There are two words that will get my ears perked up in a nanosecond. Black Forest. Oh, did your ears just pick up too? Wait, you’re reading about the Southern Black Forest town of Murg, so did your eyes light up?
Forget that Murg is close to the Swiss border, I said (typed) Black Forest. ;-)
Seriously though, the Südschwarzwald gets more than 20 million people a year coming through; and it’s no wonder when you have places like Murg.
Being outside is your best option, so grab a friend and make your way to one of the hiking trails, biking paths, or mountain biking lanes.
Murg has some wonderful themed trails, like the Hotzenwald-High Rhine, the Rhine-Jura, the Rhine Tour (oh, notice a pattern going on here), the Buchenwald area, and the Zurich Lowlands.
I don’t want to hear you complaining that its winter. Put a Parka on, and go cross country skiing or try snowshoeing for the first time. ;-)
The festivals here are first-rate, that’s for sure. The Schlachtfest and Advent Bazaar is held at the end of November, a warm-up for the annual Christmas Market and the Nicholas Celebration.
Eating is also one of the best things to do here. The weekly Organic and Farmer’s Market is the best place, and you don’t have to worry about being an early-bird — it starts at 3pm. Trust me… the cheeses, bacon, sausages, and cakes are well worth the wait.
In addition to good food, the best scenery on the planet, and fantastic festivals, Murg has history too. There’s an interesting Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum) at the Rathaus; and you’ll want to stop to see the Anthony Chapel, St. Magnus Church, and the St. Leongar Parish Church.
Sorry, what you’ll really want to see is the Burgruine Wieladingen. Interestingly enough, the castle (built in 1260) has actually been in ruins for more than five centuries — longer than it stood intact.
It’s towns like Murg that’s the real reason my ear perk up when I hear about the Black Forest — and my heart skip a beat when I see it. :-)
