A magical few days exploring Freiburg and its surrounding landscapes. The city charmed me instantly with its Bächle — tiny streams running along every cobblestone lane, where children float wooden boats as you wander the old town. The hikes into Naturpark Südschwarzwald near Sankt Märgen were the heart of the trip: misty fir trees, rolling meadows, and farmhouses tucked into the hills, exactly the scenery that gave the Black Forest its legends. One evening I climbed up to Kanonenplatz just before sunset and watched the rooftops glow gold and pink, the Münster tower rising above it all. The trip ended with something even more special — visiting my dear friend Stefanie in her hometown of Staufen im Breisgau, hiking together through vineyards, castle ruins, and forest paths she's known since childhood. Seeing a place through the eyes of someone who loves it is the best kind of travel. 🌲
The Bächle, tiny water channels running through the streets of Freiburg, where children float wooden boats.
Close up of the Bächle, with a frog reading a book in the water.
Triberger Wasserfälle in the Naturpark Südschwarzwald near Sankt Märgen, surrounded by misty fir trees.
A sweeping view of lush green pastures rolls gently toward dark forested hillsides and misty mountain ridges in the distance, capturing the serene pastoral landscape of the Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg.
A section of the Ravenna Viaduct in the Black Forest.
Beneath the arches of the Ravenna Viaduct, where trains cross high above the Black Forest and time feels quietly suspended.
