clock in the world

Although we were a bit disappointed to see it, just outside Triberg, on the road, after a tunnel on the right hand side we found the Guinness world record cuckoo clock... although it is actually a souvenir shop. You can agree to visit the mechanism inside for a small fee and see exorbitantly priced cuckoo clocks throughout the store.

11 Send a Christmas card from the Black Forest

Sending Christmas postcards is a tradition, no matter how much e-mails want to replace it. Do not forget and send them from the Black Forest Christmas, Christmas!

12 Visit the Black Forest Blown Glass Museum at Christmas

Before following the route to Gengenbach we can stop at the blown glass museum open until 16 pm in winter with a family ticket of 15 euros for the 4 of us.

A great plan at Christmas, since it is decorated and you can find souvenirs with love and tradition.

GPS coordinates: N48°17'22.8″E 8°12'51.6″/48.289670, 8.214320

The world's largest Advent Calendar in the Gengenbach Town Hall
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

13 Stroll through the streets of the town of Charly and the Chocolate Factory and see the spectacle of its Advent Calendar, the largest in the world

If we think of an essential thing to see in the Black Forest at Christmas, that is Gengenbach.

Every day in the beautiful fairytale town of Gengenbach at 18:XNUMX p.m., a window of the world's largest advent calendar opens. It is located in its Town Hall, in the central part of its beautiful Christmas market.

Each year this calendar shows images of a tale or story. This year the Little Prince was playing, which the family likes so much.

Before opening the window at 18:XNUMX p.m., a small show or play of that piece of the history of the window is put on by the children of the town. And then the new window finally opens and illuminates, from the day after you are here. It all ends in applause and it's exciting. It looks local atmosphere, nothing touristy. A meeting of a united people, which made us like this Christmas market even more.

After that, don't forget to wander through this beautiful town with fairytale corners and Charly and the Chocolate Factory and stop by its gardens with a free-access mini farm that your little ones will love.

Oh, and if you go by motorhome, it has an excellent payment area next to the river, perfect for spending the night and visiting the town.

14 Visit the Christmas market in the luxury spa town of Baden-Baden

One of the spa towns that is said to be the most beautiful and luxurious in Germany is Baden-Baden.

With two spectacular spas, casinos and a center where luxury is palpable, Baden-Baden is a guaranteed stop.

If you go by motorhome, it has a paid motorhome area, but you should know that it is a 40-minute walk away or you can take the nearby bus and it takes you to the center in 15 minutes.

15 See Karlsburg's Flying Santa Claus

If you want to see Santa Claus fly with his sleigh, you can see it in Karlsburg, a city in the Black Forest that also houses a castle with beautiful gardens. Of course, find out about the environmental restrictions with your vehicle, there are areas that you will not be able to access without an environmental badge.

Tower of Fortune at the Pforheim Gold Flea Market
Tower of Fortune at the Pforheim Gold Flea Market

16 Enjoy the animals of the Wildlife Park of the city of gold in the Black Forest Pforheim and its gold and medieval markets

If there is a must on this route, it is Colmar. Summer or winter or at Christmas this city is beautiful. Its canals, half-timbered houses and decorated squares make Colmar a place to dream.

17 Discovering the decorated roofs of the Stuttgart market is a must for your question Black Forest what to see at Christmas

The capital of the federal state where the Black Forest is located is Stuttgart. And of course, in the capital there is the largest and most impressive Christmas market in the area.

In addition, you will see that their booths are very decorated in all their roofs and even many with dolls with moving mechanisms.

If you do not want to miss anything to visit in this beautiful city, we recommend you book the free tour of Stuttgart here.

Eating Kartoffenpujjer, the kind of potato omelette but without eggs
Eating Kartoffenpujjer, the kind of potato omelette but without eggs

18 Eating typical things at the Christmas markets, a must when traveling to the Black Forest at Christmas

And so much flea market, it will surely whet your appetite. Do not forget to eat the German sausages of all flavors and the kartoffenpuffer, a kind of potato omelette without eggs that we loved. What maybe you can avoid are the churros and crepes... I don't know why they don't taste the same as in Spain and France hehehe

19 Black Forest what to do at Christmas? Well, it's clear, celebrate Saint Nicholas like the Germans

On the night of December 5 to 6, leave a boot next to the fireplace or an entrance or window. You will see how, being in Germany, Saint Nicholas will leave you some coins or some candy.

Or if you have behaved badly, be careful! Saint Nicholas is accompanied by a slightly naughty white-bearded monk who punishes bad children: Knecht Ruppecht.

Ahhh and if you go for the night of December 24 to 25, Santa Claus will not come, but Kristkind, the baby Jesus, will surely come and leave you gifts. In Germany and the Black Forest at Christmas these are the traditions.

And finally, the Three Wise Men do not come to leave gifts but it is a holiday in the Black Forest where people gather in church or go to houses dressed as kings asking for alms for different causes, and they even sing! Christmas carols!

In the article about things to know about the Black Forest at Christmas, I explain who the enigmatic Bishop of San Nicolás is and why he looks so much like Santa Claus 😉.

20 Visit the medieval market in the beautiful city of Esslingen am Neckar, another must-see in the Black Forest at Christmas

Finally, one last essential visit recommendation. A place that we could not visit this time on our route, but it is the place where our friends we were with live and it is a beautiful town with a medieval Christmas market that you will surely love.

So here are our recommendations on what to do in the Black Forest at Christmas and what to see in the Black Forest at Christmas. We hope this article has been useful to you. Remember that for us this is a hobby and that the best way to thank us for the time and dedication to writing our experiences as articles for your help is by leaving us a comment below or subscribing to our social networks, commenting and giving likes.

To be closer to you follow us on our social networks: YouTube e Instagram

Continue reading our guide to travel to the Black Forest Germany at Christmas

Latest posts published on our blog that may interest you

Leave your comment