"Staufen. Black Forest" a Staufen Travel Page by mustertal

You most visit this little town, drink the wine, eat the kuchen and relax
A short week end in Staufen this Winter, to see it at a different time of year was a nice change. Christmas trees sprung up overnight down the little main street and in the town square, decorated by children from local schools.
This pretty wine village at the foot of the lower Black Forest, is just some 20 mile's south of Freiburg, and it's a delightfully unexpected little place to spend some time in. Full of friendly people, delightful shops and wonderful wines ! Please DO take the time to explore it's pedestrianised cobbled street's, with it's very colourful flower displays and it's pretty window boxes, and stop off at one of the many coffee houses for koffee und Kuchen, sample the local wine at the wine bar, to me is just a very relaxing magical place.

There is a wine co-operative to the West of Staufen, where you can sample some of local wine , or even take a tour of the wine cellars,. In September try the Nuer Susser wine usually very sweet and rough, along with some schwiebel Kuchen, made from the new onions harvested around the Sept/October time, a wonderful combination, or simply go wine tasting round the many wine Keller's. You will find there is a nice walk up through the vine yards to the Castle at the top of the hill.
Sit round the wine bar at the bottom of the Castle hill on a lazy Sunday afternoon and people watch.

Through out the summer month's various festival's are held, and this sleepy village is transformed into a picture of colour and activity.
September is the start of the Wine festivals in the area. They have a local Beer festival which is held in the Shooting lodge at Dietzelbach on the Munstertal road.
The tourist office in the Rathouse, and has plenty of information on the area and on cycle hire and walks in different languages.
Staufen is beautifully placed for visits to the Alsace region of France, only 15 miles away, and don't forget Switzerland, it isn't much further, 30 minutes on the motorway.
Plus take a ride into the beautiful Black Forest, to Feldberg the highest point in the area, plus Belschen for some magnificent views. Glass blowing and waterfalls at Todtnau. See the Rhine falls at Schaffhausen or paddle in the sauce of the Danube at St Martins nr Donaueshingen.

The Schladerer Schnapp's are made in Staufen, and if you can, try a visit to the distillery, tours are arranged usually on a Tuesday morning. They also have a small shop selling their schnapps and other brews plus some nice gift idea's. Try some of their other liquors as well, the St Vincent is a very nice aperitif . The main car park is just out side the distillery, Staufen has plenty of parking places.

Goeth's Faust story is based on legend, which, pre-dates the Christian religion.
It is the story of good triumphing over evil.
It takes place in many venue's, one of these being Staufen in Breisgau, chosen because of it's close proximity to Feldberg, the highest point in Germany,and the mythological significance of the area.
There is a local drink called Belchen Geist, you set fire to it before drinking, this is said to let the ghost out ! This is all to do with the Faust legend.