Day 1 Arrival at Hinterzarten
A 3h train ride from Frankfurt and we arrived to the small town of Hinterzarten around 11 am. On our to the Airbnb, we walked through the park and spotted several squirrels eating and playing around. It appeared that they were custom to humans being around that they were fearless in approaching us. We checked into our Airbnb and made a short pitstop at the nearest grocery store. We grabbed some vegetables, bread and rice for our stay. We had quick lunch at a Vietnamese place (Sushi & Nem) which was quite good and headed on our way Mathislesweiher. It is a large bog Lake surrounded by the black forest, accessible by foot from Hinterzarten. The hike was about an hour and it is definitely a recommended. We headed back at around 5 pm since it started get dark and chilly. Back home, we made some quick dinner, rice and beans and called it a night.
Day 2 Titisee and Ravennaschlucht
The day started with brunch at the Airbnb and then we headed on a 5 km hike to the Titisee. There are several paths to reach the lake, some through the town and others through the forest. We opted for a path passing through the Adler Ski Stadium (Adler-Skistadion Hinterzarten). This jump opened in 1924 and continues to host regular ski jump competitions for the Summer Grand Prix.
Our walk to the Titisee took about 2h with tons of photo stops to enjoy the nature and trying to capture the beauty. Every few metres, were breathtaking views. We strolled around the Titisee taking in all its beauty. A fair share of tourists, families with kids were seen feeding the sparrows and the ducks. A quick stop at the Christmas market to enjoy a band of children playing Christmas carols. We caught the S Bahn back to Hinterzarten and dropped by Cafe Wilma for some hot chocolate , cheese cake and nuss nougat tart.
After some rest and sweet treats, we checked in for the highlight of our trip - the torch light walk to the Ravennaschlucht. The tour was organised by the Schneeschuh Akademie and cost €35 per person. The ticket included the guided torch light tour to the Christmas market, the entrance to the Christmas market and the shuttle bus back to Hinterzarten. The path through the woods carrying torches and singing carols made the walk memorable. The market is one of its kind being situated under the Ravenna gorge. The brightly lit gorge, food stalls and shops selling glass arts, wooden clocks, food items and much more make it definitely an unique experience.
Day 3 Schluchsee
We checked out of the Airbnb, bid farewell to our squirrel friends at the park and took the S1 Bahn heading to Seeburg. Next stop on our itinerary was Schluchsee. Massive lake surrounded by pine trees, it felt surreal. We spent the next 2h walking around the lake, listening to the sound of the birds and the wind caressing the surface of the water. The tall, dark green pine trees were a soothing sight. We hopped on the next S1 towards Freiburg. It was an early dinner time when we arrived at Freiburg. Heading straight to Divan Ocakbaşı close to the hbf, we enjoyed some warm turkish pilav and Sac Mercimek, and were home bound on our ICE. The short 3 day trip to the black forest was packed with many highlights and we would definitely come back to explore some more hiking trails.
