Stand on Münsterplatz on a Saturday morning and the market stalls are already busy around you, while the Freiburg Minster's tower rises over the roofs of the old town. Walk a few steps in any direction and you will meet the Freiburger Bächle, the small canals that run along the sides of almost every street in the inner city.
Freiburg suits travellers who like to cover a compact old town on foot, then use the same day for a hilltop view or a ride up into the Black Forest. It also suits anyone who wants a market lunch, a locally brewed beer and an easy walk between them.
This guide covers the main sights in the city, the museums, the walks and rides above it, and a plan for a single day that strings the best of them together.
Top things to do in Freiburg
1. Freiburg Minster
The Freiburg Minster, on Münsterplatz, is the city's main landmark, built between around 1200 and 1513 and described as a Gothic architectural masterpiece. Study the gargoyles on every corner of the building, then climb the tower for the views; the entrance is to the side and the cashier is at the top of about 200 stairs.
Time your visit with the market on the square around the church, which runs Monday to Friday mornings until 13:00 and Saturday until 13:30. Saturday morning is the biggest and nicest version, and a Bratwurst mit Brötchen or Currywurst for around €3.50 makes an inexpensive lunch. Check the website for guided tours and for times when the cathedral is closed to the public.
2. Freiburger Bächle
These small canals crisscross the streets of the inner city and were once a way to fight fires in medieval Freiburg. They give the old town its particular character, and you will pass them on almost any walk between the squares.
Locals say that if you accidentally fall or step into one, you will marry a Freiburger. Watch your footing while you are looking at everything else.
3. Hike up the Schlossberg
The footway up the Schlossberg starts close to Schwabentor. On the way up there is a square called Kanonenplatz, where the view is already good, but it is worth continuing uphill to the observation tower, the Schloßbergturm.
The climb takes about 15 minutes from the old city and gives you a view over the Black Forest, Freiburg, the Kaiserstuhl and the Vosges mountains in France. Combine it with a look at Schwabentor at the start of the path.
4. Schlossbergbahn
If you would rather not walk up the Schlossberg, the Schlossbergbahn at Am Schlossberg 1 is a mountain funicular to the top. It is the easy alternative to the footpath from the old town.
A return ticket is €5 and a single is €3. It pairs naturally with the Schloßbergturm and the view from the hill.
5. Schauinsland
Take Tram 2 and then bus 21 to the Schauinsland cable car. At the top, the views reach as far as the Swiss Alps. The cable car does not run in bad weather.
You can also hike up Schauinsland from the start of the Schauinslandbahn station, but only if the weather forecast is good. Allow 3 to 5 hours for the climb and around 1 to 2 hours for the descent.
6. Have a beer at Feierling
Feierling, at Gerberau 46 just off Augustinerplatz, serves an organic house beer, a fresh Inselhopf available only there. A small glass of 0.3 L is €2.90, and you can buy a 2 L bottle for €10, with refills at any time.
The beer garden is pleasant in summer, and in good weather hundreds of people gather on nearby Augustinerplatz, many with their 2 L bottles. Prices run from €2.60 to €15.
7. Schwabentor
Schwabentor is one of the two remaining old city gates, beautifully decorated, including with a large picture painted by Matthias Schwäri in 1572. It stands at the edge of the old town and is the starting point for the walk up the Schlossberg.
Pair it with the Zinnfigurenklause, the small tin figure museum inside the gate.
8. Martinstor
Martinstor is the other surviving old city gate. It is well known locally for the McDonald's next door, which has placed its logo on the gate.
It sits within the same compact old town as Schwabentor, so you can see both gates on one walk through the streets.
9. Historical Merchants' Hall
The Historisches Kaufhaus, or Historical Merchants' Hall, stands on the square surrounding the Münster. It is one of the historic buildings that frame Münsterplatz.
Look at it while you are at the market or visiting the Minster, since it is on the same square.
10. Altes Rathaus
The Altes Rathaus, the old town hall, houses the tourist information desk. That makes it a sensible first stop if you want information before setting out.
It is in the old town, so you can pick up what you need and continue on foot to the surrounding sights.
11. Neues Rathaus
The Neues Rathaus, the new town hall, is another of the old town's civic buildings. It is easy to include while walking between the squares and streets of the centre.
Combine it with the Altes Rathaus and the Historisches Kaufhaus, which are all part of the same historic core.
12. Augustinermuseum
The Augustinermuseum holds a visual art and sculpture collection with works by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Anselm Feuerbach, Hans Baldung Grien, Matthias Grünewald, the Master of the Housebook, Hans Thoma and Franz Xaver Winterhalter. It also has a sculpture hall with four-metre-high stone prophets from Freiburg Cathedral, a church organ from Welte & Sons with an exterior from the 1730s, and a library of art and cultural history.
Entry is free for students. It is a good choice for a wet afternoon in the old town.
13. Colombischlössle Archaeological Museum
The Colombischlössle Archaeological Museum displays archaeological finds from the region, in a palace built in 1861. It is open Tuesday 10:00–17:00, Wednesday 10:00–19:00 and Thursday to Sunday 10:00–17:00.
Note the Wednesday opening hours if you want a later slot.
14. Zinnfigurenklause
The Zinnfigurenklause, or Tin Figure Museum, is a small museum inside the Schwabentor Gate, showing historical tin figure dioramas. Entry is €2.
Since it is inside Schwabentor, it fits neatly at the start or end of the Schlossberg walk.
15. Seepark Betzenhausen
Seepark Betzenhausen is a man-made lake and a popular escape from the urban housing estate of Betzenhausen. It has a beer garden and a restaurant, and is popular with families and with anyone planning a walk around the green-belt area.
It is a change of pace from the old town, and works well when you want a slower afternoon.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on Münsterplatz at the market and visit the Freiburg Minster, including the tower climb. Look at the Historisches Kaufhaus on the same square, and pick up information at the Altes Rathaus. On the way through the old town, keep an eye out for the Freiburger Bächle.
Afternoon: Walk to Schwabentor, look at the gate and the Zinnfigurenklause inside it, then take the footway up the Schlossberg past Kanonenplatz to the Schloßbergturm for the view. If you prefer not to walk, use the Schlossbergbahn instead. Continue to Martinstor and the Neues Rathaus, or spend the afternoon at the Augustinermuseum.
Evening: Have a beer at Feierling, just off Augustinerplatz, and join the crowd on the square if the weather is good.
Frequently asked questions
When is the market on Münsterplatz?
It runs Monday to Friday mornings until 13:00 and Saturday until 13:30. Saturday morning is the biggest and nicest version.
How do I get up the Schlossberg?
You can walk, starting close to Schwabentor, which takes about 15 minutes from the old city to the Schloßbergturm. Alternatively, the Schlossbergbahn at Am Schlossberg 1 runs to the top, at €5 return or €3 one way.
Does the Schauinsland cable car run every day?
No. It does not run in bad weather, so check the forecast before setting out. If you plan to hike up instead, allow 3 to 5 hours for the climb and 1 to 2 hours for the descent.
What does a beer at Feierling cost?
A small glass of 0.3 L is €2.90, and a 2 L bottle is €10, which is €5 to fill at any time. Prices overall run from €2.60 to €15.
Decide which of these fits your day, check the opening times that matter to you, and start planning your trip to Freiburg.