Like Bamberg, Freiburg is another quaint German town. The university town is nestled between vineyards and hills. Its cuteness factor was overwhelming but the city itself felt a tad bit bigger than Bamberg.
We arrived via train around 5pm and booked it to The Black Forest Hostel. Now, it would not be a Bryan and Leslie adventure without getting lost, so after that we finally found our hostel. The hostel had an industrial feel to it with cement floors and counter-tops. The kitchen at this hostel was one of my favorites so far as there was a dishwasher. First hostel we’ve come across that had this and it was pretty spectacular. The hostel was situated right below a vineyard.
After settling into our hostel we walked to the market to purchase our typical travelers lunch for dinner. As we were walking we noticed there were hardly any cars and most people were on bikes. Later I learned Freiburg is one of the most sustainable cities in the world after talking with an Australian guy who is traveling around the world in an effort to visit many sustainable cities.
We only had one full day in Freiburg, but we went to bed without a plan for the following day anyway. The comfortable bed, the clean duvet cover, and earplugs made for a good nights sleep, and I woke up refreshed from the previous travel day and ready to explore.
We ate my favorite breakfast, Muesli and fruit, and then made our way to the center of the city. There were tiny medieval canals throughout the entire city which added to the already established character. We people watched while drinking coffee across from the famous Munster Cathedral, purchased fresh raspberries from the daily market, bought me a new pair of sunglasses (I’ve already gone through five), and debated whether or not to ride the cable car to the top of Schauinsland Peak in the Black Forest Highlands, eventually deciding it was a good idea.
After arriving to the cable car via tram and bus, we finally made it. It was just like any old cable car with wonderful views of the city from afar. After a half hour, we made it to the top and found a cafe to sit and enjoy the views. Thankfully, while sitting at the cafe talking about our travels, we decided the 12 Euro ride into the Black Forest was worth it since we rarely pay entrance fees.
We read about a brewery in Freiburg that supposedly had great views of the city and headed in that direction after walking through several cute narrow alley ways that made Bryan want to pinch their cheeks.
The entrance to the brewery started with a cave at the bottom of the hill. You can either walk up the hill via the pathways or take the elevator. We took the lazy way and went up on the elevator and back down on the path.
The brewery held up to its standard of having great views, but not necessarily good food or beer. It was okay but nothing to write home about. The beer garden was massive with panoramic views. On one side we could see the big clock tower and the downtown area and on the other we had a view of a vineyard and our hostel below it. We stayed until after sunset and then headed “home” for the night.
Freiburg was wonderful, but the time had come to see the Dolins and hopefully get a little taste of home.
Next stop, Geneva, Switzerland.
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