The Baden Wine Route

The Baden Wine Route, located in the Black Forest, is sun-drenched, blessed with beautiful nature and landscapes and characterized by a long historic tradition. Different primary and secondary routes go between Rhine and the western edge of the Black Forest for more than 160 km from Baden-Baden to the Swiss border.

On hidden branch roads, romantic hiking paths and well developed bicycle routes visitors can explore the “Baden’ Gourmet Route”. The Baden Wine Route, started in 1954, travels from north to south and zigzags the German’s third biggest winegrowing area.

The Wine Route begins with the Ortenau Route and passes through the idyllic vineyards to Lahr. From here it travels on to the Breisgau Route leading to Freiburg and going along the hillsides and valleys of the Black Forest’s foothills.

The old University City is the starting point for diverse tours. The Baden Wine Route makes two loops west of the Breisgau metropolis. The first one is on the Tuniberg Route which passes through the smallest wine-growing region of Baden. The second one is on the curvy Kaiserstuhl Route which starts in Breisach and travels around the volcanic mountain.

South of Freiburg lies the Margräfler Land which  they tenderly call  the “Tuscany of Germany”. One primary and two secondary routes make up the Markgräfler Wine Route; the endpoint of this route is the Weil on the Rhine River and it is at the same time the endpoint of the Baden Wine Route.

Here, the main attraction is of course the wine which flourishes in  very different variants. In Baden one will find such treasures like the Blue Pinot Noir, Müller-Thurgau, Ruländer, Pinot Gris and Riesling. But they also grow vegetables like sparrowgrass on these productive fields.

Every season they offer their visitors delicious dishes. Since the Baden district is extremely near  the Alsace areas,  elements of the traditional cooking of both regions are combined in many dishes.  So, it is no surprise then that they call this tri-border region, which is full of village inns and vintner’s yards, “Germany’s most beautiful Gourmet Edge”.

However, along the Baden Wine Route the culture does not only restrict itself to culinary traditions. It is also characterized by wine-growing, which was established by the Romans; and by the rich and varied history witnessed by the numerous castles, mansions, monasteries, half-timbered buildings and stately city halls. On the Baden Wine Route, on paths in the vineyards, educational paths, architectonic and cultural events in Freiburg or Baden-Baden, in the open-air museum of Friesenheim or in the modern Vitra Design Museum in Weil there is much to learn.

More information about the Baden wine, the wine-growing areas and the wine festivals can be found on the website of the Baden society “Weinbauernverband”.

In addition, there are many helpful tips for itinerary planning and detailed information about the Baden Wine Route on the website “Schwarzwald Tourismus GmbH”.