# Who's been to Freiburg, Germany?



## bobpark56 (Jul 31, 2013)

Is Freiburg worth staying in for a week? Say as part of a 4-week trip, probably in September. (Recommendations welcomed.)


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## falmouth3 (Jul 31, 2013)

I have, for a day.  It's a nice place, but I'm not sure I'd want to spend a week there.  What are your plans?  Rick Steves only recommends 2 days in Munich, which I think is a bigger city than Freiburg.  If you'll be using it as a base for day trips, it might be a good place.


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## Carolinian (Aug 1, 2013)

I have been to Freiburg, while staying at a timeshare about 30 minutes away in the Black Forest.  Except with a timeshare, I would not have stayed a week.  You can see the city itself in a day or less.  However, there are lots of things to do in the vicinity, and that made a week of timeshare well worth it.  The timeshare gave every occupant a regional rail pass for a week, which took you to most of Baden-Wurrtemburg state of Germany plus over the Swiss border to Basel.   I also had a rental car, as I wanted to go over the French border to some of the medieval towns and castles in Alsace-Lorraine.


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## beejaybeeohio (Aug 2, 2013)

*Been there*

We stayed a night in Freiburg as a midway location from Switzerland to the Rhine River area.  As I recall, there isn't much charm to the city, and I can't imagine a week there!

Colmar FR, which is @35 kilometers east of Freiburg, is touted by Rick Steves as very charming and might be a better place to spend a week.


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## bobpark56 (Aug 4, 2013)

*Thank you for your replies*

Thanks for your replies. I should have mentioned that my wife & I are planning a 4-5 week trip to the Stuttgart area. This lets us take a leisurely pace, rather than trying to cram in as many sights as we can in a short period. We enjoy finding a pleasant town and settling in long enough to get to know a few folks and get a sense for what is is like to live there. We did this last year in Gaucin, Spain (~1200 residents)...and also in Mijas Pueblo. Both stays were pleasant and educational. We want to try that approach again.

With respect to the comment about Colmar...that is on our list, too. You may be right that it would be a better target for a 5-7 day stay than would Freiburg (does anyone else care to comment?). Strasbourg is also up for consideration if we can find a place that suits us in or near Petite France. 

We know we will be in Stuttgart for 5 nights, as we have Westin Starpoints to use there. We are also looking at the possibility of 3 nights each in Heidelberg, Bad-Baden, and Swabisch Hall. We would consider Tubingen as well if we could find a place to stay that appeals too us.

Freiberg, Colmar, and Strasbourg are at the moment our leading candidates for stays up to a week. Several places we have looked have weekly rates that make week-long stays cost effective, especially as they tend to avoid the higher rates associated with weekend stays.

I read somewhere that Freiberg is the town where many Germans say they would like to live, and also that it had a quite pleasant old town. Hence the reason for my original question.


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## Passepartout (Aug 4, 2013)

I think along the same lines as Carolinian. Nestled as it is near the Black Forest, Switzerland, France, not a real long haul to Munich or Stuttgart Freiburg might well make a good base from which to explore. Some 45 years ago I spent almost 2 years (at Gov't request) in Ulm and drove big green trucks around much of Germany. I've longed to go back and try to resurrect some memories. Tip back a half liter of room temperature bier for me.

Jim


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## Carolinian (Aug 6, 2013)

Freiberg had a fair amount of war damage, bombing and such.  The old town has been repaired / rebuilt but that shows many places.  Still they did a much better job of it than, say, Frankfurt.

Colmar and Strassburg did not have much war damage, so what you see is generally original.


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## levatino (Aug 13, 2013)

We stayed in the Black Forest and visited Freiburg.  It was pleasant enough, though I have to tell you that we missed seeing the "old Town" (long story).  Frieberg has a reputation for being the sunniest city in Germany.  It is also a University town.  There are many opportunities for hiking and outdoor recreation, being so close to the Black Forest.  The war damage doesn't bother me too much, as much of Germany was devastated during the war, however it was rebuilt not as a postmodern city, but as a reproduction of its past glory.  (think Munich)  

That said, I think 5-7 days would be somewhat excessive, in my view.  Strasbourgh would afford more variety, while being close enough to visit some of the hot spring spas in the area.  Baden-Baden, ahhhhh!  On the other end of a cultural spectrum, there is a former concentration camp within an hours drive.  Many famous WWI & WWII battlefields and military cemeteries are also nearby.  The former maginot Line would make an interesting visit.  Colmar would be a delightful day trip, coupled with stops along the Route des Vin d'Alsace (like Riquewihr).


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