8 Best places to visit in Triberg, Black Forest

Introducing Triberg

Triberg in the Black Forest is full of German charm, and I’m pleased to say that it lived up to my expectations. It is home to the world’s largest cuckoo clock and Germany’s highest waterfall.

Parking in Triberg

We parked our motorhome easily in one of the car parks in the centre of town, as we didn’t expect to be there too long. As it happened, there was plenty to see and we stayed longer.

Walking through the town was a bit like walking into a fairytale storybook. A place, I know, the kids would love.

There were about 7-8 shops just dedicated to cuckoo clocks, all within a few metres of each other on the high street. In addition to the clocks, there were numerous wood-carved figures and handicrafts.

Triberg Attractions

1. Triberg house of 1000 clocks

This is a huge shop that occupies an entire two-storey building. It is filled with a variety of interesting and unusual cuckoo clocks on display, as well as other wooden crafts and toys. The shop is more like a museum dedicated to the story of clock-making. There are so many clocks, all different and colourful. It certainly was a fantastic experience. On the outside wall of the shop is a clock which consists of a family of bears climbing around the building. A large bear on a rope is constantly climbing up and down.

2. The Triberg Waterfalls

(or Triberg Wasserfalls) They are situated at the top end of town, making them very easily accessible. If you are visiting the town, it’s worth a visit as they are beautiful. Some of the waterfalls that cascade down have a bridge that takes you right in front of them.

There are three colour-coded routes/paths of different lengths and difficulty for you to follow, and none of them is too hard. The majority of the path is smooth (fine gravel to asphalt) and is easily accessible with pushchairs.

Numerous rest stops line the routes, which are ideal for simply relaxing and taking in your surroundings. You can watch the red squirrels and purchase peanuts for one euro to feed them. The best views are at the very top of the falls.

The stroll through the forest to the lake is very enjoyable.

There is an entry fee to visit the falls; however, it is free for those staying in Triberg hotels, and you receive a special pass, a KONAS card, which allows you to enter certain attractions and use local trains and buses at no additional cost.

3. Triberg Museum

Schwarzwaldmuseum

Just across the road from the waterfalls is a very interesting, colourful museum that offers an insight into the history of life and work in the Black Forest.

The museum features a vast array of exhibits, some of which are operational and can be tried out, such as the unique display of barrel and fairground organs. Take some change with you, and you can listen to some of them play a few tunes, light up or move.

There is an excellent selection of historic Black Forest clocks in various shapes, sizes, and sounds, spanning four different centuries. A crystal collection can be viewed by going into a little ‘mine’, and you can see a working model of the Black Forest railway laid out in a room.

Exhibits include traditional costumes, carved wooden objects, straw braiding, clock-making, and glass-making. Many items are displayed in a room setting that depicts the lives of residents in the past.

The displays are visual and practically self-explanatory, which is good as the descriptions next to the exhibits are all in German. You do, however, receive a leaflet in English that provides brief descriptions of the various rooms in the museum.

There is a café on-site and a shop where you can buy souvenirs of the region. Unfortunately, the museum is not accessible to people with disabilities due to the numerous stairs.

4. Landgasthof Zur Lile Restaurant

We had lunch at the Landgasthof Zur Lile restaurant which is next to the waterfall entrance. It’s a nice cosy restaurant and I loved the decoration it was interesting just sitting looking around us at the unusual decoration. The food was excellent too. We finished our meal with the black forest gateau covered in a lovely locally made cherry schnapps.

5. Schinkenstrasse

A visit to the Schinkenstrasse is a must if you are looking to try some Black Forest edible souvenirs. We found Triberg’s famous version of Black Forest ham, Triberger Fichtenschinken (which is our favourite), another name for it is Triberg spruce ham. The ham is flavoured by the earthy spruce trees that are in the area. It is certainly tender, juicy, and moist. Other products made in the Black Forest that were on our shopping list included a ring of black sausage, ham mousse, and blueberry jam.

6. Schonach

After seeing all there was to see in the town, we got back in the Motorhome and drove 3 kilometres to Schonach. Here is the world’s largest cuckoo clock. We missed it on the road the first time around and had to turn around and go back, as it’s nestled between houses. We didn’t realise that the clock is an actual building.

You can go inside for a small fee, I believe it is free for kids. A guide shows you the huge mechanism and provides some information about it. We didn’t go inside but waited for about 5 minutes in the courtyard for the cuckoo to come out, which happens every 30 minutes.

7. Schonachbach

Our next stop was six kilometres away at Schonachbach. This clock is even bigger. The bird weighs 149 kg and was built in the traditional Black Forest style. Here, too, you can find a large variety of cuckoo clocks, from traditional to contemporary, along with clothes and other Black Forest products and souvenirs.

8. Dorotheenhutte Wolfach – Glassworks

Address: Glashuettenweg 4, 77709 Wolfach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany

You can visit the glass blowing factory and watch the glassblowers at work, creating glass art and vases. It’s quite an experience watching the artisans blowing the glass next to the kilns in front of you and making beautiful glass objects.

For a small fee of approximately €15, you can create your vase. You start it off by choosing the colour and pattern, then blow it out into its shape before the expert glassmaker finishes it off for you. The museum features a small collection, a large gift shop, and a beautiful permanent Christmas market, which is a nice place to browse.

The best time to visit is in the morning before all the tour buses arrive.

Getting to Triberg

The nearest airport is Strasbourg International Airport (SXB/LFST). Then the drive from the airport is 1 hour 11 minutes (84.0 km) via B33. Check availability and prices with Cheapflights UK

Triberg Train

There is no direct train from Strasbourg to Triberg; however, there are services departing from Kehl and arriving at Triberg via Offenburg. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 1 hour 32 minutes and costs £23 – £35. Deutsche Bahn operates the train services.

Another major airport is Baden Airport (FKB/EDSB), which offers international and domestic flights from Baden-Baden, Germany. It is located 102 km from Triberg, accessible via A5 and B33, and can be reached in 1 hour and 31 minutes by car. Check out the prices with Cheapflights UK, which flies from many places around the UK, including Stansted.

The train journey is direct and takes 1 hour 15 minutes, costing €10-€28, and is operated by train operators Deutsche Bahn.

By Car

The distance from Calais to Triberg is 701 km via A26 and A4 taking 6 hours 44 minutes.

We always find the cheapest and most reliable cars to hire while we are away with RentalCars.com and we take out an annual car hire excess insurance with insure4carhire

Where to Stay

The Best Western in Triberg is quietly located on the outskirts of the Town, near the waterfalls. It is just a short walk to the high street. The rooms are neat, modern, clean and spacious—an ideal place for families. The staff are friendly and attentive. Breakfast and evening meal are very good. Hotel guests are given a complimentary pass to the waterfall. Free wifi, sauna and private parking are available for guests. Check availability and rates for the Best Western Triberg

Campsites

Triberg Camping

Campsite Schwarzwaldhorn, Simonswald, Germany
GPS: N48°6’2” E8°3’5” 19€ per night.

Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Nice site shop. Friendly owners who speak good English. Modern, clean toilets and showers. Great base for visiting the Black Forest

This Site is listed in the ACSI Discount Camping Book available here. This book is worth getting for its discount card that you can use for out-of-season camping.