Freudenstadt literally translates to City of Happiness and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Located in the heart of the Black Forest Nature Park, it is serving as a base for explorations in the area. Its claim to fame comes from the decidedly fresh air that characterizes the high plateau it occupies.
Since the early 19th century, it has been renowned internationally as a climatic health resort. Among the many VIP guests who have taken the cure here over the years are American author Mark Twain, industrialist John D. Rockefeller, King George V of England and the Queen of Sweden.
You, too, can enjoy the same wellness facilities as these luminaries. The town’s Panorama-Bad offers a classic blend of spa specialties beneath its domed roof, such as a relaxation pool, bubble beds, massage jets, and a water-flow channel.
Surrounding the central pool are benches and four thermal spa-experience alcoves labeled Fire, Ice, Brine, and Aroma-Steam. There are also sunny outdoor zones for use in summer.
For local sights to see, you will not be disappointed. Freudenstadt was established in 1599 at the command of Duke Frederick of Württemberg and designed to have the largest marketplace in the country. Beside the market is the green-roofed Evangelical Lutheran Church of 1601, typical of the Gothic-Renaissance architecture and well worth a look.
Also, pay a visit to the local museum near the marketplace to learn interesting facts about the town, its mining past, forest history, tourism development and regional crafts. A special exhibition called Experimenta will allow you to interact with historical events through movies and hands-on displays.
Hiking is certainly the preferred outdoor activity among residents, but you will also find plenty of other recreational opportunities nearby. These include camping, fishing, hot-air ballooning, golf, inline skating, bowling and mountain biking, to name but a few.
As a district capital, Freudenstadt takes pride in its cultural leadership, providing concerts, art exhibits, dramas and poetry recitals to entertain locals and visitors from the surrounding area. In summer, as many as sixteen open-air events are conducted as part of a theater encounter between nature and the arts.
Enjoy! :-)
