Freiburg im Breisgau - Friburgo in Brisgovia

Freiburg im Breisgau is a city of Baden-Württemberg.

To know

Freiburg is a beautiful and relaxed university city, known throughout Germany for Albert Ludwig University, good weather and vineyards, Freiburg is considered by the Germans to be a desirable place to live.

Due to its secluded location in the "Dreiländereck"(corner of three countries) locals often go shopping in France and Switzerland for their native products and to go to museums and theaters of Basel or Zurich. A strong local patriotism can be found, which is manifested in the anthem of Baden (the former independent state), which can be heard more often than the national anthem.

While Freiburg isn't itself a major tourist destination or a big city, it can serve as a relatively cheap base from which to explore much of Central Europe. Thanks to its excellent rail and road connections, Freiburg can allow you to travel throughout the Switzerland, the Germany, L'Austria, i Netherlands and the France without problems and with good prices. If you are planning an extended stay or travel to these destinations, it can be a welcoming base to return to after each leg of the journey.

Geographical notes

Located on the edge of the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) in a picturesque location on the Dreisam River, amidst green mountain slopes. Freiburg is actually closer to the France and to Switzerland compared to the rest of Germany, being located in a corner where the borders of the three countries meet. This is reflected in the city it shares its airport with Basel in Switzerland e Mulhouse in France - the only Euro airport whose land straddles national borders. Note that while this is the city most likely indicated when the name is invoked, it is actually one of many places that share the name as there are Freiburg (an der Elbe) in the Lower Saxony is Freiburg in Switzerland.

When to go

It enjoys one of the sunniest and warmest climates among German cities.

Background

Freiburg was founded in 1120 and has been an important city ever since, which is reflected in the rich medieval and Renaissance architectural heritage of its Altstadt. Being a university city for centuries, it also has a very forward-looking perspective and is a center of sustainable development. There are many solar energy related businesses and much of the city, especially the newer neighborhoods, is organized using cutting edge sustainable development ideas.

How to orient yourself

How to get

By plane

The city is served by several nearby airports, while others further away require more time and a train journey. For the neighboring ones there are bus connections verifiable on this site.

• 47.597.5291671 Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport (EuroAirport, IATA: BSL — MLH — EAP). This airport serves the three cities and is incredibly close to the borders of Germany, Switzerland and France.  

• 50.0333338.5705562 Frankfurt am Main airport (Flughafen Frankfurt am Main) (about 2 hours by train with direct train connections). Frankfurt airport is second in traffic to that Londoner of Heathrow. It has two terminals but a third is under construction. No. 1 is reserved for companies Lufthansa is Star Alliance. Terminal 2 is reserved for all other flights.

InterCity Express or ICE trains depart in the direction of Freiburg almost every hour from the Fernbahnhof at Frankfurt Airport. Just follow the directions once you arrive and buy your ticket at the Deutsche Bahn Reisezentrum (DB Travel Center). Most trains travel directly to Freiburg, although some require a train change at Mannheim. Online advance booking can reduce the price of the train ticket from Frankfurt Airport to 29 € with a special fare, which requires the use of the selected train. If the plane is delayed, you will need to purchase a new ticket. A standard ticket from the DB office of the Fernbahnhof in Freiburg is € 62. Most airlines serving Frankfurt will also offer air travel service which offers a highly flexible train ticket at fares generally not much higher than the tickets discounted cheaper, but airlines set prices, so you might pay more or even get it for free.  

• 48.699.2219443 Stuttgart Airport (Flughafen Stuttgart), Flughafenstrasse 43, 70629 (it is located 13 km south of the center). It consists of 4 terminals reserved for both arrivals and departures with the exception of No. 2 which is used only for departures. Train connections to Freiburg are cheaper than other airports.  
• 48.7794448.0805564 Karlsruhe-Baden-Baden Airport (Flughafen Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden, IATA: FKB) (located between Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden). Another airport near Freiburg and offers some international flights to various cities mainly operated by Ryanair and Eurowings. It's a short 40-minute train ride north of the city, but you'll need to get to the train station by bus, which will add extra time to the journey. You will need to plan your trip in advance to make it easier, and the Deutsche Bahn website can provide approximate connection times with bus services.

Ryanair in 2012 had a flight from Rome-Ciampino and other seasonal flights from Bari, Cagliari, Trapani. The bus lines Hahn Express^{[link not working]} make a connection with Hahn airport and intermediate stops in Baden-Baden, Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Ludwigshafen.  

• 47.4647228.5491675 Zurich airport (Flughafen Zürich - ZRH) (About 2 hours from Freiburg). The most important Swiss airport with over 20 million passengers per year.

Most major airlines fly to Zurich but the former Swiss flag carrier (now owned by Lufthansa) is still the largest airline in ZRH and offers the widest range of connections.  

• 48.5419447.6344446 Strasbourg-Entzheim Airport (Aéroport de Strasbourg Entzheim, IATA: SXB) (about 10 km from the center in a southwest direction). But it does not accept any flights from Italian cities.  

By car

Freiburg is connected to the German motorway system via the A5, which runs along the Rhine valley from south to north, starting at the Swiss border. It is also accessible through the Black Forest via the B31 (Ost). From France it takes about 30 minutes by car. From Switzerland it's about 40 minutes. Heidelberg it's a 1.5 hour drive north, using the A5. The Lake Constance it can be reached in two hours via the B31.

On the train

• 47.9977787.8419447 Freiburg Central Station (Freiburg (Breisgau) Hbf) (close to the city center). There are frequent connections north to Frankfurt and south towards Basel, with fast ICE trains running in every direction every hour. Again, advance planning can get you cheap fares of € 29 each way. From the Hauptbahnhof, you have direct access to the Tram (Straßenbahn) which travels directly above the main station and offers easy access to the city. There Hauptbahnhof it is also within walking distance of the center. The main direct destinations include:

• FrankfurtHauptbahnhof and airport (Flughafen), 2 hours
• Zurich, 2 hours (Switzerland)
• Basel, 40 minutes (express) 1 hour (local), (Switzerland)
• Mannheim (near Heidelberg), 1.5 hours
• Berlin, 6.5 hours
• Colony, 3 hours and 10 minutes
• Hamburg, 5 hours and 45 minutes
• Monk, 4.5 hours
• Amsterdam, (Netherlands), 6 hours
• Paris, (France), 3.5 hours
• Milan, (Italy), 5.5 hours

A single change can lead to Vienna, (Austria), 9.5 hours

Local and regional trains can be useful for day trips or for traveling to nearby cities. In the main station ask for i Ländertickets or Regional tickets. These tickets can be used by a group of up to 5 people on RB, RE and S-Bahn trains, as well as for local transport. They are a much cheaper alternative for a group of travelers going to nearby cities or taking a day trip.  

By bus

To learn more, see: Intercity buses in Germany.

Freiburg is served by Flixbus ed Eurolines. You will find direct international connections to and from Italy (Milan), Switzerland (Zurich, Bern, Geneva, Basel), France (Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg), Belgium (Brussels), Croatia (Zagreb), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Hungary (Budapest) and Austria (Vienna).

How to get around

By public transport

The best way to get around Freiburg is by public transport and walking. Freiburg has an excellent bus and tram system (Straßenbahn), but slightly expensive. The tram system operates all night on weekends and holidays.

The public transport network is operated by several companies, but the ticket is unified with the local RVF transport association. Tickets can be used on all local buses, trams and trains in the area. The RVF area is divided into three zones on which the ticket price depends. A single ride is € 2.30 for zone A (Friborg city zone), € 4 for zone A / B and € 5.70 for zones A, B and C. You can purchase a package of 8 tickets for € 16.60 valid within zone A from 47.994617.8505238 VAG Pluspunkt shop, located near the center of Martinstor at Salzstraße 3. In the shop you can also collect tickets using a point system; 20 points cost € 14.70 and in each direction, you will use 3 points in Zone A, 5 points if you cross Zone B and 7 points if you cross Zone C. Most likely you will only use the tram and bus systems in Zone A for the most of the stay. If you are coming for a short stay or a weekend, buy one Regio 24 which will guarantee unlimited travel 24 hours a day in zone A for one person for € 6.40 and up to five people for € 12.80. The Regio 24 it is also available for 2 or 3 zones. These cards will allow you to use all public transport within Freiburg and also to take the DB Regio trains that serve the region free of charge. Timetables and tickets are available on the VAG Freiburg website.

Most of Freiburg's main attractions are located close to each other in the city center. You can cross the city center by walking for about 10-15 minutes or by tram. Although passengers are rarely checked, traveling without a valid ticket (Schwarzfahren) carries a fine of € 60!

By car

If you have rented a car or drove to Freiburg, you will be able to quickly access most areas by car. You are aware that parking is relatively expensive, but there are many garages available where you can park and then walk to nearby destinations. The city of Freiburg is a low-emission zone (Umweltzone). This means that all cars - including electric cars - in the city need a badge (Feinstaubplakette) indicating their pollution category.

By bike

Cycling is another convenient way to get around, and Freiburg's sidewalks and streets have dedicated cycle paths. Many citizens use their bicycles and you can easily get a real feel of the city this way. Bicycles can be rented in various shops, the most convenient for tourists is the mobile service at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof). The public bicycle sharing program started in May 2019 "Frelo"with 400 bikes in around 50 stations. 3 day passes are available for only € 3 which allow you to ride the first 30 minutes for free.

In the pedestrian zone, cyclists must get off the bike during daytime hours on weekdays.

What see

• 47.9955567.8522221 Freiburg Cathedral (Cathedral of Our Lady, Münster unserer lieben Frau), Münsterplatz 1, ☎ 49 761 208 59 63, @[email protected]. Guided tour € 5, visit to the bell tower € 1.50. Mon-Sat 10: 00-17: 00; holidays and Sun 13: 00-19: 30, the guided tour is every day at 14:00. The cathedral is Freiburg's largest sight in the city, one of the oldest and most beautiful in all of Europe. The gargoyles are not to be missed - be sure to study every corner of Munster. Strive to climb to the top of the tower with the fabulous views.  

• Freiburg Bächle. Small canals run through the streets of the city center. These canals were once intended as a way to fight fires in the medieval city of Freiburg. Locals say that if you accidentally fall or walk into one of them, you will marry someone from Freiburg.  

• 47.9927787.8541672 Swabian gate (Schwabentor). One of the two gates of the old city still standing. The door is beautifully decorated, and includes with a large picture painted by Matthias Schwäri in 1572.  
• 47.9936117.8488893 Porta di Martino (Martinstor). The other old city gate which is well known locally for the McDonald's next door which has placed its logo on the door.  
• 47.9962567.84934 city ​​Hall (Rathaus). The old town hall now contains the tourist information desk.  
• 47.996127.8495 Neues Rathaus. 

• 48.01137.818176 Seepark Betzenhausen. An artificial lake and a popular escape from the Betzenhausen housing estate. Complete with a beer garden and restaurant, Seepark is popular with families and those planning a stroll around the beautiful Green Belt area.  
• 48.00977.858337 Freiburg Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten Freiburg or Botanischer Garten der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg). Mon-Sun 8: 00-18: 00, greenhouse: Mon-Thu: 12: 00-16: 00, Sun and holidays 14: 00-16: 00.  

Museums

• 47.9938897.85258 Augustinermuseum, Augustinerplatz 1-3. It is one of the most important museums in Baden-Württemberg. Its collection includes works from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque and 19th century paintings.  
• 47.9927787.85259 Museum of modern art (Museum für Neue Kunst).  
• 47.9977787.84611110 Archaeological Museum (Archäologisches Museum Colombischlössle).  
• 47.994937.8531511 City History Museum (Museum für Stadtgeschichte).  
• 47.993317.8515912 Natural History Museum (Museum Natur und Mensch Freiburg).  

Events and parties

What to do

Shopping

• 47.9959597.8524241 Münstermarkt, Münsterplatz, ☎ 49 761 2023683. Bratwurst mit Brötchen (Bratwurst in a bun) or Currywurst for about € 2.20. Mon-Sun 7: 30-13: 30. Vendors are pleasant and sell local produce and wares. You can also have a cheap, authentic and delicious lunch or snack. 

How to have fun

Where to eat

Where stay

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

Other projects

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