There are forests that look like fairy tales, and then there is the Black Forest – a fairy tale that grew limbs, mist, and the scent of pine, and decided to take root in the real world.
Nestled in southwestern Germany, this mystical stretch of nature isn’t merely a destination on the map. It’s an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply the fresh cold air, and allow your senses to be seduced by shadows, stories, and silence.
Named not for its color but for its density – for those tangled groves where sunlight gives up before it even touches the ground – the Black Forest stretches some 200 kilometers from north to south, and spans 30 to 60 km. in width. That’s Beersheba to Haifa, and from the Jordan River to the sea. And in between? Forests thick with history, veined with winding roads that lead to nowhere in particular – and that’s the point. This isn’t just about trees. It’s about time.
In one of those folded green valleys lies Obertal, a village that seems to have been borrowed from a 19th-century watercolor. Here, the Schwanen Resort has converted its kitchen for kosher dining.
The Brothers Grimm legends were born here, not as a metaphor but literally. Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm wandered here in the black forest, inspired to write “Little Red Riding Hood,” and more.
To deepen the pleasure of your wanderings here, slip a copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales into your bag before leaving home. In the hush of the forest, you might find yourself pausing on a bench along the winding paths, the book open on your knees, reading aloud to a child, or to the child still inside you.
Between the sentences, let your eyes roam: the mossy cabins leaning into the trees seem to belong to Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother; the narrow curling tracks could be the very ones where Hansel and Gretel scattered their breadcrumbs, fragile markers against the immensity of the woods. And when a sudden birdsong flits across the silence, you can almost see those crumbs vanishing, one by one, under the beaks of small, unseen conspirators.
In moments like these, the forest is no longer just a place, but a living story, enchanting not only for children but for anyone willing to believe.
The mythical Black Forest offers top attractions
MANY COME to the forest for rest. But it offers many attractions as well. Here are some:
Few places manage to weave together joy and cultural nuance like Europa Park. Each European country has its own “district” complete with architectural flair, national food, and local myth.
The roller coasters here are not just thrill rides – they’re tributes. Switzerland’s bobsled coaster feels like descending a glacier. Greece’s water ride splashes like summer in Santorini. The sounds of laughter, rushing water, and multilingual chatter swirl into a heady, chaotic blend.
At Lake Titisee, the water lies still, like a polished mirror, broken only by the occasional ripple of a rented paddleboat or the soft landing of a duck. A walking trail meanders around its edges.
There’s a scent in the air – part summer vanilla from the lakeside ice cream kiosk, part the sharp tang of resin from the evergreens.
The Cuckoo Clocks are one of the iconic symbols of the Black Forest. Be sure to visit the town of Triberg. Here, clocks don’t just tell time – they perform it. Every half hour, wooden shutters open and a painted bird sings. Once, during a harsh winter when the fields were too frozen to till, the farmers here turned inward to carving. From the stillness, the cuckoo clock was born.
A trip to the Black Forest isn’t complete without visiting Strasbourg and Colmar, two historic cities with colorful timber-framed houses.
The city of Strasbourg is both a feast and a wound. In the Petite France district, pastel-colored houses lean over quiet canals like elderly dancers in faded silk. The river bends like a painter’s brushstroke. Boats glide by with the calm of a lullaby, and in the earphones provided for the tour sanitized versions of history.
At the Strasbourg Cathedral, once the tallest structure in the world, you’ll find more than Gothic majesty. Near the back entrance is the figure of the “Synagoga” — blindfolded, humbled, defeated. It’s a chilling reminder of how Jews were perceived in medieval Europe: as something eclipsed, surpassed.
Walk around the corner, the “Jewish Street” marks the former center of Jewish life before 1349, when the black death (plague) brought not just disease but scapegoating. Around 2,000 Jews were dragged in chains to the Jewish cemetery, where they were burned alive. Today, Place de la République stands there.
An hour south lies the picturesque Colmar. Nicknamed “Little Venice,” it’s crisscrossed by canals that reflect timbered houses in soft ripples. In the late afternoon, when the sun hits just right, the whole town glows as if dipped in honey.
The Black Forest holds far more attractions than we could possibly list here – one reason that so many Israeli families, along with plenty of locals, return year after year for their holidays
The Black Forest isn’t just a destination. It’s a place that invites you to listen more than speak. To walk slowly. To remember.
Come for a week. Stay longer if you can. But don’t expect to leave unchanged. Because the forest doesn’t just let you pass through, it lingers.