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Hi Simone
Thank you for the suggestion. We used your self guided Not so touristy travel and had wonderful day on Thursday. Arrived back in Freiburg at 10pm.
Great memories.
Many thanks for taking time to offer suggestion.
Sincerely An
We purchased a 2 day tour starting in Freiburg, driving ourselves through the Black Forest to the clock area and then on to Baden Baden. The tour directions are very detailed which is great and also give you GPS reference points which were very helpful. There is a lot of information and some really good suggested stops along the way as well as walking maps for the major towns/cities. I would recommend reading through it before you travel to enable you to highlight which areas and attractions you want to stop at. The suggested timings for driving from point to point were accurate. We stayed overnight in a small medieval town which was stunning. Simone’s knowledge of the area is very good.
We used the Black Forest guide for a self driving tour of the forest. The guide was very informative, full of insight of where to go, what to see, and were to eat and rest. The guide is a bit choppy in sequence, but well worth the purchase price.
I’m looking over the towns you mention in the files I received now with the Not So Touristy Tour. This looks like exactly what I was wanting, and most of these towns I would’ve never found on my own, so I’m really excited.
My husband and I bought three different tours and loved them. We used our GPS to get around the Black Forest. We loved the tips about where to buy lunch and each lunch on the mountains. We can’t wait to go again and hope there are more trips available to use.
Simone has provided a lot of great information in her tours. We had a great time, bought a fabulous clock and would highly recommend her tours to others!
My wife and I planned a visit to Freiburg for several days. We also wished to see and experience some of the surrounding tourist sights. Because of limited time available , we contacted Simone Brixel of Black Forest Tours for advice. We can report that the information provided by Simone was superb. Freiburg was a lovely town, and we thoroughly enjoyed our walk from Hinterzarten to Lake Titisee and lake walk there. The highlight was Simone’s recommendation to take the local Panorama bus from Hinterzarten. The countryside was just beautiful. An outstanding feature of Simone’s information, was the level of detail which proved to be easy to follow for the whole time we were there. I would not hesitate to use Black Forest Tours for any tourist advice in the Frieberg area. Thanks Simone.
We did the self guided tour thought the black forest from Freiburg to Baden-Baden. The information provided was very thorough. It provided very detailed information and optional side trips. At some point it almost became too much info, but overall was extremely helpful!! The tips for local hotels and restaurants was spot on!
The information sent for this self guided tour was excellent. It provided us with all the necessary times to enable us to see everything we wanted to.
We were very pleased with the tour. Simone was very friendly, helpful and accommodating. She offered interesting insights along the way.
We did the Top 10 Freiburg self guided tour. It was an excellent way to see all the black forest has to offer. The instructions and directions that were given for the tour were very easy to follow. We picked and chose what we wanted to see and had a great day. We left Freiburg around 8:00 AM and did not return until 7:00 at night. It was a day well spent. I would highly recommend the self guided tour if you are going to have a car while in the area.
spent a week in black forest area, beautiful, the tours were very helpful because we could use what bits we needed on our days out, very helpful.
The Black Forest Local Tour Guides where excellent. Loads of information, clear directions and great suggestions, most comprehensive. An excellent resource for anyone visiting the Black Forest area.
We had a great time touring the small villages and countryside of the Black Forest. The points of interest listed in the tour were indeed interesting and worth the visit. We loved the towns of Freiburg and Baden Baden. Only word of caution would be visiting the Berg Ban (Mountain Train). We are not used to city bus systems and got on the bus going in the wrong direction. By the time we got back to where we started we gave up on going to see it. We found most of the things we were looking for, but frankly ran out of time to see everything. We spent 2 days/2 nights between Freiburg and Baden Baden. We could have easily spent two more days to fit in all the things we wanted to do.
My wife and I used four Black Forest self guided tours to help plan a portion of our driving trip through Germany, Austria and the Alsace region of France. The Black Forest Tours were all very detailed with excellent information that enabled us to have a fantastic self guided tour of this beautiful and fascinating region. The information was accurate and up-to-date and enabled us to tour as if we were locals. Well worth the price!
Information was great. But needed more time. Thought each one would take a day But both of the ones I got needed 2 days each. Was very helpful and glad I purchased them.
The packaged documents were full of information and really showed us the hidden side of the area. There were hidden waterfalls that would’ve been hard to spot
We had a great time – there was a lot of information but I was able to scan through and pick and choose the places that we went to! there was enough information in the two day tour to last a week! Thank you so much!
We went on the advanced self guided tour and loved it. It was just enough information with a bit of history, different options for attractions to see, where to stay, which transport to take, which bakeries to go to, etc. The farmhouse museum was excellent for the kids, we had thought about skipping it but the tour said not to be missed. We travelled on a Saturday which made bus times harder but with the guide we had no problem at all. It had all the right times & bus numbers for us & maps for locations of bus stops.
We got the see all the things we wanted to see & without the tour, if we had of tried to do it on our own we would have missed half of it due to bus time train time difficulties.
We travelled in a family of 6 which made a very good priced tour & best of all it felt like we were travelling like a local, with the locals, because we knew all the inside information.
We are a family of four, with grown children, living in Maryland, US. We took three tours including: Escape from Neuschwanstein, Top 10 Baden-Baden Tour, and Top 10 Strasbourg Tour. All three were amazing! You see all of the main attractions, as well as must see places that are barely listed in the travel guides (and aren’t crowded with a bunch of tourists). You know where to park your car, where to go, what to look for and where to eat. The tours told us about small family-owned restaurants that had truly authentic German cuisine, and since there weren’t too many tourists there, everything was very reasonably priced and everything was delicious. All of the attractions have explanations that inform you how long it’ll take to see everything, and whether it’s family-friendly. Thank you Simone!
The Black Forest is really touristy. If you are easily saturated by crowds and cuckoo clock shops then this guide is a good antidote. We were taken to some out of the way spots that were interesting, memorable and relatively quiet. We had our best stay in a hotel in a Black Forest town that was recommended in the guide. We used the downloaded guide and did our own thing in our own car.
We bought a self-guided “Cover It All Tour” starting in Baden-Baden and ending in Freiburg that we planned to cover in one day. This self-guided tour sounded promising by description and advertisement, but it was not very practical in reality.
First of all, it is a 75 pages long pdf document. It Is has a lot interesting pictures, maps, and tons of details. It may be an interesting book to read, but it is somewhat overwhelming. You do need to allocate time to read it before you go, and if you cannot memorize details before you hit the road and plan to read it as you go, then it gets frustrating. Besides, it is a long stretch for a day trip, so it is simply impossible to squeeze reading 75 pages into this day.
This brings me to next point. The tour cannot be done “as is” within a day. Not even close. You really have to do your homework to pick and choose what you can and cannot do and sometimes you simply cannot make the right choice simply because “you don’t know”. In addition to that, being your own guide on an unknown territory requires some adjustments. The customization is time consuming, and this tour does not have a “short” edition which would be absolutely helpful.
I think we could have done this day trip using some on-line sources without paying 50 EU for this self-guided tour. We would be as much successful. Our original intention was go with a local guide, but that was not an option because we needed a guide going “one-way” with us. Maybe we just had to look for a guide a bit harder…
As a lone backpacker the self guided tour was a great option and I truly enjoyed my journey! It lead me through many of the areas that I planned on going to, but sadly didn’t know how to get to. I got plenty of great pictures and even got to see the coo-coo clock go off! Though during my journey my phone died and I lost my directions since they were on it, I was able to make my way back all the way back to the train station and back to Freiburg without any problems. Thanks to the good direction I received earlier in the tour guide I was able to use my little knowledge of the trail system to navigate.
The info was just what you need, would recommend it 100%
The places to visit we would most probably have missed without the information
We found the suggested walks interesting and very enjoyable. The information we were provided was detailed and accurate.
I found the information was substantial and addressed my needs generally no need to ask tourist questions.
It allowed me to customise the things I wanted to see within the time I had available. I had some regrets that I did not have more time.
The suggested tour routes & sights to see in the Black Forest Tours were very helpful. A highlight of our Black Forest trip was the little Cuckoo Clock town of Triberg, and yes we purchased a Cuckoo clock
We had a great time in the Black Forest. The tour we received from Simone was very detailed and we could pick a chose what we wanted to do from it. We had a wonderful day hike. Simone was always available by email when we had questions. We did not need to call her, but that was available also. I also found her Germany 101 and driving in Germany very helpful as we rented a car.
the tour was amazing, I must if heading to the black forest. we would have missed so much if we did it on our own. The tour was one of the highlights to our trip. The restaurants that you recommended were great , we went back for a second dinner. Thank you
The day we were at the Black Forest the temperature was unusually warm (near 95) so the tour through the cool forest was particularly nice.Nice stream runs along the path and a beautiful waterfall. There was an interesting clock display and glass blowing factory. Don’t miss the bakery – OMG. Mouth watering cakes and pastries.
My wife and I wanted to end our 10 day vacation in Germany with a 2 day tour of the Black Forest. We contacted and consulted Simone and decided that her Panorama Clocks Tour and Locals Tour would be the best route. With her guidance we had a memorable 2 days. We would have missed a lot things (as well as gotten lost) without her insights and GPS coordinates. One of her key tips is to rent a car with a GPS system vs relying on Google maps on your phone – please heed that advice. We utilized both formats for a while and there were several instances when our phone would have taken us in the wrong direction. Simone provides so much information and points of interest that you need to spend time planning your day because you can’t see it all – it’s a great problem to have.
If you stay in Freiburg we had excellent accommodations at The Park Hotel at the edge of Old Town and near the train station. The next night we stayed in Gengenbach at The Sonne Hotel which was another very nice hotel right in the center of Old Town.
Thanks to Simone and her planning guide we had a outstanding trip through the Black Forest. I highly recommend her guides if you are planning to drive the Black Forest
Black forest can be overwhelming for some to plan. This tour gives you the flexibility to pick and choose per your preference and makes it easier to plan.
Booked a two day tour and the itenary shared by Simone was very helpfull and informative. It helps us to plan each and every hour and activity. Excellent work by Simone.
A massive thank you to Simone for a wonderful day touring the sights of the Black Forest. We could not have possibly researched all the activities we saw, it’s a great way to build a bespoke experience that ensures you have a great time. We saw wineries, schnapps distillieries, chocolate producers, farmers stalls, waterfalls, stunning villages & towns and a folk museum ! plus the beauty of the Black Forest itself !! We met Simone in Offenburg after a 20 minute train journey from Baden-Baden, it was so easy to do. Simone has a lifetime of knowledge of the area and gave us great suggestions for the rest of our stay. We crossed the border to Strasbourg in France and saw the wineries there too ! You won’t regret booking Simone, she is a great hostess and the whole day is very relaxed at your own pace.
Took two self drive tours ‘ the local tour ‘ from Baden Baden and another from Freiburg to France ( Colmar and small villages ) . If i need to describe them in one word … ‘ simply Outstanding ‘ . I must say Simone has put in a lot of hard work on piecing up all the information starting from the route to places to visit , eating out and going of the beaten path … simply superb . The day trips can easily be stretched to two days at a more leisurely pace … more so considering the amount of detailed information provided in each tour . … will definitely come back and try more of these tours . Thanks … Simone
I join the plenty in giving Simone and her team We did the self guided tour, and we had so much fun, thanks to Simone’s very informative and easy instructions to follow. She was also very helpful when we had a problem downloading the guide, and replied to queries very fast. Highlight of the tour was the Lake Titisee visit, and thanks to Simone, we found the real Black Forest Cake. Thank you!
We were visiting the area for 6 days as a family on a self-drive holiday. I downloaded the “Top 10 Freiburg” guide which also came with a very useful guide on the local area and a great guide for Freiburg itself.
The “Top 10” guide gives a route to follow starting and ending in Freiburg and can be completed, if you hurry, in a day. Because we wanted to spend more time at some of the attractions we devised our own one day “tours” using the information from Simone’s guide. The information given was very informative and absolutely complete as well as giving us the correct “directions” to enter into our satnav – we didn’t get lost once!
These guides are very good value for money and excellent quality; the information in the “general” guide is extremely useful if you are a first-time visitor/driver in Germany. Cannot recommend highly enough!
I ordered the self-guided tour as we had a rental car. I couldn’t believe how thorough Simone’s guide was and how easy to follow! She was spot on with all of her recommendations, steering us away from the tourist traps and helping us find hidden gems like private waterfalls and where to buy the best cuckoo clock. Driving through the Black Forest without Simone’s tour would have been a waste of time, but with it we were really able to experience everything.
Staying in Freiburg on business, a colleague and I had an open day last minute. Simone of Black Forest Tours was awesome!
She was already booked for a guided tour so she offered one of her self guided driving tours. Basically, a wealth of information (for various tours, take your pick!) available for download online. The website was a little hard to figure out (just the purchase part, there’s a small (+) sign you have to find and click on to pay. I sent her an email (late at night) the night before I wanted to go to ask how to pay, she was so responsive! She emailed me back right away and clarified it for me.
The Tour: we chose the Freiburg Top 10 tour. The tour is a driving loop through the Black Forest hitting amazing spots, some with tourists others with very few people. Everything along the way was clearly described with tips for what to do. Addresses for GPS but also maps and great directions in case GPS fails.
We went at our own pace and only stopped where we wanted to, leaving a few things to do on a future trip (this was a business friend, hope to come back with family sometime, now I have the info I need for future trips too!).
My husband and I vacationed in Germany this summer and we knew we wanted to see the Black Forest as part of the trip. After doing some research online, we found Simone’s driving tours. I exchanged several emails with Simone before deciding on the “Neuschwanstein to the Black Forest” and “2 Day Black Forest” driving tours. She was very helpful and responded quickly to my many questions before the trip. Once I received the tours in my email, I was blown away by the amount of information that was provided. There is a section at the beginning of the tours that outlines driving signs and rules, as well as a briefing on German culture, which is very helpful. The tours themselves are very detailed including addresses, pictures of the roads and signs you’ll encounter, and details on the towns you’ll visit.
We spent four days following the two tours and they were some of my favorite days out of the entire vacation. Simone provides addresses to put into your GPS to keep you on the right route and includes very unique destinations that you wouldn’t find otherwise. Although I was a little nervous about driving in a foreign country, the detail provided in the tours was perfect. Having a GPS in the rental car was crucial if you’re driving yourself, especially when a road we were supposed to go on was closed and we had to detour through Austria. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time because Simone puts a lot of options into each of her tours. We could have spent another few days visiting the sites we didn’t get to while we were there.
Overall, I would highly recommend Simone’s tours, whether you’re driving yourself or hiring a driver. You will have a great time experiencing places that are off the typical bus tour itinerary. We had countless unique experiences, including meeting some friendly locals who were amazed to see Americans in their small town and sharing some Schnaps with them. If you’re planning to go to the Black Forest, you should definitely contact Simone!
We visited the southern part of Germany this summer, driving from Freiburg to Munich via the Black Forest (Triberg, Lake Titisee), Lake Constanz and all the beautiful villages (Meerburg, Lindau, etc), Neuschwanstein castle in Schwangau. It as a real delight. Beautiful sceneries all along, nice cottages and villages, nature at its best.
I’m travelling Germany with two friends and have had 3 night stopovers in Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin and the Black forest. We always DIY it and use trip advisor for the best things to do … We don’t like the guided tours and being stuck with someone else’s timetable for the day.
We bought one of Simone’s self guided tours of the Black Forest by train for €38 and it was absolutely excellent. Brilliant tips and hints and planned out our full two days in Freiburg and two trips into the Black Forest. It was so easy to follow. We bought the group travel pass and did the cable cars, luge ride, waterfall trek, gondola trip, scooter ride down the mountain (real highlight but for the fit and adventurous type) & the walking tour of Freiburg. Loved every minute, thanks Simone
We had a brilliant day, there was so much information and Simone was incredibly helpful when we were deciding which tour to do. We were easily able to find all the places she suggested so didn’t miss any gems and as we stopped for a while in a couple of places we barely got through half the tour, we intend to go back one year and finish it. Bought a cuckoo clock and had a huge piece of Black Forest Cake.
Lots of extra info was provided too such as general info on the Black Forest and driving in Germany.
Would definitely recommend, in fact we may go to Bavaria next year and if so will be buying a tour there too.
We had limited time in the Freiburg area, and very little idea of what we should be looking at. With this in mind, we purchased the Panoramic One Day self guided tour. We used our own rental car. We loaded the tour on our tablet and found this guided tour extremely helpful in providing a route to follow and giving us a heads up on what to see. In the end we actually took the short cut back to our hotel. If you spend much time in Triberg this trip could easily be made a two day trip. There was a lot of road construction on the main street in Triberg which slowed us up a bit as well. However, we greatly appreciated all the insights on places to stay as well as places to eat in this area. We would recommend this to anyone looking for a self guided tour of the Freiburg/Triberg area.
We did the See-It-All Easy tour, purchasing the guide on-line. It was excellently and very thoughtfully put together and helped us to navigate our way extremely well.
The tour recommends start-off at Offenburg and covers Triberg and Geggenbach. We took an ICE train out from Frankfurt and then followed the directions. Both the trip-guide as well as the general instructions on touring/visiting Germany were excellent. We did drop a few things, but were very happy with our day. It comes at a fraction of the price of a guided tour and leaves one with a sense of fulfilment at doing the exploring and finding adventure at every turn.
Highly recommend Cafe Sacher for the fabled Black Forest cake and the hike to the largest cuckoo clock.
I cannot begin to say how impressed I was with Simone and her tour company. The information and payment exchange prior to the trip was seamless. We took the train to Freiburg, but then rented a car to drive to Landsberg am Lech for a work tour from there. Our tour included a walking tour of Freiburg, which was very informative and laid back. Simone then put together the Off the Beaten Path car tour for us, but amended certain parts for our drive to Landsberg. The handout used, coupled with our car GPS, made it very easy to get around and find each point she recommended. We especially liked hiking to the castle in Staufen. I can’t recommend Black Forest Tours enough; they should be on everyone’s list for Black Forest touring. Having the local touch to get away from touristy areas was a huge selling point for us. She even offered a free local cloth bag to carry our stuff during the tour and cherries in kirsch.
Simone Brixel and her company made the experience more than memorable. We are now converts to the beauty and history of the region. When the guide, Simone for our tour, has passion, energy, enthusiasm for the Black Forest, then it is a real and powerful advocacy for the place she loves and we now we do too. The relationships with the restaurants, shops, and local people is genuine and she is welcomed by them making us feel, if even for a moment, like VIP locals. We went to a few places off the tourist path, walked along a Moor park and had lunch in Treiburg. We had an equally passionate driver so all of us could enjoy the special place called the Black Forest. There can be no better way to experience the Black forest than a tour with Black Forest Tours.
Then at the end of the day, the experience was not over, Simone sent two more days of self-driving tours with stops and directions specific enough we did not lose our path or any time wandering around. She even guided us to the low or no cost parking.
It was more than expected and better than we could have planned or imagined. I realize I have not given any details of the tour.
It is to prevent any spoilers.
If you book with Black Forest Tours any time of the year, the experience will be personalized and memorable. Every tour is different and yours will be too. Enjoy! My family and I did!
We could not have done it without you, Simone! We found the Black Forest difficult to research and plan because no one really talks in-depth about it. Most tours consider a 1-2 hr. drive along one of the main roads your “Black Forest Tour”. But it is so much more! Simone knows the ins and outs of the Black Forest and her easy to order and download guide was just what we needed. Very detailed driving instructions if you are renting a car and driving yourself, with lots of options offered. We spent 6 days in the Black Forest and we were able to fully maximize our experience because of her guidance. I”m sure she offers the same wonderful attention to detail in her fully guided and driver guide tours also.
Will not hesitate to recommend Black Forest Tours!
We travelled as a family and took the self tours of Black Forest from Simone . It was definitely value for money as well as time as we could exhaustively cover Black Forest namely Triberg ,farm museum and luge ride in Gutang. We also went to lake Titisee and Hedelberg . The walking tour of Freiburg with Simone was awesome . In the self tours she has articulately covered minute details of the tour which helps in saving time and money . I pat myself for using Black Forest tours as it alleviated my touring experience of Black Forest . I strongly recommend Simone for her prompt service , meticulous details and exhaustive coverage of Black Forest .
We were not able to book a guided tour with Simone, she was booked, so we got “The Locals Tour” since we had rented a car, our starting point was Baden-Baden. Simone and I traded some emails, and that is the tour she recommended.
We like hiking and small towns and not big cities, so this was perfect for us. We started in Baden-Baden and stopped at a mill, we ended up having an early lunch at their resturaunt, soup and wine for the non-driver, excellent. Picked up some fresh strawberries and crackers and topping for the car. We tried to take the summit road but it was closed for some reason, so ended up on the lower level to the winery in little Black Forest town. Purchased some burgendy and white wine (had it when we got bsck). We walked around town and did some shopping (this was Thursday), no people and very laid back. I ended up getting a coffee and read the newspaper while the women did shopping, very relaxing.
We wanted to do some hiking, so parked at the bottom of the mountian and walked up to see the falls, probably a 700-800 foot rise, pretty strenuous. At the top, we decided to get a beer, so walked over to the Bischenberg Gasthaus which overlooks the valley over to France. We ended up talking to the owner, a Orthodontist who purchased the place 5-6 years ago and his son runs it, very friendly guy, gave us a lot of good information. We hiked down from there. By that time, it was 4:00 and we ran out of time, so were not able to take the rest of Simone’s trip to the end up at the castle, so we will have to come back!
Simone’s guide was excellent, well written with clear information about GPS locations and “local only” interesting places, so well worth purchasing, for us.
The guide was very useful, we purchased the Top 10 Baden Baden. We used it on2 days, mainly because the weather on the first day was very misty on the Summit Road, but even for this, Simone made sure to provide advice of what route to take to avoid a dangerous road trip! We also enjoyed stopping at different places on the different days. Very well described.
We contacted Simone about a do-it-yourself tour by train since we didn’t have enough time to do her other, more longer options. She was quick to answer questions and helped us fight the right tour. For a small fee, we received a thoroughly detailed, full-color 60-paged PDF about everything Black Forest. It also had a great number of traveling tips about Germany itself too, which was unexpected but greatly appreciated. Although we didn’t manage to go to the Black Forest in the end, it was still worth the money, and we have the PDF for the next time we’re in this area. I highly recommend Black Forest Tours.
We spent a whole day in Black Forest area with top 10 Freiburg Tour. It was a very helpful and comprehensive guide which helped us a lot. I strongly recommend it!!
I followed the self-guided ‘Winter Tunnel Tour’ route; departing from Freiburg I took the train up to Offenburg then followed the tour from Offenburg along the Black Forest / Hell Valley railway lines in a circular route which ended back in Freiburg 9 hours later.
The information in the downloadable PDFs is excellent and gives sufficient information for you to modify the suggested itinerary as you see fit, in order to suit your needs, wants and interests.
I disembarked the train to walk around the old town of Offenburg, a walk along the river at Hausach, the waterfalls and museum at Triberg, the Donauquelle (the historical source of the Danube) at Donaueschingen and the lake at Titisee.
Make sure to download the Black Forest Railway audioguide from the DB website!
It was a great day and there’s still lots I hadn’t seen so I must do something similar again another time!
We chose to have a self-tour. After looking for the tour that we like, we get the PDFs. I would highly suggest you checking all the opening hours of the towns before you go. As we decided to go on 22nd, there are quite a lot of places that were closed (since Christmas was approaching), so this make us delete one town to visit. We didn’t want to rush so we finally selected 3 towns – Gengenbach, Wolfach and Freudenstadt.
I would highly suggest visiting gengenbach, it is a beautiful town. We just relaxed, had a lunch, shopped in stalls outside the town hall (the christmas stalls) and we bought the black forest cheese and ham. The angel valley is a must to have a look, a place for great photos. You will realise it is a really small town, it takes less than 30 minutes (maybe, we didn’t really try to) to finish the walking tour suggested in the guide (a copy taken from the tourist office).
We had spent almost 2 hours in the glass making museum in Wolfach. Four out of five of us made our own vases! That’s such a great experience. You really contribute in that bit of making your own vase. They don’t really speak English but they are really nice and try to know you want exactly for your vase.
We were planning to go to the christmas market in Freudenstadt. But I didn’t expect it will close 1 week before the 22nd (that would be around 15 Dec) as those in Munich opens even later (some until midnight) on 24th. It was evening when we arrived, shop closed, few people on the street. We were lucky that we met a local and he recommended a restaurant to us.
Overall it’s a very enjoyable trip for all five of us, exhausted and get some sleep before arriving Stuttgart.
Our group of three rented a car in Freiburg, and spent 3 fun-filled and interesting days following Simone’s “Freiburg to Baden-Baden” self-guided tour. We wouldn’t have had such a great time without Simone’s excellent tour package! Our enjoyment actually started a couple of months before our trip, when we received the tour package. It’s often said that the time spent anticipating an event enhances the experience. Simone’s guides are beautifully written and illustrated. They far exceeded our expectations. Although it’s not necessary to read them ahead of time, we loved going through them. They are full of interesting details about the area, going way beyond just a route description.
The guides were also incredibly helpful and easy to use during our actual tour. We found Simone’s advice about restaurants and attractions to be spot on! The driving went very smoothly, thanks to her excellent directions. The tour package really helped us to make the best use of our time in the Black Forest. I would highly recommend Simone’s guides to anyone considering a self-guided tour of the area. I see that she has added some new tours since our trip in Sept 2015 – I hope to come back to the area and try another of her routes!
We had a spectacular time on our tour! the really nice thing about your tour package was we had total control over which locations to visit. We did have some trouble a few times with gps locations (specifically the waterfalls [because the signage is cleverly hidden], and the castle – the GPS took us to a small restaurant to the south-east of the castle). However we just allowed ourselves to get lost and eventually found what we were looking for in both instances.
We were a bit confused with where to park at the waterfalls because the sign in the parking lot said it was for guests of the Gasthaus only and that parking was verboten, but the owner of the gasthaus said we could park there.
Your recommendations were exactly what we were looking for. We tried flammkuchen for the first time and really enjoyed it!
The walking tour of the medieval town was definitely a highlight of our tour. And we also enjoyed the open air museum.
We took the self- guided car tour with a driver and also the tour on our own – both were wonderful!! Simone even came before our tour and introduced us to the driver and gave us some more information in regard to our tour – she had already sent a link to what we would be seeing AND dropped more info off at our hotel – talk about customer service!!!! Our driver was very nice and with all the info that Simone had given us – we knew exactly what we would be seeing and lots of details. We especially enjoyed the falls at Triberg!! On our tour on our own, we had another great day – everything was so detailed that there was no way we could mess up. Also, she sent a link to a tour of Freiburg that we did on our own and info on visiting the Rhine Falls near Lucerne. She is an impressive tour guide – wish that she could be everyplace in Europe!!
We purchased 2 of Simone’s self-guided car tours (Hop to France & Cover it All) and that kept us busy for 3 days!! We wish we had more time! They were fantastic and included everything we needed. She thought of every little detail like customs, cultures, GPS coordinates maps and the best way to interact with the locals! We found places off-the-beaten-path and experienced things away from the large crowds. The rural towns, the beauty, the wonderful people it was like she knew us and knew exactly what we wanted to see!! Words cannot express the gift that Simone and her team have given to me and my husband! The next time we travel, we won’t leave home without Simone!!
We did the Black Forest Tour self navigated tour via car.
The guide was very detailed and we were lucky to almost complete everything listed within 3 days.
Favorite for my 7 & 8 year old – Lake Titisee and the Spa and Water Paradise “Badeparadies Schwarzwald”
Freiburg – we did have a hard time finding the parking garage listed and the Tourist Center, BUT, we found another garage and enjoyed the city.
Due to road construction there were a few places we could not see, nor did our GPS, find an alternate route to Todtnau and Schauinsland.
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Simone was very helpful and answered many questions that in a fast manner.
I highly recommend this tour!
I purchased “Black Forest” and “Hop to France” self guided tours. All your recommendations are just on spot: places to visit and to skip, recommended walking routes and places to eat. Poor ignorant people getting bored at crowded Titisee and having no idea they are just short drive from charming small towns and breathtaking views. Thanks a lot!
My husband and I went to Germany with my sister and her boyfriend about a month ago, but we were only in Germany for 2 1/2 days. We were visiting 2 other countries, so we wanted to see a lot, within a little over week. Simone was so awesome. She responded to all my questions quickly in emails and recommended certain things for our tour self guided tour. Once you commit, she sends you maps, and a whole lot of very useful information about the little towns & many places throughout the Black Forest. At first it was overwhelming to read, especially because we are not from Europe at all & because we wanted to do every single thing, but we had to pick and choose. We only had one day to do the tour & for the little time we spent in Germany, we got so see beautiful landscaping & visit beautiful towns throughout the country side. Simone’s tour tells you what to do, what to see, what you should buy, & where to go once you reach your destinations. She also tells you which part of town are not too friendly to non-Germans & what food spots are not that great. I wish we were able to spend more time in the Black Forest, but now we know we definitely have to come back because we loved what we experienced in such a short time. Simone’s Black Forest tours are a must, especially if you have no idea where to start & where to go if you have not been to Germany. Thanks, Simone, for an awesome time!
Simone’s tours are truly what made our trip so unbelievable!!! I would have never gone to many of the places that we visited had we not had her tour!!! It was so great having the GPS coordinates to everyplace. We never got lost once and saw some of the most amazing and beautiful countryside and endearing and wonderful towns/villages!!!! Every place we stayed was wonderful. The small towns were exactly what we wanted to see and experience and I have to say that I always felt very comfortable and found the German culture very welcoming even though we only speak English!!! We only went to one large town after we left Salzburg and that was Frankfurt and that was to return our rent car and fly home!!!
Thank you Simone for all of your hard work and I believe the tours you have developed are perfect just the way they are!!! I look forward to seeing your new tours!!!! Our vacation was so amazing and we can give you the credit for that because of your tours that I purchased!!!! Best money I spent!!! I WILL be back!!! :)
We had limited time in Freiburg and wanted ideas on the best way to see the city and Black Forest. Simone replied very quickly to my enquiry with several suggestions and we purchased a self-guided package which was very comprehensive including maps and even train timetables. It was so helpful to have local information, recommendations and ideas and we used the package over two days. Especially wonderful was the bush-walk through the Black Forest from Hinterzarten to Titisee, something we would not have known we could do without Simone’s guide. Thanks, Simone, we will pay it forward with a big recommendation to friends who are travelling next year.
I purchased the “2 DAYS BETWEEN BADEN-BADEN AND FREIBURG” tour from Black Forest Tours. Although we only used a small portion of the guide information due to our truncated visit, I still believe it was an outstanding value. We used the guide to pick our route (off the beaten path, avoiding the highway) and had a lovely visit in Gengenbach, the ancestral home for two of my cousins on the trip. I suggest you stay longer than we did and use the guides to find the quaint, out of the way places that will make your visit memorable. I highly recommend the Black Forest Tour guides.
we booked Rhein waterfall tour, but until we reached the waterfall there was too much other interesting places to go in Black Forest, the tour was very full filled with needed information about restaurants, sightseeing, museums and etc.
My husband and I rented a car and took the Castles & Wine Tour and the Panorama & Clocks Tour while we were visiting Germany (Aug. 2015). Based on Simone’s advice, we stayed in Baden-Baden the night before we started the 2-day tour. Instead of checking out, we returned to Baden-Baden at the end of Day 1 of the tour. At the start of Day 2, we left Baden-Baden behind, went through the remainder of the tour, then stayed where the it ended in Freiburg.
We loved the freedom of being able to choose what we wanted to see, while not having to travel with a tour group. Simone provides a TON of stuff to do; more than can leisurely done in one or two days. For instance, she provides many different locations of castles and wineries to visit on the Castles & Wine Tour, but her insider tips help you make an informed decision on the place that’s best for you. Using GPS in English was no problem in the rental car. The directions and addresses got us to where we were going every time. I have to say, it sort of felt like a scavenger hunt, but that’s what made it so fun for us. We were always looking forward to the next place! This was my first time traveling through the Black Forest. I would absolutely recommend this to other travelers whom are renting their own vehicle, enjoy the outdoors, and like to experience the less touristy countryside. Though this comprised of only two days of our 14-day trip, this was easily my favorite part!
We had a couple of days to explore Freiburg and the Black Forest and we came across the Black Forest Tours by chance. the moment I printed the 2 day tour by train document I realized I did the right thing. everything was neat and organized and well documented. you can find all the info you need in one document. I have to thank Simone for the great job she did wish her all the best in the future. I hoped to meet her personally with my wife but our time didn’t help so hopefully next time.
The Black Forest area is vast with hundreds of activities to do. It can be difficult to get to a lot of them if one is not travelling with a group. The pack we bought through Black Forest Tours was highly informative and convenient in the sense that we could download it on the PDA and use this in the car while travelling.
Simone’s guides are excellent. They are detailed and include many attractions that the visitor would probably not find on their own. Although full of detail they can be used as a broad list of suggestions for the visitor to explore on their own. We had the “Top Ten Attractions of the Black Forest” guide. This was very good for the visitor with a car. Simone, the author, also included at no extra cost a detailed guide to Freiburg (where we were staying) and a general guide to local customs in that part of Germany. I can thoroughly recommend them.
We had limited time and wanted to see as much of the Black Forest as possible. This tour was great. It was easy to follow and we saw all the important sights.
This made our trip much easier as we simply had a look a what Simone recommended for each stage of our trip and we were able to make our tour exactly as we wanted! We visited other places in Germany after our Black Forest tour and we found ourselves missing her guide and her recommendations!
This is a brilliant idea and I’d use it again. The fact that we wanted to do the luge trip and couldn’t because it was too windy was in no way the fault of Simone’s tour guiding. Our train TO Freiburg was late and we missed the first bus to Titisee. Although the timetable said there was one half-hourly, we had to wait almost a full hour for the next. Please note the destination says “Zell.”
We had an enjoyable day anyway, even though the train FROM Freiburg to Stuttgart did not go due to a power line failure and we had to jump aboard an overnight bus to Berlin and get off at Stuttgart. It was an interesting experience for a couple of 70+ year-olds.
We purchased 2 tours from Simone after asking MANY questions of her. All of her help before and even after our purchase was awesome. Having the tour information before our trip was helpful, too, for us to become familiar with the area, the customs, food, tipping, etc. The information in the tour was great, too, we appreciated knowing about a shop with quality wood carvings, and she was right, that was certainly the shop to see. I am sure without the information in our tours we would have missed a lot. The ability to purchase a self-guided tour that is not dependent upon a date and comes with so much relative information is certainly the way to go. We purchased the train tours, but later decided to drive instead, and found our tours were still very relevant and helpful. The Black Forest was beautiful and we are so glad we visited. YOU ROCK SIMONE!
The self guided tour purchased from Simone was very informative and helpful. The photos and maps incorporated make it easier to understand for people like us who are not familiar with the place at all. We selected only those places we wished to go and follow the recommendation.
We have no problem getting to Titisee and Triberg by train. Indulging the Black Forest Cakes in Cafe Schafer and Tourist Centre in Titisee is a must-eat. And visiting the wood carving and cuckoo clock shops is a must-do.
The hike to see the biggest cuckoo clock in Eble Uhren Park was an experience because only my wife and myself were taking the trail. Yes, the trail ends with the sight of the biggest cuckoo clock !! We waited till the hour to see the cuckoo too.
The only set back was the long journey from Frieberg and the waiting to change trains. The bus services in Triberg was not reliable and limited on Sundays.
However, Simone did highlighted these in the self guided tour.
Overall, we are happy to have visited the Black Forest.
We took the drive yourself Off the Beaten Path tour this past June and it was a beautiful scenic drive. We wanted something that we could do on our own but didn’t want to wander around aimlessly so Black Forest Tours was perfect. The directions are well spelled out with addresses for each recommended stop as well as some very helpful pictures. Simone thought of everything even bathroom stops! My favorite stop was the short hike to the waterfall, it was gorgeous.
We booked 3 different “drive-me-tours” & everything was excellent and easy though we were with young kids! Simone answered promptly all our questions and provided us with maps and clear details about all the places we wanted to visit. She even helped us discovering on our own the lovely Freibourg-im-Breisgau! Excellent tours and a very professional and kind Simone :-) We will be happy to go back to the BF and choose some “guide-me tours”!! :)
This was a great experience, and I’m so impressed with this woman. I wish tours like this were available everywhere. You pick the area you want to see, you pay a reasonable fee, and you get an entire guide, in the direction you want to travel, with lots of suggestions where to stop and what to do. Our 1-day guide had enough things to chose from to fill at least 2 days, so you can skip the things that don’t interest you, and create your own wonderful trip. Amazing. We saw many things we would never have found on our own.
Several months prior to our trip to Germany, I had purchased this lovely Black Forest Tours packet providing us with a treasure hunt of instructions throughout the Black Forest area. I was excited to go on our well-instructed adventure and felt relatively secure about the routes. Unbeknownst to me, my husband, and yes, Simone, our trip was superceded by a very dense fog throughout the peak areas of the Black Forest. In fact, I renamed it the “White Forest”. That being said, my husband and I did not see too much in the way of the Black Forest – other than the white line on the side of the road. In addition, our GPS was not conducive to change and the only route we could find in order to see other areas in the Black Forest, took us back through the dense fog. No thanks – the first experience was enough.
Please note: I am by no means upset with Simone. I just wished I was aware of the possible weather patterns in the month of June.That being said, I have two mottos in life: “It wasn’t meant to be” and “Another day; another way”.
Our lesson learned: Before proceeding with a road trip through the Black Forest, check temperature and weather patterns of both high and low elevations within the Black Forest area.
We purchased 2 self guided tours, ‘Hells Valley Tour’ & ‘Heart of the Black Forest Tour’. Before purchasing these tours, I have bombarded Simone with many questions. She answered all the questions promptly and with great patience. For that, I’m very grateful.
We stayed for 4 days in Black Forest, based in Freiburg. Simone’s Freiburg City guide is really handy and enhances our experience of the town immensely. Sure, it is a compact town and we can easily navigate it ourselves. But with Simone’s guide, we know where the best places to eat and drink (and she’s right!) and i especially enjoyed the little details she pointed out in her guide, which I will definitely not have noticed if I’m navigating the places by myself.
Both guides (Hells Valley and Heart of Black Forest) have been great in details and provide flexibility so that we can pick and choose what we like to see. We haven’t managed to see all that are recommended within each guides. This is more to do with us being really ‘lay-back’ travellers who sleep in late and like to wonder around places at a slow pace. But, all the places that we’ve been to following the guides have been amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed all of them. It takes the stress out of us having to figure out how to travel from one place to the other and concentrate on taking in the pretty scenery. I feel the guides can be stretched to two days trips for slow people like me. But I have no regret, I had a great time.
Yes, I will definitely recommend using Simone’s guides for anyone planning to travel to the Black forest.
We had a chance to book a one day self guided Hells Valley Tour…..and it was great….the guide book was incredible…..It is quite apparent that Simone has taken great care of the smallest of the details….even to the extent of recommending which side of the train should you sit on for better views :)….Lake Titisee and luge ride on Todtnau were the highlights….personally felt that Feldberg was a bit hyped and could have been avoided….that would have probably given us more time on the top of the mountain or probably do the waterfall hike….but on an overall basis, extremely enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Freiburg…
Wish we had of rented a convertible and the trip would have been incredible. Simone’s guide is incredible. We did the Cover It All in two days and enjoyed the trip immensely. The beauty of the Black Forest is enhanced with a great knowledge that comes along with her guides. Oberwolfach was incredible as was so many places along the route. Without this guide we would have been hunting for things that were hidden gems but included in her guide. The weather was so hot we vegged in the afternoons but early starts made a wonderful trip.
My husband and I plus our adult son followed the ‘Cover it all’ and the ‘Top Ten’ Self Guided tour guides for the Black Forrest. I had also purchased the Bavaria to the Black Forrest.
As independent travellers in a hire car we found the guides extremely helpful. I had purchased the self guided tour guides a few months in advance so we could plan our trip.
Simone’s guides allowed us to see and do activities we would not have know about. We hired bikes and rode around Lake Titisee, Rode an amazing Mountain coaster (luge).
We could find places and parking with ease.
Our sightseeing was definitely optimised using the guides.
Even the suggestions of ‘the best black forrest cake’ cafés and resurants were enjoyed.
We stayed at a suggested hotel which was fabulous.
Overall we found the self guided tours very comprehensive, we will definitely use the guides again. We all wish to return to the Black Forrest.
Simone also provides 3 additional guides at no charge; A city guide to Freiburg, a welcome guide to the black forrest and a city guide to Baden-Baden. All of which are very helpful.
I recommend them to any one choosing to travel independently.
I would like to thank Simone for the detailed itinerary which provided me each minute detail to travel with in Black forest. I was able to travel in the public transport without any issues..and could cover all most all the attractions… Thank you Very much Simone…
was a very interesting tour with lot of local delight and typcial german culture. tasted the original black forest cake (schwarzwald törte). was an interesting trip through.
We did the “See it All” tour because we wanted to see a good chunk of the area all in one day. The emailed guide was easy to follow, including which buses and trains to catch. The town of Gengenbach was so lovely and we really enjoyed wandering around there – quiet, pretty, and steeped in history. We also enjoyed the Open Air museum at Gutach, and had great fun on the nearby luge ride! At the next stop in Triberg, we took a gentle hike up to Germany’s highest waterfalls … so pretty. Also visited the world’s largest cuckoo clock before returning by train to Baden-Baden. A great day, lots of exercise, and a good taste of the Black Forest. Thanks, Simone, for your wonderful tour.
Simone did a great job of guiding us through the Black Forest. She said exactly what trains to be on and when, where to get off and have a great hike and scenery to enjoy. The tour to France and Colmar was fantastic. She gave excellent details for trains and driving instructions, we did both. It was totally worth the money! Private tours would have been outrageous. This was the best vacation we have ever taken. Every day was very different and came with its own highlights. Good job Simone! Danke!
We used these trips for planning and travelling by car in the Black Forest Area. Most of the time we were based in Freiburg but the trips can be adapted and useful wherever you are staying. The general plan and timing are great, the tips for restaurants really nice, including even just snacks and drinks in the way. All in all, a great way to tour this area, especially if it is your first or second time here.
I contacted Simone & purchased the self guided tour. We followed her recommendation & it was awesome. We did a day trip and couldn’t do all the tour. So we pick Titisee & Feldberg only. Simone self guided tour were very extensive & really informative. It helps us to choose and pick places we want to see and food we should try.
My friends and I purchased the self guided tour for the Heart of the Black Forest. We were given extensive information on each of the towns and all of the necessary logistics. We were based in Stuttgart, so it was just under a two hour train ride using the cheap Baden-Wittenburg ticket to get to the first stop. Simone’s recommendations for restaurants in Gengenbach and Alpirsbach were spot on. We were also lucky enough to visit the Mountain Luge in Gutach right after it opened to get a few exciting rides in. As she emphasizes in the guide, it is important to read over all the options to figure out the most suitable itinerary, especially based around the hourly trains. Overall we got to see everything we wanted in this all-day tour.
I am planning a tour of the Black Forrest for May 2015. I have purchased three Self Guided Tours from ‘Black Forrest Tours’.
The Guides are fantastic. Simone has compiled very useful information in a clear format . I really appreciate all the tips and directions, they are truly invaluable and I have not even done the tour yet!
The tips include what to see, how to get there,GPS entries, were to park the car. Hiking directions and more.
The guides have enabled me to plan out our trip to the Black Forrest and have the confidence to maximise our sightseeing even down to planning our Black Forrest cake stops!!
I can not wait to do the tours and report back!!
Our first choice was to huge Simone for the day (based on her wonderful reviews). Unfortunately, she wasn’t available to be with us in person but her downloadable guides were the next best thing. I highly recommend them (even though the next time we will try to hire Simone again:).
My family and I followed Simone’s instructions for Off the beaten path and we were not disappointed. We had so much fun riding the mountain coaster, hiking up to the cool waterfalls, and eating at some yummy restaurants. Loved the Gardens and the restaurant, turns out that was our favorite “Black Forest Cake”.
We enjoyed the Black Forest one day tour, as well as the tour of Freiburg that came with it. The detail was very useful, as well as interesting, though it being Sunday not everything was open. Also the weather wasn’t great – not that that was Simone’s fault! – but it did mean some of the views were compromised. The highlight for me was the walk to the waterfall and had the weather been better we would have loved to have walked up and around the falls.
I would not hesitate to recommend these tours to anyone visiting Freiburg, especially if you only have a short period of time.
When visiting Freiburg with friends, we picked up the self-guided “Hell’s Valley Tour”. There was a ton of useful information in the provided documents including info that was helpful for our entire trip, not just the guided tour. However, perhaps it was the season (mid-November), but we did have some issues seeing the sights mentioned. We were on the right train for about 20 minutes before they kicked us off and said something about having to transfer to a bus because it’s doesn’t run on weekdays or something (they only said it in German). So we had to take a bus for the first part, missing most of the sights we were supposed to see from the train. We wanted to do the Schnapps tasting but there was no one running the Schnapps museum when we got there and when we finally found someone they spoke no English and wouldn’t help us in their shop. The mountain coaster which we were looking forward to was closed down. According to their website they operate all year but it was clearly shut down for the season. We had a bit of trouble finding which bus stop to get off at to walk down the Waterfalls, we apparently guessed correctly though. I wish we could have seen more of the attractions in the tour, but it would probably be much better during peak season (summer or winter!)
We purchased the guide for Hell’s Valley day trip and it was impeccable! Traveling with family (including 81y grandma) we had a very enjoyable day, despite the awful weather. The guide was complete and we simply followed the suggested itinerary, so easy! We could not have had such an easy going day trip as it was without it. Totally worth it! I’ll certainly follow other guides.
Hi Simone,
Yes we had a wonderful time and we were able to do the Black Forest in a day, although there is so much to see, we need to go back and see everything else.
We used all your information, and no it was quite clear, it allowed us to make decisions on what was a priority to us and what we could take a pass on.
After studying the information and your maps we came up with our plan. We drove straight from Stuttgart south to the point we were about lateral with Schiltach. We had breakfast in Schiltach and walked the entire darling town, even went to the Hans-Grohe plant , drove north to Alpirsbach and toured the Abbey and went to a street fair. Drove the amazing highway northwest by the Lake with the maiden eating monster (something like that) and had lunch at the top at the restaurant at the top of the ski lift. Then more amazing scenery all the way down the road into Baden-Baden. We made it there in time to tour the town and have a cold beer in the town square and people watch. Verrrrrry memorable. Toured the Casino the next morning then on to the bath (non-naked) for a day soaking, then off to the next adventure, Luxembourg City with many great memories of the Black Forest, and only a fraction of it…..
Thanks again and we will definitely look you up when we return and talk you up to our friends.
I thank Simone Brixel for not only consulting with me about which tour would be best for me, but for sending copious amounts of information regarding the tour and the Black Forest area and Freiberg. I had one day, and even though the Top 10 Tour could be driven in 2 hours, I ran out of time to see everything listed in the tour. I recommend Simone’s company highly. One thing to keep in mind, the information comes as an email file, so be ready to copy it yourself if you want a hard copy.
Took all the hard work out of planning our trip to the Black Forest. There are tons of options on her site. Choose the type of tour you want (guided by Simone or self guided, car or train, wine or cuckoo clocks) and you receive an in-depth guide of not only the tour (if you choose self guided), but also three other documents about general life in the region, and city guides customised to where you are spending your time. There were good tips about culture, personalities, rules, customs, where to eat, what to see and how not to get lost. The addresses provided to type into the GPS (HIGHLY recommended) were the perfect way to be led from town to town through all the back roads. Gorgeous country, gorgeous area, gorgeous food.
I purchased two downloadable tours from Simone, the Hell’s Valley Tour and the Konstanz tour. The Hell’s Valley tour was a whirlwind of great places to see in the Black Forest, and her tour made sure I stopped at a variety of interesting places. The Konstanz tour was new, and Simone made sure to point out how to best enjoy the experience of the lake, the castles, and the Rhein falls. I also used her Freiburg walking tour to explore the city.
My favorite part of her tours is that she gives you choices. If there is something that you aren’t interested in, you can skip over and still have a full day. There is so much to see, and many hidden gems that I was able to unearth.
If you are comfortable using public transportation, I highly recommend using the self guided tours. For the price, you get to see everything the Black Forest has to offer!
On a two week tour of Europe we visited Paris, Berlin, Freiburg, Venice, Rome and Naples. The few days in Freiburg were the highlight. Nice town, great self-guided tour from Simone.
We did the Hell’s Valley tour for a day, which included hiring a motor boat around Lake Titisee, Climbed Mt Feldberg to the summit and had a snowball fight and made a snowman before getting the gondola back down, and did the mountain rollercoaster ride which was excellent fun.
I used the downloaded guide for my trip in October to the Blackforest and Freiburg. Very useful tips. Highly recommended
We used Simone’s guide to do a day-long self-drive tour in the Black Forest in September. Simone’s guide was an excellent resource and allowed us to see some amazing sights and to do a diverse range of activities from flying down the mountain coaster to eating delicious Black Forest Cake.
I would definitely recommend one of Simone’s guides if you are thinking of doing a self-drive tour in the Black Forest. They are easy to follow, provide just the right amount of details and allow you to customise your trip to suit your own pace and time restrictions.
We used Simone’s guide to drive from Baden Baden to Freiburg, excellent details allowed us to enjoy ourselves and go at our own pace, without missing any of the key sites. Well thought out and Simone’s follow up was terrific from start to finish. We look forward to returning soon!
Danke
we went by car with friends into the black forest and stopped at the end at a restaurant by a river. You can drive for miles and miles and at every turn there is a different view, a new painting
Simone guide of the black forest added that something extra to the whole experience. Hell valley tour was well thought out and unearth gems we would never have the time or inclination to vist.
Well done Simone made our week in Germany that much better
We felt that the instructions were easy to follow and we managed to see all of the main attractions.
The tour certainly was worth the money and we would recommend it to other tourists
The train tour of Black Forest was very well organised and there was a real feeling of getting the authentic experience. Take your time & enjoy the trip!
This is an excellent guide highly recommended. We bought the self-guide tour for Hell’s Valley. It was very detailed and we knew exactly where to go and what to look out for!Thank you Simone for this excellent job and for making our trip unforgettable.
I really hope you provide us with guides for other places in Germany.
First of all, thanks for your guide. Clear information about many towns around the the Black Forest. Simon did an excellent job for us and she included lot of places to visit around the tour. Highly recommend, believe me
My family and I were in Freiburg for a month and used the Cuckoo clock self-guided tour and the Hell’s Valley self-guided tour. We were impressed with the level of detail Simone included in the various packets of information provided. One of the nicest things about the tours, since we did self-guided, was that we could decide how much or how little to do, which was a must as we had a 2 month old and a 2.5 yr old with us! A wonderful idea and I would definitely recommend trying a tour!
This is an excellent guide for those visiting the Black Forest area. Simone did an excellent job of highlighting the places to visit and the cuisine to sample. Highly recommended and I hope she expands to other areas of Germany for my next visit.
First, we were directed to a wonderful little winery (Heger) outside of Freiburg. Touring this little gem was a wonderful experience, and our tour guide, Markus, was the best. He spent a generous amount of his time telling us about all the Heger wines and allowing us to taste each one. He answered all our questions patiently and professionally, and he was a complete joy to be around. This was probably the most entertaining wine tour and tasting my family and I have attended!! The wines were good too!
Next, we took the gondola ride to the top of Schauinsland Mountain where we had an afternoon coffee and snack at the wonderful little cafe at the top.
We reached both destinations via taxi cab, and this made for an easy and relaxing tour.
This is a very affordable tour that is self drive, but unlike normal guide books provides highly detailed and specialised information on the road trip from freiburg to baden baden or reverse. The local knowledge is priceless. highly recommended
I bought a 1 day self guided tour to the Black Forest around Freiburg from Simone and it was the best thing I could have done on my trip. The self guided tour was very informative and detailed with sightseeing places to see on the way, what to eat and even what to look out for along the way. It was very easy to go around on my own with her tour details even though I don’t speak a word of German. I am sure the tour would have been even more fun if I had her as my guide.
Simone was very prompt with my queries and asked details about my trip so that she can advice and tailor the tour to suit my needs. I would definitely recommend anyone to get a tour from her
The good experience started with email interactions which were very promptly responded by Simone giving us as many details as we asked for. Because of our travel constraints we went for rail tour (would have preferred private tour but it was little beyond our travel budget).The tour was very detailed and well planned and every detail in the tour-to-go was relevant and accurate. We did follow it more or less, but had enough flexibility to skip as we ran out of time in one place and missed our connection.Overall, I would recommend it for someone visiting black forest area.
After a fabulous experience with a one day self guided tour of the Black Forest last year we were very excited for another chance to see Germany like a local. Our weekend at Lake Constance was so special because we were able to enjoy all of the local favorites with Simone’s thoughtful and detailed insider’s knowledge. We know we are in good hands when we travel with Black Forest Tours. There will be plenty for our kids to enjoy, restaurants to try, history to learn, and natural beauty to enjoy.
You really can’t do the Black Forest without the help of this tour guide. The only reason I gave it an overall 4 is it would have been helpful for parking suggestions in in the cities. Also a north, south directional on the maps would have helped a lot since we got lost starting in the middle of the map. Otherwise we loved the suggestions and the tour information! Very helpful and I would suggest it.
I came to Germany to tour SW Germany with my son. Having never been to this part of Germany and not being in Europe for years I felt I needed some guidance to make sure we saw the best things.
This tour was very helpful, we got the “Black Forest by car”. All the sight seeing places were easy to find, the photos helped too. Using the guide and city guides I was able to plan hotels along the way too, all from my arm chair in the states. Thank you.
The service was great we had a response in a matter of minutes. (It may have just been good timing). We still had our downloadable self guided tours in a day or two. Easy to read and understand informing you of so many things you would not have known to look for. Well worth the reasonable price tag.
My niece and I traveled to the Black Forest in February. I ordered Simone’s tour to supplement other information we had gathered for our trip. It was very easy to order and pay online with a credit card. This was followed quickly by her with the information via email of how to download her guided tours. We chose to rent a car, and I decided to print the tour info. from my home computer instead of depending on pulling the info. up on an electronic device while traveling.
I found her information simplistic, concise and very informative. I had done a fair amount of research on things we may want to see and do and when I received her tour information, I was reassured that we were on the right track because most of the things we were interested in seeing and doing were all in her packet! :))
It was nice to have a hands on concise packet to flip through the night before we headed out on our daily drives to look through. We did utilize some of her dining options as well and enjoyed them very much…one our favorites was to enjoy a longe rote outside the cathedral in Freiburg. It was delicious :))
Anyway, however you choose to utilize this information whether you download it to your phone, your tablet, your laptop, or print it out; it is all very short and to the point highlights of what not to miss, what to see, and how to get there.
If you are short on research time about your travel itinerary, this would be a not to miss opportunity.
very fast response. I paid in the morning and informed her that I need it soon because i will go on the next 2 days and need to read it before.. and she sent me the files just in the night in the same day. I was surprised with the itinerary. I didn’t expect that she made an itinerary that suit for my time of visiting black forest… I thought its just overall detail. its true with this self-guided tour, you dont need to ask for any other information, its completely awesome… btw, if you have eurail/interrail pass, this ticket pass is valid for all route in Hell’s Valley tour. So, I didnt buy any ticket extra for black forest… I used my pass for train and busses in black forest, just like hop on hop off :)
Did this DIY tour in March. Simone was very helpful before the tour giving me sound advice and all the timetables for the trains and the buses. Loaded them up in my tablet, and off we went. Black Forest was spectacular. We visited the the town of Gengenblach and Triberg where we visited and hiked around the marvelous waterfall and went to the world’s biggest cuckoo clock.
Had a taste of the black forest cake and even bought us a cuckoo clock from the house of 1000 cuckoo clocks. You have to be careful of the bus timings and the train timings as if you miss a certain timing if it will screw up your itinerary. We had a wonderful trip in Germany thanks to Black Forest Tours arranged by Simone. Thanks for being patient with me in answering all my queries and making my trip to Germany a wonderful one
I bought a tour-on-your-own Black Forest Tour from Freiburg, and everything worked out great.
The guide was spot on, easy to follow, and I had a wonderful time in Freiburg and the Black Forest. I highly recommend it.
Our family of 5 visited the Black Forest in December 2013. Simone and her Black Forest Private Tours had been recommended to us by a close friend in Australia and we had made contact via email some months before. Right from the start Simone was very welcoming, enthusiastic and hospitable, and discussed with us our interests and the sites we wanted to see. Once we had decided to rent a car and base ourselves in Freiburg, Simone designed a number of tailor made, winter specific day trips for us to experience and enjoy. The day trip plans were sent to us via email and were loaded onto our iPad, ready to take wherever we travelled. The day trips took into account our expressed interests (including bushwalking in the Black Forest, natural beauty, alpine views and the making of cuckoo clocks!) and provided us with confidence as we explored the beautiful mountains, waterfalls, lakes, bushland and villages of the area. The tailor made guides were very detailed, included maps and directions, and also provided some information and history about each place we visited, including suggestions of where to eat! Also included was safety advice re the winding mountain roads in winter. We found the Guides easy to follow and use, and they provided us with all the information we needed to explore the wonderful Black Forest (try the Black Forest cake in Triberg, it’s superb!). Not only did Simone provide us with great self guided tours, but she also met us in Freiburg for a half day guided walking tour, finishing with a gluhwein at the wonderful Christmas markets. Simone is professional, knowledgeable, friendly and approachable and works very hard to provide the tour that you want. Simone also speaks excellent English, having spent many years living in the US. Overall we were provided with an excellent service, had a wonderful time exploring the Black Forest and most importantly made a new friend! Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience the ‘real’ Black Forest!
Simone helped me put together a tailor made trip that was excellent and we thoroughly enjoyed. She was very professional and all her recommendations were excellent. She has the ability to listen and understand your needs and delivers exactly what you are looking for. Thank you.
We went to Black Forest during Nov. Remember the days are shorter (gets dark around 4PM)
Simone’s recommendations in Baden-Baden were right on and we were able to stay in a 4 star for only 150 since it was off season. The hotel staff gave us a large map of the Black Forest and marked the route Simone suggested for us. There were a couple of places located right in Black Forest that I would also consider. Overall the Black Forest was beautiful.
I loved Simone’s section about Germans and how they are always right and some of the other hints about the culture.
I also wished we would have spent an entire day browsing Baden-Baden and another in Frieburg like Simone suggested. We just ran out of time to do it all.
The self guided tour was excellent choice to explore the black forest. It was raining :( so this slow us down and we could not finish the tour in one day especially with the kids. However, the tour as I said it worth the investment and you could not discover the nice places by your own search or at least you could not organize your trip efficiently. I mainly depend on the GPS to go from one place to another and if I request from provider to enhance is make a table that include the addresses so it would be easier to move from one place to other. Because I had a hard time to enter the addresses. Although, some GPS addresses was there but most of them were a coordinate which I don’t like. One day is not enough so if you plan to take this tour just allow a two days so you can enjoy the beauty of each place.
My friends and I took the Hell’s Valley to Heaven: Lakes and Mountains Tour on train in Oct with Simone’s self-guide. The tour was well-documented, including details such as train/ bus timing. We were able to cover about 70% of the places highlighted in the itinerary at our own pace, selecting attractions that were of interest to us (Hell’s valley, Lake Titisee, did the mountain coaster ride, and walk to the water fall). Highly recommend to get the DIY guide from Black Forest Tours if you want to save time on planning
We toured the Black forest region in Germany and had an exhilarating time thanks to Simone’s guides. We stayed at Baden Baden and did all our touring from here via day trips. I first read about Black Forest Private tours (http://www.blackforest-togo.com) on the internet and the thing which inspired me to go ahead with them was that it was run by a person who was a native German and had stayed in the U.S. for 18 years and then come back to get into this. I think it showed an amazing amount of self confidence and i was happy to have made the right choice. Her tour guides in pdf formats were absolutely spot on and we used them extensively. There were details of the smallest possible things that first time tourists (which we were) to Germany could think of or need. The guides came complete with timetables and photographs so there was absolutely no chance that we could go wrong and waste time finding our way. In fact we were well aware of German customs and way of life even before we landed in Germany !! I think the pdf guides were real value for money and we would have missed out on many attractions had it been not for these guides. We also spent a day touring with her and enjoyed the experience. Her tours are a “must do” for any one who wishes to tour the Black forest.
My husband and I traveled through Germany in September 2013 and purchased the tour guide for the Black Forests. It was definitely worth it! We knew exactly where to go and where to stay and didn’t have to read up much ourselves before leaving. We also knew about recommended tourist attractions that we normally would not have knew about. I would recommend this tour guide to anyone traveling to the Black Forests!
I was planning a trip to the Black Forest in very short notice, and with the help from Simone I got two tours, which I found both are very good. It saved me hours of research, and the tours covered so much that it would take a few days to do everything the tours had suggested. The tours include which train/bus to catch, the train/bus timetable, and the location of the bus stops, making it easy to get around. The tours also details where are the best places to have the local cuisine. Simone is very helpful and supportive. I will definitely get the self guided tours from her in the future.
We visited the Black Forest with my husband and a couple of friends. Around a month before, we contacted Black Forest Tours and purchased two of their guides. They were really very helpful in deciding what to visit, learning about the history and customs tofhe place, and making sure of not to skip some great experiences! From where to taste the best cheese cake in the world, to excellent hotels where to stay, all the guide´s tips where priceless. I strongly recommend these guides if you plan to visit this wonderful place!
We decided to take a hells valley tour by car .
Simone’s PDF was very detailed , I actually didn’t search for anything else . Simone has even listed places you should eat , what to eat etc , where to park .
Just decided which places to go ,as it was not possible for us to cover the whole planned tour due to our over active toddler .
But we did the waterfalls , we did the mountain coaster ride which was amazing , and took a boat at lake titise . They had some music festival on the day we went to lake titise .
We parked as per instructed .
It was a very well guided tour .
And loved the Black Forest area .
Wish had more time to spend there .
We could just hop on a train and bus and go directly to all the best parts of the Black Forest with ease and confidence in tried-and-tested up to date timetables researched and tested by a local. That made for a relaxing itinerary that we could expand or shorten according to how we felt on the day. It was appropriately priced, well worth the cost and saved me hours of personal research. Thanks Simone! We will use your self-guided tours again in future.
Our family of four (with two preschoolers) was planning a last minute trip to the Black Forest from Basel, CH. I was really struggling to find info online about how to see the forest without a car. When I found Simone’s site, I knew we would be able to make this work. We purchased her one-day Hell’s Valley Railroad tour so that we could tour on our own and at our own pace. We essentially spread it over two days. The information we received from Simone was so thorough and so well-organized that even though I had only one night to plan the trip, I was confident that everything would go smoothly. Simone’s info on how to get around the Black Forest and the info on Freiburg were invaluable to the success of our outing. There was something for everyone and our 2 and 4 year olds enjoyed themselves as much as we did. We had to pace ourselves because of the heat and because of the kids, so there is much left to do on a future visit. To see how we spent the 2 days, visit www.ourswisssummer.blogspot.com.
This was EXCELLENT! The detailed information provided in the material was so accurate and much appreciated. My parents were very impressed that I knew how to find places and a little of the history of each place.
Highly recommend this!
My family and I really enjoyed our visit to Freiburg and our two-day car trip through the Black Forest thanks to Simone. When we first arrived in Freiburg, she met us in the city center and took us on a walking tour of the city, telling us about local history and customs along the way. Simone is so friendly and knowledgeable –we could not have seen so much of Freiburg or learned so much on our own. For the next two days, we took ourselves on road trips through the Black Forest with a rental car. We had purchased two guides from Simone’s website– a day-tour of the southern Black Forest and a tour of the northern “cuckoo clock” area ending in Baden-Baden. The guides mapped out suggested routes with detailed driving directions, locations and descriptions of the sights, and suggestions for restaurants and shopping along the way – far more information than a tour book provides. Simone answered all our questions about the routes before we left. If you really want to see the Black Forest, this is the way to go!
My friends and I just got back from backpacking through Europe. We ended up in Stuttgart for a few days and I ran across this group while looking for something to do. On very short notice, they put together a day trip to and from Stuttgart via train for us. We had a fantastic time and while we didn’t end up following the tour exactly, it provided enough guidance to allow us to see some very interesting things and we had a lot of fun. I can’t say enough good things about it, only to wish we had more time in the area! I will definitely recommend this to friends and family who may visit the area.
I spent a lot of time searching the Internet for things to see and do in the Black Forest. Most sites I found were in German, so I had a hard time finding detailed descriptions in English. It would have taken me hours of research to find some of the tips and details in this very well-organized tour.
I purchased the self-guided Wineries and Summit Road tour for Baden-Baden. We had a great weekend exploring the wineries in the area, the small towns, and the Summit Road. The tour was detailed, well-organized and flexible. We broke the tour up into 2 days and saw most of the suggested sites on the itinerary but we still have a few things we’d like to do on our next visit.
I got a detailed map of the tour route with suggested stops at wineries, towns and points of interest. I appreciated the GPS details for the route and also the several short-cuts along the route where you could head back on the Summit Road.
We arrived in Baden-Baden on a Friday afternoon and walked around Baden-Baden for a couple of hours. We stayed at the Hotel Heiligenstein in Neuweier about 15 minutes south of Baden-Baden. This was a great starting point for our tour of the wineries the next day. On Saturday we visited three wineries and stopped in the towns of Sasbachwalden, Durbach and Gegenbach. We ran out of time on Saturday, so we continued the tour on Sunday along the Summit Road, starting in Neuweier and ending in Freudenstadt for lunch, before heading home to Stuttgart.
Star the tour from Freiburg and used the 1 day guide as an instruction. Very comprehensive guide. Found out from DB staff that you can buy a regional ticket for eur11, just that if you return from Todtau, you may need to pay for the bus fare. You can return from Todtau by taking the 7300 bus back to the direction of Titisee and board your train to Freiberg. This way, the EUR11 ticket will cover the entire journey.
Feldberg is a must stop and see station!
It was my first time in Germany and visiting the black forest. We just did a day trip to the area, and didn’t follow the guide that much as we felt it would be too rushed, so we only went to Triberg. It would be good if we had a more detailed map of Triberg to help us get around, but it was still okay. The recommendations on where to get the black forest cake and cuckoo clocks were good! The tour saves a lot of time on research and it’s helpful as there’s also not much information about the Black Forest in English available online.
We are from Australia and wanted to spend time in the Black Forest. We were only using public transport and wanted to know how to travel around the area. We did the Black Forest Railway and Cuckoo Clock and the Hell’s Valley to Heaven Self Guided Tours.The information was very clear and detailed and we saw everything that we wanted to. We found we needed to read the information carefully and at times had to make choices about where we wanted to go as the tours included so much. The timetables were very useful and accurate. Lake Titisee was lovely and the train trip was very interesting. We really enjoyed Triberg and the Farmhouse Museum was a highlight. We spent a lot of time there. The tours were very flexible and easy to follow. We stayed in Friberg and Simone included a Walking Tour of Friberg which was excellent. I would highly recommend these tours.
This is my first time to the black forest region and I was kinda lost, didn’t had much idea of where to explore and how to travel by public transport to the places of interest. The guide is very comprehensive and it saves a lot of time researching. It would be exceptionally helpful to people who doesn’t know where to begin their research or those who want a well planned trip yet with flexibility.
Due to bad weather during my trip, i did not manage to do all the activities that were suggested. But I do doubt that I will be able to finish them all even if the weather is good. There is just too much to explore.
We did some of the black forest train tour on a Saturday and some of the tour on a Monday during late May. DO adhere to the advice given in the tour about traveling to these towns on Saturdays and Sundays as not very much is open or closes early. If you are planning on buying a cuckoo clock I highly recommend going to Kuckeckuhren where Gerald Butler exclusively hand makes his clocks and gives an excellent tutorial on cuckoo clocks.It wasn’t in the tour but please avoid the house of 1000 cuckoo clocks unless looking for just information. The train schedule was very handy. Another inclusion I would suggest would be providing the bus schedule from Triberg station to the city, allows for more flexibility. Otherwise, awesome tour. Rain or shine it is deffiently worth it.
My mom and I decided about a week before we went to Germany to visit the Black Forest but had no idea as to where to start. Our tour was absolutely wonderful, highlighting fantastic sites and giving us excellent tips and historic facts.
We really appreciated Simone’s self-guided itinerary, especially tips for where to get fresh & vegetarian food. The “Hollentalbahn” was an absolute highlight, and not something we had read about in regular guidebooks. I’d highly recommend getting an itinerary from Simone and would like to come back and try a guided tour. Thanks Simone!
Last year we visited Blak forest area as part of our tour and stayed 3 days in Friburg. Simone gave us a detail of self guided tour and it was perfect . Initially I was not sure what to do and where to go . But this self guided tour program gave me every thing in details and we really enjoyed our stay . Thanks to Simone .
Simone gave us a detailed self-guided tour to visit the south part of the Black Forest. I really like her plan because it included interesting places to visit, things to see and even where to get good food, all based on the people who was taking the tour. We are now thinking to have a guided tour with her!!
We had a fun trip to the Black Forest. The self-guided tour directions assisted us in finding the spots we wanted to find and making the trip much easier to plan.
With fond memories of visiting the Black Forest as a young girl I was so excited to return with my children. However, we only had one day and I wasn’t sure where to begin or which route to take to give us the most comprehensive experience. Luckily I found Black Forest Tours website and with Simone’s excellent service and incredible planning we had the best day ever. With easy to follow directions we followed her advice to a “T” and enjoyed hikes around a waterfall, mountain coasters, a secret restaurant that oozed Black Forest charm and couldn’t have been more delicious, enjoyed mountain views from a thermal spa, and finished the day with sunset on a pristine lake and a festive dinner. It was a fun day for the kids, a beautiful memory for us all! We absolutely couldn’t have done this without Simone’s help.