When the rain comes — and it comes sometimes

The Black Forest owes its name partly to its climate. Even in high summer, more than 100 mm of rainfall falls per month — and at Feldberg there is even a bit more. The good news: rain does not mean standstill here. The region is set up for bad weather days just as well as for sunny ones.

We have put together twelve activities that work even when the thermometer drops and the sky stays grey. Some are classics, others genuine insider tips.

1. Badeparadies Schwarzwald in Titisee-Neustadt

The obvious choice, but rightfully so. On 40,000 square metres there is a Palm Oasis with tropical temperatures, a Galaxy slide world with over 20 slides, and an exclusive sauna area for adults. Entry from 20 euros, half a day is usually enough.

Tip: Anyone coming with small children stays in the Palm Oasis — shallow water, changing facilities right by the poolside. Galaxy is exciting from school age.

2. Schwarzwaldbahn — one of Europe’s most beautiful railway routes

The Schwarzwaldbahn from Offenburg to Singen is a 19th-century engineering masterpiece: 39 tunnels over 149 kilometres, plus a unique route profile with elevation differences of over 600 metres. In the rain the journey is particularly atmospheric — the forests steam, the tunnels become short pauses from the constant drizzle.

A good variant: get off in Triberg, visit the Black Forest Museum, and take the covered path to the pilgrimage church. You cannot experience the Triberg waterfall under cover, but in the rain it carries more water than usual.

3. Black Forest Museum Triberg

The Black Forest Museum in Triberg shows on three floors what life in the Black Forest used to look like — from clockmaking (Triberg is the world capital of cuckoo clocks) to mining, from glass blowing to traditional costumes. Entry under 10 euros, at least two hours’ visit.

Right next door is the House of 1000 Clocks — a matter of taste, but for children often the highlight of the day.

4. Vogtsbauernhof Open-Air Museum — particularly authentic in the rain

Sounds paradoxical, but: the Black Forest Open-Air Museum in Gutach is particularly atmospheric in light rain. Almost all the historic farmhouses have a covered interior area, and the heavy wooden floorboards, the open fireplaces, the smell of wood and smoke — that has more impact in grey light than in sunshine.

Practical: there are several restaurants and cafes directly in the museum area, and the paths between the farms are short.

5. Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein

Slightly further away (about an hour from Feldberg), but worth a trip during longer bad weather: The Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein is one of the most important design museums in the world. Architecture by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, and Tadao Ando on one campus, plus world-class special exhibitions.

Even if no one in your family is interested in design: the architecture alone is worth the journey. Afterwards, the VitraHaus has probably the best museum shop in southern Germany.

6. Saint-Louis Glassworks — French glass art

Right across the border in Saint-Louis-lès-Bitche (about 90 minutes from Feldberg) lies one of Europe’s most renowned glass manufactories. The attached museum shows the history of the manufactory since 1586, and in the workshop you can watch glass blowers at work.

Practically a day trip — on the way back, a stop in Mulhouse or in Alsace for tarte flambée is worthwhile.

7. Wellness day in the apartment

Sometimes the most honest plan in the rain is: not going out at all. A cup of tea or mulled wine, a book, the infrared sauna in the building, and outside it can pour. At Black Forest Dream, the sauna is one of the amenities that are made exactly for such days.

We recommend the combination: sleep long in the morning, extensive breakfast, then a few hours of sauna with cold shower in alternation. In the afternoon cook a good meal — the kitchen is there. In the evening game night or a film. This is not Plan B. This is sometimes Plan A.

8. Schluchsee Cheese Dairy — tasting with insight

The Schluchsee cheese dairy is a small organic dairy directly on the lake that shows its production on request. Cow’s milk from the surrounding farms, cheese sold after three months of maturation. Tastings are possible in the covered farm shop, and after an hour you know more about mountain cheese than you ever imagined.

Afterwards, looking at the Schluchsee in the rain is a good idea — the atmosphere on the shore is particularly mystical with low-hanging clouds.

9. Allerheiligen Monastery Ruin — most beautiful in the rain

The Allerheiligen monastery ruin in the northern Black Forest (about 90 minutes’ drive) is one of the most atmospheric destinations in the region. The ruin of a Premonstratensian monastery from the 12th century lies in the forest, next to the Allerheiligen waterfalls, which unfold their full volume in the rain.

The path from car park to ruin and waterfall is short — half an hour in total — and accessible without problems even in the rain. Afterwards there is the Restaurant Allerheiligen directly at the car park with good Pfälzer food.

10. Höllental rock formations — particularly impressive in the rain

The Höllental between Freiburg and Titisee is one of the most dramatic landscapes in the Black Forest — and in the rain it becomes even more dramatic. The rocks turn dark, the streams swell, the fog creeps out of the valleys.

With the Höllentalbahn you ride directly through — from Freiburg to Hinterzarten in 25 minutes, with dramatic scenery from the dry train window. The Hirschsprung monument at the narrowest point of the valley is a classic photo motif that works better in the rain than in the sun.

11. Café tour in Freiburg

Freiburg is 45 minutes from Feldberg and is a safe bet in the rain. The old town with its Bächle (the narrow water channels along the streets that are part of the city) has dozens of cafes and patisseries — from the traditional Café Schmidt to the modern Hemingway on Münsterplatz.

Tip: The Markthalle on Münstermarkt is a perfect rainy destination. About 30 international stalls, from Burmese to French, and enough space to spend an hour just watching and eating.

12. Trip planner for the next week

Sounds boring, but is gold: a rainy day is perfect for planning the sunny days. Spread out hiking maps, check train timetables, make restaurant reservations, get tips from the rental. Anyone who uses a rainy day in the middle of the holiday well gains two more productive days back for the rest of the week.

In our apartments there is enough space on the dining table, a good internet connection, and enough wall space for a spread-out map.

What you should have on hand

A few things that make a rainy day significantly more pleasant:

Rain jacket and good shoes — even if the plan is to stay inside, the walk often happens after all
Board games or card games — most rentals have some, but a personal favourite is gold
Books — rainy mood and a good book go together like nothing else
Ingredients for a long meal — risotto, stew, braised dishes. Something that simmers for two hours and fills the apartment with smell
A map with marked indoor options for the case that it does become too much

Stay with us

Planning a stay at Feldberg? Our holiday apartments are located right in the High Black Forest — self check-in, mountain panorama, infrared sauna, and 7% cheaper than Booking.com.