A Black Forest holiday does not have to be expensive

The Black Forest has the reputation of being an affordable alternative to the Alps — and that is true. But here too there are big price differences between high season and low season, between tourist traps and insider tips, between hotel holidays and self-catering. Anyone who knows a few things saves several hundred euros per week — without the quality of the holiday suffering.

We have put together fifteen concrete tips that we use ourselves or have had recommended by guests.

1. Choose the off-season — the biggest single saving

The high season in the Black Forest is summer holidays (July/August), Christmas/New Year, and the carnival week in February. Outside these times, accommodation prices are often 30 to 50 percent lower.

Particularly affordable:

Mid-May to mid-June — weather often already summery, all hiking trails snow-free, low prices
Mid-September to early October — best hiking months, almost empty trails, soft autumn prices
Mid-November to mid-December — lowest prices of the year, before the Christmas boom
Mid-January to early February (outside carnival holidays) — good ski conditions, empty slopes, fair prices

2. Self-catering instead of restaurants

A family with two children eating out every evening for a week quickly reaches 400 to 600 euros just for dinners. In a holiday apartment with a kitchen this reduces to 80 to 150 euros for groceries — the rest stays for one or two really good restaurant visits.

Practical: Edeka in Titisee-Neustadt is the best supermarket in the region (large, good selection, fair prices). Aldi and Lidl in Lenzkirch are the cheaper alternatives. Farms around Feldberg often sell directly — eggs, cheese, honey, sometimes sausage.

3. Hiking is free

The most expensive part of the Black Forest is the journey and accommodation. What you do once you are there mostly costs little or nothing. Over 280 km of marked hiking trails around Feldberg, all free. Maps are available at the Haus der Natur (3-5 euros), the Komoot app is free.

Top free hikes:

Feldsee circular trail (3 km, easy)
Seebuck summit tour (5 km, moderate)
Wiesental trail to Todtnau (8 km, moderate)
Schluchsee promenade loop (18 km, long but flat)

4. Hochschwarzwald-Card — the right calculation

At many accommodation providers (including us) you automatically receive the Hochschwarzwald-Card. With it, various services are free:

Public transport in the entire region (all buses and the Dreiseenbahn)
Entry to Schwarzwaldmuseum Triberg
Entry to several museums and observation towers
Reduced entry to Badeparadies Schwarzwald
Various mountain lifts free

Anyone who fully uses the offer quickly saves 50-80 euros per person per week. Important: The card is only valid if the rental officially participates — ask when booking.

5. Direct booking instead of Booking.com

Booking.com takes 15-20 percent commission from rentals. These costs are built into the price. Anyone who books directly with the rental often saves 5-10 percent — and the rental still earns more. Win-win.

At Black Forest Dream there is 7 percent discount for direct bookings — for a week’s booking that is quickly 80-100 euros saved.

6. Longer stays are cheaper per night

Most rentals offer tiered prices: from 4 nights often 5-10 percent cheaper per night, from 7 nights further reduced. An extended weekend often costs more per night than a whole week.

Furthermore: arrival and final cleaning are paid once, regardless of whether 3 or 7 nights. For short stays, these fixed costs make up most of the price.

7. Weekday instead of weekend

If you are flexible, arrive on Sunday or Monday and leave on Friday or Saturday. This avoids weekend surcharges on accommodation and travel (traffic jams, expensive petrol stations).

Bonus: hiking trails, restaurants, and sights are much quieter during the week. Anyone at Titisee on Friday morning has the lake almost to themselves.

8. Public transport instead of rental car

If you do not absolutely need a rental car, take the train to Titisee or Feldberg-Bärental and use the bus locally. The Schwarzwald Card (point 4) makes public transport free. Saves 250-400 euros per week for rental car plus petrol plus parking fees.

For families with small children or for very remote tours, a car is still practical — but not mandatory.

9. Farm breakfast instead of hotel buffet

Several farms around Feldberg sell fresh rolls, eggs, and milk directly at the farm in the morning. That is significantly cheaper than a hotel buffet (often 15-20 euros per person per day) and usually more honest.

Roll-order bags exist in many rentals — you hang the bag out in the evening and get warm rolls delivered the next morning. Classic, good, cheap.

10. Skip mountain lifts

The Feldbergbahn costs 12 euros return per person — for a family quickly 40-50 euros. But: the climb on foot only takes about 45 minutes and is a pleasant, well-marked path. Anyone who wants to hike anyway saves 100 euros per family per week here, if you skip the lift two or three times.

Similar for many other mountain lifts in the region. In the ski area it is different — there the lift is essential.

11. Picnic instead of mountain hut

Mountain huts cost 12-18 euros per meal. A picnic from the supermarket for a family costs 12-18 euros total. On a week’s hike with daily lunch on the trail, that is 200 euros difference.

Tip: a thermos with tea, sandwiches, fruit, and a bar per person. Enough for a whole day’s hike. On the way home, coffee in a mountain hut — you have earned that and it costs 6 euros instead of 60.

12. Check entry fees in advance

Some sights are worth the money (Badeparadies, Steinwasen Park, Vogtsbauernhof). Others are classic tourist traps (House of 1000 Clocks, some show mines). Before arrival invest half an hour and read online reviews — easily saves 50-100 euros in wrong decisions per family.

13. Fuel stop in France or Switzerland

Anyone arriving from the north drives south for 1-2 euros per litre of fuel — a tank fill-up in France (Alsace) is often 15-20 cents per litre cheaper than in Germany. Per tank that is 10-15 euros saved.

Anyone coming from the south refuels in Switzerland — there fuel is surprisingly affordable (as of 2026), and the route via the A98 leads directly past.

14. Free Walking Tours in Freiburg

Freiburg is 45 minutes from Feldberg and costs nothing for walking. The old town with the cathedral, the Bächle, and the Augustinerplatz can be explored well on foot. Several providers offer free walking tours (voluntary tips at the end).

Bonus tip: The Markthalle on Münstermarkt is cheaper than the restaurants around it. International food from 6-8 euros per portion.

15. Toy stash instead of souvenir shops

A single souvenir shop in Titisee or Triberg quickly costs a family 50 euros for some plastic and a cuckoo-clock magnet figure. Take a small box of toys or craft material from home — and the real souvenir becomes a piece of Black Forest honey, a jar of mirabelle jam, or a good Black Forest ham.

Realistic week calculation

An example: family with two children, one week in May (low season):

Apartment Feldberg accommodation: approx. €700 (instead of €1,200 in August)
Self-catering groceries: approx. €200
2 restaurant visits: approx. €150
Entries (Badeparadies, Vogtsbauernhof): approx. €100
Public transport (with Hochschwarzwald-Card): €0
Fuel arrival + on-site: approx. €200

Total: approx. €1,350 for a week’s family holiday.

Compared to a hotel holiday with full board: often double.

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.