Black Forest — Schwarzwald

The Black Forest is not what you expect. Forget the cuckoo-clock kitsch — this is a vast, primordial woodland where light barely reaches the forest floor. The canopy is so thick that locals call it the 'Schwarzwald' for a reason.

Hiking through the Wutach Gorge or the Westweg trail, you'll encounter waterfalls crashing through moss-covered ravines, abandoned mill towns, and the kind of silence that modern life has almost eradicated.

The forest towns — Freiburg, Triberg, Baden-Baden — each have their own character. Freiburg is Germany's sunniest city with a progressive edge. Triberg holds Germany's highest waterfall. Baden-Baden is old-world luxury with thermal baths that have been operating since Roman times.