Condé Nast TravelerDec 25, 2025
A New Side of the Black Forest—From Designer Cuckoo Clocks to Revitalized Bathhouses
Tangled up in myth and tradition, Germany's Black Forest once had a reputation for being as antiquated as its cuckoo clocks. But new woodland dwellers are cutting fresh tracks.
Famed hotel and retreat in the Bavarian Alps.
25 things in this story
- Romantik Hotel SpielwegHotelChef Viktoria Fuchs' family has run the inn since 1861.
- WestwegTrailCelebrates 125th anniversary; goes from Pforzheim to Basel.
- GeniesserpfadeTrailWinds through Baden wine country, passing traditional inns.
- SchluchseeSightCrisp mountain lake in the High Black Forest.
- Black Forest National ParkPlaceCreated in 2014 to protect the region from development.
- MenzenschwandNeighborhoodVillage where Elisabeth Kaiser lives in a 450-year-old home.
- TribergNeighborhoodHome to one of Germany's highest waterfalls.
- HirschenRestaurantTwo-Michelin-starred restaurant where Viktoria Fuchs trained.
- Schloss ElmauHotelFamed hotel and retreat in the Bavarian Alps.
- Chocolaterie LisaRestaurantSells chocolates, Bollenhuts, and creative cuckoo clocks.
- Titisee-NeustadtNeighborhoodSmall town where Chocolaterie Lisa is located.
- SchonachNeighborhoodHome to the largest cuckoo clock in the world.
- Rombach & HaasPlaceFamily-owned clock manufacturer since 1894.
- Selina Haas DesignPlaceModern cuckoo clock designs by Selina Kreyer.
- StuubHotelSustainable company with renovated retreats in rural spots.
- StaufenNeighborhoodLocation of a Stuub retreat with calming guest rooms.
- Baden-BadenNeighborhoodFamous for ornate bathhouses and Art Nouveau character.
- Brenners Park-Hotel & SpaHotelBelle Époque-style hotel built in 1834, recently revitalized.
- Lichtentaler AlleeSightPark and arboretum in Baden-Baden.
- Steigenberger Icon Europäischer Hof Baden-BadenHotelReopened with The Vault Spa & Suites wellness sanctuary.
- Luisenhöhe–Gesundheitsresort SchwarzwaldHotelWellness-focused resort near Freiburg with a bar and restaurant.
- Rainhof ScheuneHotel16-room boutique hotel in Kirchzarten, formerly a stagecoach station.
- Fritz LauterbadHotelBuilding from 1896 with a modern extension for pools and fitness.
- Restaurant BareissRestaurantServes Schwarzwald specialties including roe deer.
- MünstertalNeighborhood