After the Freiburg Marathon: The Black Forest by Rail

The Route: Freiburg Hauptbahnhof → Titisee → Hinterzarten → further Black Forest towns → Freiburg Logistics: The Höllentalbahn regional railway climbs directly from Freiburg into the Black Forest's forested valleys, connecting each base with a short, scenic rail hop rather than a car. Marathon Month: April Duration: 4 nights

Freiburg Hbf ──(rail, ~40 mins)──> Titisee ──(rail, ~10 mins)──> Hinterzarten ──(further rail loop)──> Freiburg

Four nights is enough to turn a Black Forest visit into a proper loop rather than a single day trip, and the Höllentalbahn, one of Germany's steepest standard-gauge railways, does the hard work of the climb out of Freiburg's Dreisam valley into the forest above. Early April sits well outside the region's main hiking season at higher elevations, so this itinerary leans deliberately toward lake towns, rail viewpoints, spa culture and short, level walks rather than the ridge trails the Black Forest is best known for in summer.

April in the Black Forest is unpredictable at altitude even when Freiburg itself is mild: snow patches can persist in shaded forest well into the month, and mist frequently sits over the lakes in the morning before burning off by midday. This is a legitimate reason to plan around towns and short paths rather than committing to a longer trail before checking conditions on the day.

Nights One and Two: Titisee

Titisee, a glacial lake ringed by forest, is the region's best-known base, its lakeside promenade offering an entirely flat walk with no exertion required, a genuine advantage for legs still recovering from the marathon. Rowing boats and pedal boats are available for hire on the lake itself in season, though April water and air temperatures make this more a summer activity to note for a return trip than an April one.

The town's shops sell the region's famous cuckoo clocks in every size and price bracket, worth a browse even without buying, and a Black Forest gateau at one of the lakeside cafés, the genuine Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte rather than a supermarket version, is close to obligatory here.

Where to stay: the Treschers Schwarzwald Hotel, on the lakeshore with its own spa facilities, suits two nights particularly well given the emphasis on recovery over exertion. The Hotel Rauchfang, more modest and central, offers a simpler alternative.

Where to eat: a Forellenfilet (trout fillet), a Black Forest speciality given the region's cold mountain streams, at a lakeside restaurant makes a fitting regional dinner.

Nights Three and Four: Hinterzarten and the wider forest

Hinterzarten, a short further rail hop from Titisee, is a quieter, more traditional Black Forest village, its centre built around large, low-eaved farmhouses in the traditional regional style. The Ravennaschlucht gorge nearby offers a short, well-maintained boardwalk trail through mixed forest and past a waterfall, an easy option even shortly after a marathon since the path itself is gentle and mostly flat, unlike the region's higher trails.

From Hinterzarten, the rail loop continues to smaller Black Forest stations, each offering its own short, low-level walking option, a forest lake, a village church, a short valley path, without committing to the longer circuits that are genuinely better attempted in late spring or summer once snow has fully cleared from the higher paths.

Where to stay: the Parkhotel Adler, a historic Hinterzarten property with its own spa, suits the final two nights well. The Hotel Sassenhof, smaller and family-run, offers a more modest alternative in the same village.

Where to eat: a Black Forest ham platter with regional bread, served simply at a village Gasthaus, closes out the trip in keeping with the setting; a Kirschwasser (cherry brandy), the traditional accompaniment to the region's cakes, suits a final evening without needing much more ceremony than that.

Getting Home

EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL/MLH/EAP) is the most practical departure point after returning to Freiburg by rail, reached from the city by a direct bus in around an hour, with Zurich and Frankfurt available as alternatives depending on onward flight options.