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- Destinations
- Europe
- Germany
- The Black Forest
The Black Forest
The Black Forest (
Schwarzwaldin German) covers a range of birch and pine
studded hills along 100 miles (161km) of southwest Germany's border
with France. The forest is renowned as a popular holiday
destination in Germany with its picturesque fairy-tale villages,
spa-bath resorts, hiking trails and ski resorts. The first famous
holidaymaker to enjoy rest and recuperation in the Black Forest was
the Roman emperor Caracalla who stopped at the natural spring
waters, at what is now the town of Baden-Baden, around 2,000 years
ago. Since then the Black Forest has been the chosen destination of
the rich and famous: everyone who is anyone from Napoleon to Mark
Twain has come to take the waters and enjoy the forest's natural
beauty.
In medieval times the local people developed the traditional
skills of woodcarving, glass-blowing, jewellery-making and
clock-making, and these are still followed today to the delight of
tourists with spending money in their pockets. The Black Forest has
also become known for its local delicacies like Black Forest ham
and cherry cake.
The most central town in the Black Forest is Freudenstadt, which
is the starting point for hundreds of miles of hiking and
ski-trails through the nearby hills. Most visitors, however, prefer
to find accommodation in guest lodges in the small villages
sprinkled throughout the region, exploring by car, on foot or
bicycle.
Information & Facts
Language
German is the official language. English is also widely
spoken and understood.
Money
The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents.
ATMs and exchange bureaux are widely available. The major credit
cards are becoming more widely accepted in many large shops, hotels
and restaurants, although Germans themselves prefer to carry cash.
Travellers cheques are best cashed at exchange bureaux, as banks
often won't change them. The quickest and most convenient way to
change money is to obtain cash from one of the ATM machines that
are ubiquitous features on all German streets. Banks are closed on
weekends, but exchange bureaux at airports and main railway
stations are open daily from 6am to 10pm.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the last
Sunday in October).