This is the full version of a trip we’ve only partly written up so far — our Strasbourg post covers that leg in detail, but Freiburg and Basel haven’t gotten their own full posts yet. This circuit fills that gap: the actual route we took, in order, even without the full narrative for every stop.

At a glance

  • The route: Metz → Freiburg (2 nights) → Basel (day trip) → Strasbourg (1 night) → back to Metz.
  • How long you need: A long weekend — 4-5 days covers the full loop comfortably.
  • Getting there: Bus from Metz to Freiburg, with a change in Strasbourg. Strasbourg itself is about 45 minutes from Metz by high-speed rail (Ouigo is worth booking) or roughly 2 hours by bus — worth having the Carte Avantage Adulte for this route; see our Metz post for why.

The route

Freiburg im Breisgau is Germany’s natural gateway to the Black Forest, and a genuinely relaxed base for two nights. Its defining feature is the Bächle — narrow, centuries-old water channels running through the old town, originally used for fire control and irrigation, now mostly known for the local legend that stepping in one (by accident or otherwise) means you’ll end up marrying a Freiburger. Beyond that, the Münster (cathedral) and its market square are worth a slow wander, and the city sits right at the edge of the Black Forest if you want to go further into it.

Start a morning with the hike up Schlossberg hill to the Schlossbergturm — a genuinely good early-morning climb, rewarded with sweeping views over the city, the Rhine Valley, and the Black Forest itself. Afterward, head to Kolben Kaffee, near Martinstor, for their well-known Black Forest cake — a fitting way to earn back the calories from hiking through the very region the cake is named after, as a breakfast.

Basel, a day trip from Freiburg into Switzerland, is built around the Dreiländereck — the point where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet within a few footsteps of each other, marked by a monument on the Rhine. The old town itself splits across the river into Grossbasel and Kleinbasel, with the Basler Münster’s red sandstone spires and the Rhine’s swimming culture (locals genuinely float down it in summer) both worth seeing even on a single-day visit.

Strasbourg gets one night on the way back — see our full Strasbourg post for the complete story, including the old hospital’s underground wine cellar, which was the highlight of that stop.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a lot to fit into one long weekend? It’s a full 4-5 days, not a rushed weekend — with 2 nights in Freiburg and one in Strasbourg, the pace stays reasonable.

Do Freiburg and Basel have full write-ups like Strasbourg does? Not yet — this circuit covers the real route we took, but the detailed story for those two stops is still on the list to write.

Is Basel worth a day trip from Freiburg? Yes — the Dreiländereck alone (standing where three countries meet) is a genuinely memorable stop, on top of a solid old town.

What’s the “step in a Bächle” legend about? A local Freiburg tradition — stepping into one of the water channels, even accidentally, is said to mean you’ll marry a Freiburger one day.

Want this route adjusted for your dates, or built out as a fully custom trip? Tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll put together a real plan.