From Cologne to the Black Forest — 7 Days

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The cathedral comes into view before you even reach it, and that is where the journey begins. The first day is devoted to it and to the old quarter along the river: Groß St. Martin church, the Fish Market, and Hohenzollernbrücke. The day of arrival is kept unhurried.

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A day without driving, and there is a choice to make: the city or its surroundings. Staying in the city means one museum — the Ludwig or the Chocolate Museum — followed by a walk along the Rhine, Rheinauhafen with its crane houses, and the Severinsviertel quarter. The surrounding area means a full-day trip to one destination: Bonn, the castles at Brühl, or Drachenfels. Either option fills the entire day, and they cannot be combined. Same accommodation as the previous night.

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Drive south and explore the historic centre: the Römer, St Bartholomew's Cathedral, Eiserner Steg, and a stroll along the Main. Rüdesheim and the Middle Rhine Valley are an option only for those who set off early, skip the city tour, and check the weather in advance — the valley and Frankfurt cannot be fitted into a single day.

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The short drive leaves the afternoon free for the old town and the castle above the river. The castle is a genuine ruin — viewed as such, not as a restored palace — and the climb up is part of the experience; a funicular also runs to the gate.

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A day with no driving and no rushing: the Philosophers' Walk on the far bank, from which the entire city is visible, the Old Bridge, the university quarter with the Old Assembly Hall and the student prison. Those who want a bird's-eye view can take the funicular up to Königstuhl. Same accommodation as the previous night.

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Today is a travel day heading south, so the rest of the day is given over to the old town rather than a full programme. The cathedral with its tower, the square with the market in front of it, and the narrow cobbled streets threaded with small water channels — Freiburg is best taken slowly, on foot.

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The last day of the itinerary is for one destination, not several. Schauinsland is Freiburg's city mountain and the nearest entry point into the Black Forest. Those who prefer something different will find Kaiserstuhl, with its vineyards, and Staufen, with its castle ruins, in the surrounding area — Kaiserstuhl is not part of the Black Forest but a volcanic massif in the Upper Rhine plain. The night is spent in Freiburg again, with the journey home beginning the following morning.