Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to mesmerizing Deutschland. Arrive in Frankfurt.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Frankfurt International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be met by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort and transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in and also discuss the program for the next few days.

Glinting with glass, steel and concrete skyscrapers, Frankfurt-on-the-Main (pronounced ‘mine’) founded in the Roman era, is unlike any other German city. ‘Mainhattan’ is a bustling metropolis & Germany’s commercial heart - a high-powered finance & business hub, home to one of the world’s largest stock exchanges & the gleaming colossal Europe Tower (338 metres) - headquarters of the European Central Bank, and famously hosts some of the world's most important trade fairs, attracting thousands of business travellers.

With its towering, futuristic skyline & beautifully preserved historic quarter, it is certainly one of Germany's most heterogeneous cities, not to mention one of its most populous.

The city on the shores of the Main River also boasts a fabulous cultural life. At its heart, Frankfurt is an unexpectedly traditional & charming city, with half-timbered buildings huddled in its quaint medieval Altstadt (old town), cosy apple-wine taverns serving hearty regional food, village-like neighbourhoods filled with outdoor cafes, boutiques & street art, and beautiful parks, gardens & riverside paths. The city's cache of museums is second in Germany only to Berlin’s, and its nightlife & entertainment scenes are bolstered by a spirited student population.

The birthplace of the man considered by many German's the greatest ever writer, Johan von Goethe, Frankfurt is still an artistic and cultural beacon for Germans and many others. Its collection of galleries and museums is considered one of the world's finest, with contents which reflect this high standing.

Check-in at the hotel & relax.

Morning, depart for Baden Baden in the enchanting Black Forest region.

Enroute, stop at Heidelberg.

Surrounded by forest, Germany’s oldest & most famous university town is renowned for its baroque Altstadt, beautiful riverside setting, spirited student atmosphere & evocative half-ruined hilltop castle. The venerable Heidelberg University, Germany’s oldest higher-ed institution was founded in the 14^th century.

Millions of visitors follow in the footsteps of the late 18^th & early 19^th century romantics, most notably the poet, Goethe. Britain’s William Turner also loved Heidelberg, which inspired him to paint some of his greatest landscapes.

Heidelberg’s Altstadt has a red-roofed townscape of remarkable architectural unity. After having been all but destroyed by French troops under Louis XIV (1690s), it was built pretty much from scratch during the 18^th century & unlike the vast majority of German cities, it emerged from WWII almost unscathed. Today, Heidelberg is one of Germany’s most enchanting cities.

In 1878, Mark Twain began his European travels with a 3 month stay in Heidelberg, recounting his observations in A Tramp Abroad (1880). Heidelberg's rich literary history, along with its thriving contemporary scene involving authors, translators, publishing houses, bookshops, libraries, festivals & events, saw it named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2014.

Snap some panoramic photos of the lovely Neckar River before entering the town.

Spend a couple of hours listening to historic anecdotes from your savvy guide as you explore this  beautiful town, a mosaic of Renaissance buildings & red-hued rooftops set against a backdrop of green hills.  

Stroll along the cobbled streets of medieval Old Town, peeking into cloistered courtyards & viewing impressive landmarks like the Karl Theodor Bridge, the Church of the Holy Spirit & Heidelberg University.

Marvel at its pretty Renaissance architecture & visit Heidelberg Castle, strategically perched upon a hilltop overlooking the city, where you will have time to tour the building’s impressive ruins. Explore the site’s architecturally diverse buildings and spaces, admire the sculpted portraits of famous German leaders, and check out centuries-old artifacts such as the world's largest wine barrel - the Great Barrel that once stored up to 130,000 liters (about 34,342 gallons) of wine!

In time, continue to your destination, arriving in Baden Baden - the former summer residence of the European nobility & known and worldwide for its thermal baths. Another attraction is the casino, at the foot of the black forest.

Arrive by afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Baden-Baden's curative waters & air of old-world luxury have attracted royals, the rich & celebrities over the years - Barack Obama & Bismarck, Queen Victoria & Victoria Beckham included. This Black Forest town boasts grand colonnaded buildings & whimsically turreted art nouveau villas spread across the hillsides and framed by forested mountains.

The bon vivant spirit of France, just across the border, is tangible in the town’s open-air cafes, chic boutiques and pristine gardens fringing the Oos River. And with its temple-like thermal baths - which put the Baden (bathe) in Baden - & palatial casino, the allure of this grand dame of German spa towns is as timeless as it is enduring.

Morning, depart for Freiburg, driving through the town of Freudenstadt via the high route in the Black Forest, one of the most scenic tourist routes in Germany. This route offers spectacular views of the Rhine valley & the Vosges Mountains in the background.

Freudenstadt marks the southern end of the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse (Black Forest Highway) & is a terminus for the gorgeous Schwarzwald-Tälerstrasse (Black Forest Valley Road), which runs from Rastatt via Alpirsbach. Duke Friedrich I of Württemberg built a new capital here in 1599, which was bombed to bits in WWII. The upshot is that Freudenstadt’s centre is underwhelming, though its magnificent setting in the Black Forest is anything but.

You will travel along the stunning landscapes such as Mummel Lake - a 17-metre deep lake at the western mountainside of the Hornisgrinde in the Northern Black Forest. “Sometimes shrouded in mist, always shrouded in mystery!” - the legendary lake inhabited by the King of the Lake & his mermaids

According to legend, when you see the Mummelsee lake at an altitude of 1,036 metres in the daylight, you would never suspect what actually goes on here at night under the light of the full moon. Whilst during the day pedalos peacefully skim the surface of the water & visitors stroll through the attractive landscape, the famous Mummelsee King & his mermaids come out to play in the moonlight at night. You can still experience the eternal silence in the evening, in the night & in the morning. Mummelsee owes its name to the white water lily, called ‘Mummeln’ in the local dialect, which was once widespread here. In addition to enjoying the scenic attractions & stunning, idyllic landscape surrounding the lake, you can also hire pedalos, marvel at works of art by modern artists along an art trail, or take a short hike to the nearby Hornisgrinde summit.

Enroute, stop at the fascinating Schwarzwalder Freilichtmuseum (Black Forest Open Air Museum) was built on the site of the self-contained early 17^th century Vogtsbauernhof farmstead, for an overview of the history & culture of the Black Forest.

Farmhouses shifted from their original locations have been painstakingly reconstructed here, using techniques such as thatching & panelling, to create this authentic farming hamlet and preserve age-old Black Forest traditions. The displays give a wonderful impression of the traditional architecture & economy of Black Forest region.

Explore barns filled with wagons & horn sleds, Rauchkuchen (kitchens for smoking fish & meat) & the Hippenseppenhof (1599), with its chapel & massive hipped roof constructed from 400 trees. Artisans on hand to explain their crafts, and frequent demonstrations covering topics from sheep shearing to butter-making.

Then, continue the drive to Freiburg.

Arrive by late afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Freiburg is... the city of miniature streams & cobble-stone streets, a future-focused environmental capital, … a historic jewel in the middle of the Black Forest, … & the sunniest city (blessed with 2000 hours of annual sunshine), in Germany!

Sitting plump at the foot of the Black Forest’s wooded slopes and vineyards, Freiburg im Breisgau, a vibrant university city, known for its temperate climate & reconstructed medieval Altstadt - a storybook tableau of gabled townhouses, cobblestone lanes and cafe-rimmed plazas,  crisscrossed by picturesque brooks (bachle). With a dramatic 116m spire, the Gothic cathedral Freiburg Minster towers over the central square Munsterplatz.

Indeed, while neighbouring hilltop villages are still shovelling snow, the trees in Freiburg are clouds of white blossom & locals are already imbibing in canal-side beer gardens. Party-loving students spice up the local nightlife.

In the surrounding highlands, hiking destination Schlossberg hill is linked to Freiburg by a funicular. This eco-trailblazer has also shrewdly tapped into that natural energy to generate nearly as much solar power as the whole of Britain, making it one of the country’s greenest cities.              

Morning at leisure for independent exploration.

Experience the Freiburg Feeling: over a glass of Baden wine at one of the many festivals, during a stroll through the Old Town & its historic buildings from the past millennium.

By afternoon, depart for the village of Breitnau, located within the High Black Forest.

On arrival, Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the afternoon is at leisure to relax & enjoy the scenery.

Breitnau is very spread out with many, scattered, farmsteads, some of the very large, most of which have farmhouses with half-hipped roofs, typical of the Black Forest.It was first mentioned 1275 as Breittnowe but is probably older, as the first church was built around 1200 & St. Oswald's Chapel was consecrated as early as 1148. At that time the land was owned by the lords of Falkenstein but was sold in 1408 to the Schnewlins of Landeck. In 1688 the Margrave Louis William of Baden had schanzen built which were intended to block any invasion by the French. But the defences were constructed in vain because the French attacked the village two years later & razed the vicarage & several farms. In 1755, the poor route through the Hollental was improved in order to enable the bridal procession of Princess Marie Antoinette to travel as much as possible on Anterior Austrian soil on her way to Paris. In 1806, the lords of Sickingen sold Breitnau to the newly established Grand Duchy of Baden.

It is a region for the soul, this Black Forest: dark woodlands, romantic gorges, mercurial streams, lush meadows. Traditional pompom hats (Bollenhüte), cuckoo clocks, Black Forest gateau - these are the cliches of this sublime & beautiful spot on the world.

There is much to discover in Breitnau and the surrounding area. In addition to the gullies and the enchanted forest, the place offers rustic farmhouses and a glass factory

What makes Breitnau are beautiful paths through vast landscape.You may like to take a little walk to the beautiful Ravenna Gorge or see the region’s oldest chapel, both are next to the hotel.

Tonight, you will have an authentic culinary experience - enjoy a typical Black Forest dinner in your romantically located hotel.

After breakfast, explore the village.

First stop is the Cuckoo Clock Visitor Center to learn more about these traditional clocks. Enjoy a short presentation on the cuckoo clock production..

Then, Check-out & drive a short distance to a small traditional Black Forest farm where we will have a cheese tasting & discover authentic Black Forest farm life.

In time, depart for Frankfurt, enroute stopping at Lake Titisee, one of the best-known attractions in the Black Forest. Surrounded by forest & mountains, it is an idyllic place to relax in a delightful, natural setting.

Lake Titisee in the southern Black Forest of Germany is both a lake & a town. Formed 10,000 years ago, carved from glaciers in the last ice age, the lake spans 2km long and 1km wide and, along with the town, is a popular vacation spot for Germans who come to swim, sail, windsurf, bike & camp.

The town of Titisee is one of those ideal resort towns. The only things to “do” are to enjoy the spectacular setting & relax, having a spa treatment at one of the hotels, strolling the pedestrian-only waterfront promenade, shopping on the Seestrabe (often referenced as the best shopping street in the southern Black Forest), & hanging out on the shores of the lake. Or get out on to the water: take a cruise on the lake, go windsurfing or sailing, or just rent a rowing boat & do your own thing. Then relax in a typical beer garden.

Finally, it is time to say good-bye.

Continue on to Frankfurt Airport, where the journey ends (if you are staying longer, you will be dropped off at the hotel).  B

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