Come to Freiburg on your next trip to Germany. Photo: Metro Centric

What’s not to love about Freiburg?

A charming university town in the southwestern corner of Germany, Freiburg im Breisgau boasts a quaint Old Town and lots of outdoor activities, like cycling, hiking through the world famous Black Forest, or even skiing on one of the nearby ski slopes on Freiburg’s beloved Schauinsland mountain.

Located in one of Germany’s wine regions, Freiburg is well known for the local Baden cuisine, considered by some to be the best in the country. A city long famous for its progressive attitudes and civic engagement, Freiburg is considered one of the birthplaces in the German environmental movement and was the first larger city in the country to vote in a mayor from the Green party.

Since Freiburg is also on the border to both France and Switzerland, it’s a great base if you’d like to take excursions into either of these countries.

Budget travel guide to Freiburg, Germany

To help you get the most out of your trip to the “Jewel of the Black Forest,” as well as find great ways to save, we’ve gathered the following tips.

Getting there

By Plane

The nearest airport is the Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg EuroAirport, which is located just within the borders of Switzerland and services both Mulhouse in France and Freiburg in Germany. The trip from the airport into Freiburg takes about 40 minutes. To get there, you can either hop on the Airport Bus or use the Südbaden Bus GmbH (SBG) shuttle bus service directly to Freiburg’s Hauptbahnhof (main train station). Another option is to fly to either Frankfurt or Zürich, which have much larger airports and take the train from there to Freiburg. The trip takes about two hours in both cases.

By Train

Thanks to its location, Freiburg is easy to reach by train from basically any direction. You can book tickets to Freiburg Hauptbahnhof online with Deutsche Bahn in Germany, SNCF in France, or SBB/CFF in Switzerland.

By Bus

The SBG also provides long-distance bus service to the Central Bus Station in Freiburg. You should also check out the FlixBus to compare prices.

Getting around town

Public transport

Freiburg has an extensive public transportation system with trams, buses, and local trains. Single fare tickets in  Zone A (Freiburg city area) cost €2.30 for adults and €1.40 for children aged 6 to 14. Children 6 and under ride for free. If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing, you might want to consider buying a REGIO24 ticket. These tickets are valid for one adult and up to four children for 24 hours and cost €6.20 within Zone A. You can also purchase a REGIO24 group ticket. This ticket covers 24 hours of public transportation for five people regardless of their age and costs €12.40. You can check timetables or buy tickets online at the VAG public transportation website. No matter which ticket you opt for, make sure you stamp it before boarding. If you don’t, you could get charged €60 if you get checked by a controller, which will definitely put a dent in your travel budget!

Biking

Living up to its environmentally friendly image, Freiburg is also very bike friendly, with wide bike lanes throughout the city. Bike rental shops are located conveniently throughout the city.

Walking

However, the best way to get around Freiburg’s Old Town luckily costs nothing at all: your own two feet. But unless you’ve fallen head or heels for a local lad or lass, be careful when walking near the Freiburg Bächle, the shallow water channels you’ll see everywhere in the area. According to local legend, if you accidentally fall into the Bächle, you will marry a Freiburger!

Affordable things to do in Freiburg

Old Town and market

First things first, make sure a wander around Freiburg’s Old Town, particularly Münsterplatz. The largest square in Freiburg, Münsterplatz has been Freiburg’s marketplace since the Middle Ages. In fact, the Münsterplatz Cathedral Market is the only town square market that takes place every day but Sunday in all of Germany. Be sure to stroll through the stands of produce, crafts, souvenirs, and food, and maybe pick up a low-priced snack along the way.

The market is open from 7:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 7:30 am to 2 pm on Saturday.

And don’t forget to check out the Freiburger Münster, (as if you could!) the exquisite Gothic cathedral that gives the square its name. A few other architectural highlights in the Old Town include the two beautiful gate towers, Schwabentor (Oberlinden 25) and Martinstor (Martinsgässle), Augustiner Platz, a nice square which is a popular hang out for both tourists and students, and the Wiwilibrucke Blaue Brucke, a 19th century steel bridge which gives you a great view over the city and is a popular gathering place for young people and students in the summer.

Museums in Freiburg

Colombischlössle (Archaeological Museum)

This museum holds archaeological treasures from the Stone Ages, Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and more. The museum’s building is a former 19th-century manor house in Gothic Tudor style, which is surrounded by a large park. Admission is €4 for adults and €3 for students.

Museum für Neue Kunst (Museum of contemporary art)

A small modern art museum which includes the work of many regional artists. Admission is €7 for adults and €5 for students.

Fasnetmuseum (Carnival Museum)

Located in a green, 16th-century townhouse, this museum is dedicated to the “fifth season,” as Germany’s beloved carnival season is known. Although the museum is only open on Saturdays from 10 to 2, group tours can be arranged during the week. Admission is free of charge.

Universities in Freiburg

Last but not least, no trip to Freiburg is complete without a visit to the city’s treasured scholarly heritage: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität (the University of Freiburg), which opened for the first time in 1457. To get a deeper look into the University’s history, be sure to check out Uniseum (University’s Museum) on Bertoldstraße 17. This museum’s exhibition tells the story of the University of Freiburg’ over 550-year history and entry is absolutely free. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 6 pm.

For more tips, check out the official tourism website for Freiburg.

Cheap hotels in Freiburg

There are several affordable hotels in Old Town. Hotel Rappen am Münsterplatz has competitive rates with an excellent location smack-dab in the center of the city. A free breakfast comes with your stay. City Hotel Freiburg also serves a complimentary breakfast every morning and has modern rooms with private bathrooms. You’ll also find parking, perfect if you’re taking a German road trip. A splurge-worthy stay is Hotel Oberkirch right next to the stately Gothic cathedral.

Search more than 200 hotels in Freiburg.

Eating and drinking on a budget

Although Freiburg’s restaurants can be a little bit on the pricey side, you can still luckily find plenty of cheap eats and drinks in the city. Here are a few suggestions.

Mehlwaage
Metzgerau 4

A popular restaurant with an extensive cocktail menu serving up scrumptious stone oven Flammkuchen, a thin, Baden-style pizza that is a definite must try. You can also watch soccer here when the season’s on.

Der außergewöhnliche Bruder Wolf
Niemannstrasse 6

A little slice of hipsterdom in Freiburg, this small location has great cocktails and a small menu of both American and German specialties.

Kantine West
Türkheimerstrasse 4

A German style Imbissbude (snack bar) located directly outside of Freiburg’s Eisstadion (ice skating rink), this simple shack serves up what some claim is the best currywurst (curry sausage), burgers, and fries in the city. Open from 9 to 3:30 pm.

Kastaniengarten
Schlossebergring 3

A large beer garden shaded by tall chestnut trees (Kastanien), sipping a beer here offers a great view over Freiburg’s Old Town.

Pizzeria Da Toni
Lehenerstr. 49

This small Italian restaurant has plenty of nicely priced pasta dishes and pizzas to choose from.

Hotel Oberkirch is a nice choice for a splurge in Freiburg. Photo: Booking.com

Freiburg Tourist Card

If you’re in Freiburg for several days and want to travel extensively in the surrounding area, you may want to consider picking up a 3-day WelcomeKarte. This card will get you free use of the entire RVF transportation network as well as other perks, like a ride on the Schauinsland cable car up in the mountains.

Additional ways to save

The Baden region makes great bread and pastries, so pop into a bakery for a cheap snack or tasty treat.

If you’re a classical music fan, check out the events at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg. Students at this world-renowned conservatory often perform in free concerts which are open to the public.