The Black Forest, or Schwarzwald, is named after the huge firs that cover vast contiguous areas. If you don't like pine, then the Black Forest might not be the best destination for you. The west of Germany's most impressive mountain range – next to the Alps - is the most forested. Here you will find the highest tops and the best views. Highest mountain is the Feldberg, 1493m. The Westweg links the best parts together.

To the east, the terrain become flatter, and there is more alternation with farmland. The Ostweg introduces you to this lesser known part of the Black Forest. Here you will walk closer to the Danube than to the Rhine, and the views extend to the Swabian Jura.

Above we already mentioned two of the most famous hiking trails: the Westweg, founded in 1900, and the Ostweg. In between is the Mittelweg. All three long distance paths start in Pforzheim and fan southward to finish at river Rhine near the Swiss border.

There are also about 20 other fantastic long distance footpaths. These follow beautiful valleys, have certain themes, or cross the mountains from west to east. The best place to start your search for information is the website of the Schwarzwaldvereins.

Day hikers will be happy too. Everywhere they will find well documented and marked hiking trails.

Tourism – including walking tourism - has a long history in the Black Forest. Hotels and Gasthäuser have been in existence for often more than a century, handed over from one generation to the next. In every village and on every mountain you'll find something, usually opan all year. There are also some 30 Wanderheime, uncostly and pleasant accommodations.