The Romani once named those mysterious clearings, made up of broadleaf trees and spruces, silva nigra: the Black Forest. And yet this corner of Germany, especially during the Christmas season, is anything but dark. When the Advent lights glow among the trees and the half-timbered houses, the Black Forest seems to step out of a fairy tale.
Besides ski slopes, snow-covered trails, and over 150 Christmas markets dotted across the region, you’ll find a chorus singing from a giant tree, huskies for dog-sled experiences, saunas among the branches, and high-speed zip-line descents.
Want to live a winter really unlike any other? Here are the dates to mark on your calendar!
Haslach, the market you savor
Let’s start with one of the season’s most delicious events, held in the Kinzig valley, where Haslach keeps its historic center intact, with the market squares, craft lanes, and timber-framed houses. Here, from December 18, 2026 to January 6, 2027, every day from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM (except December 24 and 31), there will be a wintry market where flavors take center stage rather than decorations. Before heading off again, stop by the town hall: a large nativity scene with real animals awaits you there.
In the forest with the huskies in Stühlingen
Just a stone’s throw from the Swiss border, in Stühlingen, you can take part in trekking and cuddling moments with the huskies. During Advent, several special small-group excursions are organized, during which you walk through the woods to a cozy hut where mulled wine, non-alcoholic punch for the youngsters, and gingerbread await by the fire. You return at sunset, with torches lighting the path.
Waldkirch and the Christmas tree that sings
From December 4 to 13, 2026, Waldkirch, known as the “city of organs,” hosts one of the season’s most curious events in the Black Forest: a Christmas tree standing about ten meters tall, with the choir members arranged on its levels. Between the Elztalmuseum and the St. Margarethen church, there echo traditional songs, but also jazz, pop, and gospel. Around it you can shop at stalls of a small market rich in local products.
Freudenstadt, the market on Germany’s largest square
Freudenstadt was laid out in 1599 by Heinrich Schickhardt, with a geometric plan inspired by the mill-wheel game. The town boasts the country’s largest market square: 219 by 216 meters framed by illuminated arcades. From December 3 to 20, 2026, Thursday to Sunday from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, a portion of the square fills with stalls offering crafts and Christmas specialties.
Adrenaline in Schömberg
If you’re after a rush, climb the more than 300 steps of the Himmelsglück observation tower in Schömberg, then decide how to descend. With the Black Forest Flyline you glide through the trees for about 500 meters, while the Black Forest Flying Fox sends you flying 600 meters head-first toward the spa park. The two attractions open on weekends, weather permitting.
A wellness break among spas and saunas
After a day spent outdoors, nothing beats a warm bath. In Baden-Baden, a spa town inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2021, the Friedrichsbad has welcomed guests since 1877 in a sumptuous building fed by the springs of the Florentinerberg. In the Tonbach valley, the Wellnesshotel Tanne offers a Finnish sauna in a treehouse, ten meters above the ground.
Rottweil, Christmas in Baden-Württemberg’s oldest city
Finally, you could reach Rottweil with its medieval center and the Heilig Kreuz church, the patrician houses with bay windows, and the Black Gate. From December 3 to 13, 2026 its streets fill with decorated stalls, crafts, and choirs, with workshops and carousels for children. Take the opportunity to walk along the Neckar Line, the 606-meter-long suspended walkway.
