Have you ever wondered how to behave correctly when entering a restaurant in Germany?
Basic German restaurants don’t have a hostess. Therefore – upon entering the place greet the waitress/owner/bar tender (if you see anyone), then proceed to an appropriate table by yourself (‘appropriate’ meaning – don’t choose a table for 6 if you are by yourself). If there is anything wrong with your choice the waiter will tell you (for sure – German waiters don’t mind telling you what they think of your choice).
In a casual place people might come up to you and ask if they can share your table (so can you). And the right answer would be YES (unless there is a good reason to say no).
If you happen to have a restaurant then check in with the waitress first so they can place you at a table.
What’s your experience on getting seated in a German restaurant? Any tips or recommendations on how to behave if you don’t speak German?

Worried on how to get seated in a German restaurant?

You’ve been visiting the Black Forest in Germany, have been to the Alsace region in France and of course you crossed borders into Switzerland. And you did it all in one day, right? In our region it’s possible to do – so why not!

The border region of Switzerland, France and Germany is considered to be one of the most beautiful region in Europe. Called the Dreilaendereck in German (literally 3-country-corner) people who live here are used to be crossing borders on a daily basis. Many live on one side of the border and work on the other side. Currently more than 90,000 people are crossing borders every day to get to work. On the weekend people cross borders to get cheaper gas in France or go swimming in the thermal pools of Germany. There is always a reason to drive over the Rhine to the other country. And it makes you feel special if you can quickly drive over to Switzerland at lunch time to buy a delicious cheese for the dinner party.

When it comes to tourism this region has always been a  bit odd to promote though – the Germans have been promoting the Black Forest, the French have promoted the Alsace region and the Swiss told you that there is nothing else to see than Basel in Switzerland.

So it comes as no surprise to see the latest effort put into place a few months ago. The 3 countries have started to work together to promote the region as a whole – under the name of Upper Rhine Valley. Which makes a lot of sense – since visitors usually do visit the entire region during their stay- meaning all 3 counties – not just one country.

Culturally the region Upper Rhine Valley is very similar. People on either side of the French, Swiss or German border share the same heritage, the same history, the same dialect, the same foods, the same architecture, the same traditions and many more things. The political borders dividing the region into 3 countries were only drawn a few hundred years ago. On top of that we have the Alsace region which until recently was torn between being a part of Germany or a part of France – it’s french now in case you are still wondering:)

We do think that one name for our region-  Upper Rhine Valley -  makes a lot of sense.  With many combined efforts underway tourists will find it easier to cross over borders.  Guide Michelin just published a special edition of their guide book pointing to all 60 restaurants in the Upper Rhine Valley on either side of the border who have earned themselves one star (or more).  You can now also book a culinary trip on the Rhine river during which you will be cruising and dining across borders into 3 different countries. There are many other attempts on the way to promote this region as a whole  and we are looking forward to seeing how it will all turn out in the future.

So what’s your take on all of this – do you like the idea of promoting this area as a whole? Will it confuse you or will it make it easier to travel?

While you are deciding  Black Forest Tours can take you on Upper Rhine Valley tours and make sure you get to see 3 countries in one day(although – we recommend to stay longer).  Contact us for more information. Hopefully we’ll see you soon in the Upper Rhine Valley:)

Our trip through the Northern Black Forest continues and the question today is…..what and where the heck is Mummelsee? And no – it’s not a spelling error, this is the lake’s real name.

According to a legend, the Mummelsee is inhabited by a Nix and the underwater king of the Mummelsee. The king lives beneath the water and dragged down women to his underwater kingdom many years ago.

Mummelsee view

Mummelsee is located in the Northern Black Forest – a straight 40 minute on the Black Forest High Road between Freudenstadt and Baden-Baden. The Hornisgrinde mountain (the highest mountain in the Northern Black Forest) overlooks lakes Mummelsee and provides an unbelievably scenic background.

The lake is a very popular destination for tourists and people who want to get out of town on the weekend. Right now the lake is still frozen but the brand new Mummelsee hotel is a good place to stop and warm up. Take in the scenery from a comfy chair and enjoy the view while sipping a good glass of wine (or tea for that matter- considering how cold it is today). There is also a pretty good gift shop next to the hotel where you can find everything related to the Black Forest – from a cuckoo clock to one of the famous pom pom hats. Ever other day they are also baking bread right outside the hotel – and if you are lucky you can taste it and take one along.

The newly opened Mummelsee hotel is also a great destination if you want to get away from it all for a night. Rooms are super nice (and new!) and can accommodate a whole family. In the evening the tourists leave and you can enjoy the lake in front row – right from your balcony. Swimming is allowed and renting a boat is another thing you can do.

Frozen Mummelsee in winter

Mummelsee is one of seven cirque lakes (Karsee) in the Black Forest, a leftover from the last ice ages. What’s special about Mummelsee is that it’s not only the deepest (17 metres) lake of the seven, but also the biggest one (800 metres diametre). No other lake in the Black Forest is located at this height (1035 metres).

For more pictures of the Mummelsee click here or on the picture to the left.

If you are interested in visiting Mummelsee during your Germany vacation let us know and we’ll make sure to include a stop on our tour when sightseeing the Northern Black Forest with you!

Who hasn’t heard of Baden-Baden…second-most beautiful city in the state, the place where Obama shook hands with all the other G8 members 2 years ago…horse-racing, spas, casino, beautiful people, high-society, warm climate, lots of history,…what do you associate with this town? Often mentioned in the same sentence with cities like New York and St Tropez and considered the ‘smallest metropolis’ in the world. Visitors like Napoleon, Brahms, Dostojewski, Tolstoi, Queen Victoria and modern-day celebrities like Sean Connery, Bill Clinton and others have helped get Baden-Baden the reputation of the most elegant and sophisticated playground in Germany

We think a visit to the Black Forest isn’t complete without having at least spent half a day in this town of 54, 000. The problem is that most people are heading straight to the Southern Black Forest – whereas Baden-Baden lies in the Northern Black Forest between Heidelberg and Freiburg.

The International Horse races, the thermal spas Friedrichsbad and Caracalla, the beautiful casino, the Kurhaus and some of the most beautiful 5 star hotels in the world – we are sure you can find at least one reason to justify your next stay in Baden-Baden.

To see some images of our latest visit to this beautiful town click on the picture below or click here.

Baden Baden

If you are interested in touring Baden-Baden with us, please mention it during one of our sightseeing tours in the Northern Black Forest.

The so-called area of Markgraeflerland is located at the southern end of the Black Forest. It’s the region between the Rhine and the mountains of the Black Forest, stretching from Freiburg to the Swiss border at Basle. The margraves of Baden who ruled here centuries ago gave this region its name.

Markgraeflerland is often referred to as ‘Tuscany of Germany‘ – due to its mild, sunny climate, gourmet food and fine wines. The Baden Wine Road goes for miles and passes by dozens of wineries inviting you to some wine tastings. Wine festivals are being celebrated all over this area starting in late summer and lasting for weeks. The  Gutedel grapes are typical for this particular wine region in Germany and produce a light white wine, also known as Fendant (in Switzerland) or Chasselas (in France).

Muenstertal is a beautiful valley in the Markgraeflerland with the monastery St Trudpert – its origins dating back to the 7th century and a must-see during your stay in the Black Forest. Today Muenstertal is a health resort stretching down a beautiful long valley of about 6 kilometers. Enjoy some of the pictures we took recently at a hike around Muenstertal:

Muenstertal

Our winery tours take you to the area of Markgraeflerland and Kaiserstuhl. If time allows, a quick stop in Muenstertal with it’s beautiful monastery can be organized.

Considered the warmest and sunniest city in Germany, Freiburg is the perfect city to stay in while visiting the Black Forest. Freiburg is a well-known university town and has a population of about 200,000. Though heavily bombed in World War 2 the old town has been beautifullly restored and has preserved much of its medieval charm. Click on the pictures below to have a look yourself:

Freiburg

Freiburg is also considered the solar city and the greenest city in the world. Join one of our solar tours and see what we are doing to stay green!

Today is probably not the best day to give a quick overview on some of the lakes in the Black Forest – considering that we are in the middle of fall! The first snow is here and Feldberg is covered in 15 cm of white fluffy snow. But why not start dreaming of hot summer days to spend on the shore of a nice cool lake? So here we go:

If you’ve visited the Black Forest already, there is a pretty high chance that you’ve been to lake Titisee.  Being the largest natural lake, Titisee is THE hot spot in the Black Forest – a high altitude spa resort with plenty of fancy hotels catering to anyone seeking wellness, relaxation and the outdoors.

Titisee

Yachting? Taking a cruise? Surfing? Swimming? Boating? Sunbathing? anything is possible at Titisee.  In winter some parts of the lake are even open of iceskating.  But if you don’t feel like being one of the 2 mio visitors per year you might want to venture out a bit and discover some of the lesser-known lakes. Believe me – there are plenty of them. During one of our typical Black Forest sightseeing tours we’ll give you the opportunity to see as many lakes as you like!

Lake Schluchsee is the largest lake in the Black Forest – 7,3 kilometres long and 1,4 kilometres wide. Initially Schluchsee was a much smaller lake of glacial origin but then doubled in size and turned  into a reservoir due to the building of a dam in the 1930s. I always have the feeling that the tourists go to Lake Titisee, whereas the locals go to Lake Schluchsee.

Schluchsee

My absolute favorite lake in this area is Lake Schlüchtsee. It’s located very close to Lake Schluchsee (and the Rothaus brewery!) but very small in comparison. Half of the lake is closed off to swimmers due to the presence of a nature reservoir. I love this lake – it’s small, clean, and the whole set-up reminds me of the 70s.

Schluechtsee

At the foot of the Feldberg (the highest mountain in the Black Forest) lies lake Feldsee - a glacial lake which the Feldberg glacier dug out in the last Ice Age. This little lake is located at 1,109 metres and looks up to the high walls of Feldberg. Unfortunately bathing is prohibited in this 32 metres deep lake in order to protect a rare plant species which grows only in this lake and nowhere else in Germany. A must see!

Feldsee

If you have always wanted to visit Germany but always thought it might be difficult to organize the trip, we have found the perfect solution for you.  ”Live Like a German” is a website which helps you plan your entire trip – from flights, hotels, tours, train tickets, car rentals, apartment rentals, day trips – whatever you could possibly need – Live-Like-A-German can help.

The Kraft family who runs Live-Like-A-German (a German couple that immigrated to the US ten years ago) can provide all the insider tips about where to go and what to do, even in the most remote and secluded parts of Germany. And the bonus – they have lived in the US long enough to know what Americans really like.

On their web site you can find hundreds of articles about specific destinations, fun trips and activities as well as fantastic restaurants and nighttime spots. The texts are short and sweet and include pictures as well as links for further reading.

This web site is both a helpful travel guide and a personalized travel agent. The site includes more than 1,500 Germany vacation apartments, over 30 comprehensive German vacation packages, as well as a huge collection of various Germany trip plans. These German Vacation Packages organize everything for you – no open-ended issues. Flights, hotels and sightseeing tours will be booked for you – and you get a local guide that speaks English. Just relax and enjoy the trip.

Don’t forget to check out Germany on a budget!

Should there still be any questions left unanswered after a visiting the Live-Like-A-German web site, the Kraft family is always there to answer them in person. Just give them a call at +1 (888) 260-2231 or drop Bettina a line bettina@live-like-a-german.com.

End of summer marks the beginning of the harvest season in our region. Many villages have started with the harvest of their grapes last week and the forecast is promising. If you happen to visit the Black Forest region right now – or within the next few weeks – make sure to participate in one of the famous ‘Weinwanderungen‘ – literally a ‘wine hike‘ in which thousands of people participate. They usually last a few kilometres and you will be equipped with a tasting glass and a map of the area. Every few kilometers there will be a wine-tasting station set up and local chefs create the appropriate appetizers, snacks and desserts to go with it. There is a shuttle service which will bring you back to your initial starting point.

Weinwanderung

Besides the popular ‘wine hikes’ there are about a hundred wine festivals and other wine-related activities scheduled for the months of September and October. If you are lucky, you will even meet a wine princess.

If you are not sure where to get started planning your wine vacation, please contact us or come along on our famous Wine Tours! See you soon in the Black Forest!

For more pictures visit our photo album on Picasa or click below:

Harvest Season has begun

Ready?

There are many mountain coasters in Germany and specifically in the Black Forest. Many of them aren’t that exciting. The one we really like is in the Southern Black Forest. The ride is almost 3 km long and super exciting with tons of sharp bends and a few mesmerising 360º turns. The best thing is that you are in charge of your own speed. This mountain coaster is something you shouldn’t miss during your Black Forest vacation. We usually try and make time for at least one coaster ride during our sightseeing tours. Contact us for more info. Fun!

Ready!