Group Tour Operator and DMC for the Black Forest, Germany

Travel to the Black Forest

Take a short sea crossing to Calais and make an overnight stop in the Reims area.  Continue next day into Germany and to your hotel in the Black Forest for the next 4 nights.

Alternatively, take the overnight sailing from the UK to Holland and continue to the Black Forest on day 2.

Freiburg, Lake Titisee and Gâteau

Freiburg is dominated by the Schlossberg that overlooks the old town and the 11th century Minster.  Discover historical buildings, picturesque alleys, bright courtyards and colourful houses and the see the Bachle (open streams of crystal clear water flowing through the streets).

After some free time and lunch continue to the popular lakeside resort of Lake Titisee where you can enjoy a relaxing cruise on the lake before sitting down to some traditional Black Forest Gâteau whilst admiring the views from the lakeside.  There are a few shops to browse around before heading back to the hotel.

Rhine Falls and the ‘Pigtail Train’

Drive over the border into Switzerland to view the spectacular  and thunderous Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen.  There are many riverside vantage points, or take a ferry ride to a rock in the middle of the falls for a close-up view (not for the faint hearted!).

Make a brief stop in the medieval town of Schaffhausen before continuing to Blumberg for a ride on the Wutach Valley Railway, one of the most unusual and impressive stretches of railway in Germany.  Because of the twisting route of its central section, it is popularly known as the Sauschwänzlebahn – the ‘Pigtail Train’.  The nickname was coined because the distance between the two end stations is only 9.6km. However, the twisting route it takes to reach the terminus, including Germany’s only loop tunnel, results in a journey of 25km.  It’s a memorable experience.

Cuckoo Clocks, Museums and Waterfalls

A scenic drive along the Panoramic Road offers spectacular views of the mountain peaks and valleys.  Stop at the historical clock making town of Furtwangen.  If time allows, why not visit the German Clock Museum with its over 170-year-old collection, boasting more than 8,000 items from throughout the world for visitors to view. (Entrance not included)

Continue to Triberg, famous for Germany’s highest waterfalls**.  Here you can explore the town which has a large number of tourist shops offering cuckoo clocks, woodcarvings, souvenirs as well as Black Forest ham and kirsch.  Triberg is also home to the Black Forest Museum which features a fascinating collection of mechanical musical instruments, Europe’s largest collection of barrel organs and the world’s largest cuckoo clock.  (Entrance not included)

**For those wishing to visit the waterfalls you can reach the lowest and largest cascade of the waterfall relatively easily from the main entrance (approx 1.5km each way) but you should be a reasonably good walker.  (note: the paths are unsuitable for wheelchairs)

Return to the UK

Drive through Germany and into France for an overnight stop enroute to Calais.  Continue the next day for the short sea crossing to the UK.

Alternatively, drive to your chosen port of departure in Holland for the overnight sailing to the UK.  Disembark early the next morning for the homeward journey.

Strasbourg and the Alsace Wine Road

Drive through the renowned wine region of the beautiful French Alsace and stop along the way at one of the vineyards for a tasting of the Alsace wines.  Continue on to Strasbourg, a city with a rich French and German history.  The town centre, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers plenty in the way of culture and cuisine. Enjoy some free time in the city before returning to your hotel in the Black Forest

Lake Constance Explorer

Take a scenic drive through the Black Forest towards the majestic Lake Constance. Here, you can visit Meersburg, built on a steep lakeside vineyard; an imposing medieval fortress looks over the town then take a passenger ferry for the 20-minute crossing to Mainau, the Island of Flowers, a tropical paradise still owned by the noble Bernadotte family. Return to Meersburg to join the coach to return to the hotel.