Freiburg im Breisgau’ is situated in
the Black Forest in the southwestern part of Germany in the immediate
vicinity of France and Switzerland. The town covers 15,300 hectares, and is
spread over an area of 20 km from east to west and 18 km from north to
south. The Rhine flows only 3 km away from the town's western limit. The
pleasant climate of the area makes the town well-known for being one of the
warmest places in the country.
Freiburg is among the most popular university towns in Germany and thus has
a large student population of 24,000.
If one is interested in local customs, then look out for ‘Carneval’
as Freiburg is one of the few places in Germany where it is traditionally
celebrated in an impressive way with people being disguised, dancing in the
streets and bars around the town. Freiburg is mostly a starting point for
exploring the Black Forest.
Fact File
Country : Germany
Population : 200316
Languages : German, English
Climate : Freiburg has a warm and dry Central European climate.
Average temperature in January is 1.5°C and in July 19.5°C.
Average annual sunshine duration is 1750 hours. The average number of foggy
days in the year is 51
Official Currency : Euro; 1 Euro = 52.443 Indian Rupee = 1.2047 US $
= 0.678141 GBP(subject to change)
Location : The city is situated in the Black Forest in the
southwestern part of Germany in the immediate vicinity of France and
Switzerland.
Getting
There
By Air : Arriving at 'Euroairport' Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg it takes
one hour by bus to get into the city. From the airports of Zurich,
Strasburg, Stuttgart or Frankfurt you have to take either bus or car (2 -3
hours). There is a rapid ICE/IC direct rail connection to Freiburg from
Frankfurt Airport
By Train : Freiburg is an 'Intercity Express' stop on the line
between Mannheim/Karlsruhe – Basel. It is within the network of the
European railway systems and thus readily accessible from all directions
(e.g. from Frankfurt/Main in about 2 hours).The train station is about ten
minutes’ walk west from the city centre.
By car : Via the Rhine Valley motorway A 5 Karlsruhe-Basel (exit
Freiburg-Mitte) and from the east via the Bodensee motorway A 81 and B31
road .
Getting Around
Freiburg has an effective and well organized public transport system with
trams and buses. A 24 hours-ticket costs about 4 Euro.
Accommodation
The city of Freiburg has very good hotels to ensure a comfortable stay for
the tourists. Mentioned below is a list of some of the hotels in the city:
Hotel City
Hotel Schiller
Best Western Hotel Victoria
Hotel Barbara
Hotel Central
Hotel Am Rathaus
Hotel Oberkirch Weinstuben
Hotel Park Hotel Post
Ring hotel Zum Roten Baeren
Hotel Colombi
Major Tourist attractions
Munsterplatz
: The city’s main square opens up next to the Munster cathedral and
is the desired venue for most social activities in Freiburg life.
The Medieval Munster Church : The church was one of the few
buildings left standing after World War II. On every day except Sunday,
there’s an interesting market held around the building.
Augustinermuseum : This is the largest museum in the region which
showcases regional art and cultural artefacts from the Middle Ages to the
21st century.
Kuernback Open-Air Museum : This recreated town reflects the life of
a typical resident in the Freiburg of the Middle Ages.
Freiburg University : The lovely campus of the university was once
the neighbourhood of such celebrities as Erasmus and Max Weber, and is still
a wonderful place to cycle, stroll or relax on the grass.
Baechle : Many picturesque streams running through the city are the
sources of attractions. Tradition has it that if one touches the waters, one’ll
have to stay in the city and marry a native of Freiburg.
Eugen-Kiedel Bad Baths : This mineral thermal baths is a known
health destination for people from around the region, with large pools,
saunas and a fitness area for both relaxing and working out.
Schlossberg Mountain : This elevated mountain just outside the town
is popular for its fantastic views and provides for adequately challenging
hiking.
Schauinsland Mountain : This mountain is within easy reach from
Freiburg by tramline where a cable car takes one to the top of this mountain
where the views of the surrounding landscape are well worth the trouble of
coming.
