Freiburg im Breisgau can be explored through several clearly distinct themes: local history, art and cultural history, the cityscape, and outdoor activities. To help plan your stay, it’s useful to choose a focus first.
History and art as distinct areas of interest
The Documentation Center on National Socialism in Freiburg presents local history from 1918 to the present across three floors. Interactive exhibitions, a former air-raid shelter and biographies of contemporary witnesses offer insights into Freiburg’s approach to the Nazi era. The historical scope and variety of exhibits make the city’s history the clear focus of this institution.
The Augustinermuseum offers a different perspective: its extensive art and cultural history collection spans the Middle Ages to the Baroque period. This gives you two distinct themes to consider when planning: Freiburg’s history in the context of the Nazi era, and a collection covering several centuries of art and cultural history. If you’d like to divide your time by theme, you can first decide which of these perspectives matters most for your stay.
The Minster, Bächle and Upper Old Town
The west tower of Freiburg Minster is 116 metres tall. The Minster is also home to the 750-year-old Hosanna bell: it weighs three tonnes and is one of Germany’s oldest Angelus bells. The tower’s height and the bell’s dimensions offer two specific points of reference for appreciating the Minster—its architecture and a particular historical detail.
Freiburg’s Bächle are small waterways that flow through many of the Old Town’s lanes. The Upper Old Town, with its Gewerbekanal, Gerberau, Fischerau and Insel, offers another point of reference for a city walk. Cobblestone streets invite you to explore the area. When planning, you can distinguish between the waterways in the lanes and a walk through this named district, rather than combining both experiences into a single attraction.
Seepark and Schlossberg
Seepark Freiburg brings together a variety of activities in one place, including a bathing lake, restaurants, a swimming pool, playgrounds and a miniature golf course. Visitors can also rent pedal boats on the lake. If you include this part of Freiburg in your plans, you’ll find several different leisure activities. Weather and operating hours may affect pedal boat availability; check the latest operating details before your visit.
At Schlossberg, information panels and 3D display cases along various trails provide details about specific moments in its history. This offers another historical focus to consider. As trail conditions may change, check the latest information before planning a route there.
Regional information and finding a hotel
Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald is a wider regional destination to consider. Many places in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district can be reached by train. The free KONUS guest card can be used for free travel on local and regional trains and buses throughout the Black Forest. This information may be useful when planning trips beyond Freiburg.
Then choose the places and activities you actually want to include. This lets you create your own focus instead of trying to fit every place and activity mentioned into a single day’s itinerary.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Opfingen, Lehen, Horben, Bollschweil, Breisach Am Rhein, Dittishausen, Schluchsee, Eichstetten Am Kaiserstuhl
Go to the regional travel overview: Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald.
