208km (129 miles) SW of Stuttgart, 70km (44 miles) N of Basel (Switzerland), 280km (174 miles) S of Frankfurt
The largest city in the Black Forest region is often overlooked because of its out-of-the-way location. When approached from the Rhine plain on the west, Freiburg is silhouetted against towering mountain peaks, which are only an hour from the town by funicular or car.
Because of its climate, Freiburg is a year-round attraction and sports center. The city is in the path of warm air currents that come up from the Mediterranean through the Burgundy Gap. In early spring, the town usually bursts into bloom while the surrounding mountain peaks remain covered with snow. In the fall, the smell of new wine fills the narrow streets even as snow falls on nearby peaks.
