Freiburg im Breisgau · Schauinsland & Gunterstal

Lorettoberg

The southern hill viewpoint reached by tram 3, offering an open vista across Freiburg toward the Vosges Mountains without the forest obstruction of Schlossberg.

About Lorettoberg

The southern hill viewpoint reached by tram 3, offering an open vista across Freiburg toward the Vosges Mountains without the forest obstruction of Schlossberg. The Lorettokapelle chapel dates to 1657 and commemorates a 1644 battle. This side of the city sees far fewer tourists despite equally impressive views.

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The place

Getting there

Address

Lorettoberg, 79249 Merzhausen, Germany

Neighborhood

Schauinsland & Gunterstal →

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Good to know

Tips, answered

Locals prefer this viewpoint for sunset because you face west toward the Vosges, while Schlossberg faces east toward the Black Forest.

Plan for about 45 minutes.

Lorettoberg is in the Schauinsland & Gunterstal neighborhood of Freiburg im Breisgau. The address is Lorettoberg, 79249 Merzhausen, Germany. The area is well-served by metro.

This works well at any time of day, though mornings tend to be quieter. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends.

Comfortable shoes are recommended. Check the weather forecast and dress in layers, especially in shoulder seasons.

Around the corner

Nearby in Schauinsland & Gunterstal

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Landmark

Schauinsland Bergstation

Schauinsland Bergstation sits at 1,284 meters above sea level, making it the highest peak easily accessible from Freiburg. On clear days, you'll get sweeping 360-degree views stretching from the Black Forest ridges to the Vosges Mountains in France and the Swiss Alps in the distance. The station includes a free observation tower, weather monitoring equipment that's been running since 1896, and several well-marked hiking trails that fan out in different directions. There's also a restaurant and small gift shop, though both are pretty basic. Your visit starts either by cable car from the valley or by driving up the winding mountain road. The atmosphere changes completely once you're up here: it's windier, cooler, and surprisingly quiet except for the occasional cable car arriving. The observation tower is only about 20 meters tall, but those extra meters make a real difference for photos and clearing the treeline. Most people spend time walking the paved paths around the station, checking out the weather equipment, and taking in the views from different angles. Honestly, this place lives or dies by the weather. On cloudy days, you'll see nothing but gray mist and wonder why you bothered. The restaurant is overpriced and underwhelming: skip the meals and just grab a coffee if you need warming up. The cable car costs around 12 EUR return for adults, but driving up is free if you don't mind the narrow, winding road. Come early morning for the clearest views before afternoon haze rolls in.

2-4 hoursExplore

Attraction

Schauinslandbahn

The Schauinslandbahn hauls you 3.6 kilometers up Freiburg's local mountain in historic gondolas that have been doing this run since 1930. You're riding Germany's longest circulating cable car to a 1,284-meter summit with legitimate Alpine views on clear days: the Rhine plain stretches to France's Vosges mountains, and on exceptional days you'll spot actual Alps to the south. The summit delivers an observation tower, summer toboggan, mountain biking, and 40 kilometers of hiking trails that wind back down to Freiburg through Black Forest. The 20-minute ride up feels genuinely old-school, with small cabins swaying gently as you climb through dense forest that opens to meadows near the top. The valley station sits in sleepy Horben, reachable by tram 2 to Gunterstal then bus 21. At the summit, the observation tower gives you the full panorama for free, while the Berggasthof Die Halde serves decent mountain food on an outdoor terrace. The summer toboggan gets kids excited, but it's the hiking trails that justify the EUR 21 adult ticket. Most visitors underestimate how weather-dependent this experience is: cloudy days eliminate the main attraction entirely, so check forecasts religiously. The KONUS guest card saves you 20 percent, making this more reasonable at EUR 16.80. Skip busy summer afternoons when queues build up, and don't bother with the restaurant unless you're genuinely hungry since Freiburg's better dining is 40 minutes away.

3-4 hoursExplore

Viewpoint

Kybfelsen

Kybfelsen is a dramatic sandstone outcropping that towers above Günterstal valley, offering sweeping views across Freiburg to the Rhine plain and Vosges mountains beyond. The rock formation itself is impressive, jutting out from the forested hillside like a natural balcony 200 meters above the valley floor. You'll reach it via well-marked forest trails that wind through beech and fir trees, with the final approach requiring a short scramble over rocks. The hike up takes about 45 minutes from Günterstal village, following mostly gentle switchbacks through quiet woodland. Once you arrive, the viewpoint opens dramatically before you: Freiburg's red rooftops spread below, the Black Forest rolling away to the east, and on clear days the Alps visible as a distant white line. The rock platform itself is spacious enough for several people, though the edge drops off sharply. Early morning light transforms the scene completely, painting the valley in golden hues. Most hiking guides oversell this as an easy stroll, but the final 10 minutes involve actual rock scrambling that's tricky when wet. Skip it entirely during foggy weather since you'll see nothing but white. The trail gets muddy after rain and can be slippery near the rock face. Park for free at Günterstal church rather than driving up Schauinslandstraße, where spaces are limited and expensive.

2-3 hoursExplore

Park & Garden

Holzschlägermatte

Holzschlägermatte sits at the base of Schauinsland mountain, offering a proper alpine meadow experience just 20 minutes from Freiburg's city center. You'll find genuine open grassland surrounded by Black Forest pine trees, with clear views up toward the Schauinsland cable car station. The meadow serves as a launching pad for forest trails that wind into the Schwarzwald, plus it's got a small but decent playground and plenty of space for kids to run wild. The atmosphere feels authentically rural: you can hear cowbells from nearby pastures and the occasional rumble of the cable car overhead. Families spread out blankets across the grass while hikers pass through with proper boots and poles, heading deeper into the forest. The air smells of pine and wild herbs, and on clear days you can spot the Rhine Valley stretching toward the Vosges mountains. It's refreshingly uncommercialized, just open space and forest paths. Most people park at the cable car station and never venture onto the meadow itself, missing the best picnic spots. The playground gets busy on weekends but stays manageable on weekdays. Skip the overpriced snacks at the cable car station and bring your own food. Parking costs 2 EUR for the day, which is reasonable for the location.

1-3 hoursExplore

Attraction

Waldhaus Freiburg

A forest education center on the Schlossberg's eastern slope with interactive exhibits about Black Forest ecology, timber history, and wildlife. Free entry to the permanent exhibition, and the grounds include short forest trails with info boards. Best for kids 5+ who can engage with the hands-on displays about tree identification and forest management.

1-2 hoursExplore

Museum

Besucherbergwerk Schauinsland

Historic silver mine dating back 800 years offering guided underground tours through original mining tunnels. Visitors explore 100 meters underground to learn about medieval mining techniques and local geology. Tours last about 60 minutes with informative guides.

1-1.5 hoursExplore

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