Freiburg im Breisgau is a lovely small city located in the heart of the vast Black Forest, bordering France and Switzerland in southwest Germany. After Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe, it is the fourth largest city in Baden-Wurttemberg, with 220.000 inhabitants, 33.000 of whom are students.
Indeed, Freiburg is not only famous for its cathedral and its charming historical centre, but also for its attractive mild climate and sunny days.
The Black Forest’s peaks (Schauinsland, Feldberg, Belchen) are easily accessible from the city centre. They are one of the favourite year-round leisure destinations. While skiers enjoy the snowy slopes during the winter season, during the summer the slopes turn into stunning landscapes surrounded by woods and lakes suitable for hiking.
Freiburg is a student city, which makes the city one of the youngest in the country. In fact, its University is internationally renowned for the quality of its higher education. Freiburg also enjoys a distinguished reputation for its numerous research institutes which operate in several sectors, but mainly in fields of alternative energies.
The city centre is a lively pedestrian area accessible by a well-organised network of public transport, which connects the centre with the main districts and neighbourhood areas. However, riding bicycle is the fanciest and most common way to get around in Freiburg! Its excellent cycle lane system is suitable for cyclists and bike enthusiasts of all kinds; it allows you to get easily anywhere throughout the hinterland! Indeed, this is a fantastic way to discover the surrounding vineyards and small villages on the hillsides of the “Kaiserstuhl”. It is even possible to reach France (which is only 26 km from Freiburg city) passing through Breisach am Rhein and following the eye-catching banks of the Rhine!
If you like walking, you’ll love Freiburg. Actually, you need not go out of the city to enjoy nature: Freiburg is full of green spaces and lakes which are handy for relaxation, fitness and, of course, barbecues!
With a huge student population you are guaranteed to have eventful nightlife. From Wednesday to Sunday, restaurants, clubs, pubs, theatres, cinemas and cultural centres offer a wide range of opportunities to socialize and have fun. In summer, the Zelt-Musik-Festival (ZMF, or Tent Music Festival) draws thousands of visitors and offers an opportunity to catch artists from the international scene.