Glottertal: Vineyards, Themed Trails and Black Forest History

On the western edge of the Black Forest, Glottertal combines winegrowing and themed trails with a landscape that stretches from the western entrance to the valley at 280 metres up to the 1,243-metre-high Kandel. The university city of Freiburg is 14 kilometres away; Glottertal is in Baden’s wine-growing region, in the Breisgau district. Grapes have been cultivated here for centuries at the foot of the Black Forest mountains. Hiking, wine country and cultural history offer different focal points for your trip.

Themed Trails and Hiking Breaks

The Glottertal Discovery Trail is a themed route around the village. Its own trail symbol marks the route; many illustrated information boards with special texts, including ones for children, provide information about the surrounding area along the way. The main route is 6.5 kilometres long, is also suitable for families with young children and is easily accessible with a pushchair. Glottertal has a total of 100 kilometres of marked hiking trails.

When hiking around Glottertal, the Glottertal nature loungers offer places to rest amid nature and at scenic spots. They are all accessible via marked hiking trails. So, in addition to the route itself, hiking ideas also include places to take a break in beautiful surroundings.

Vineyards and Stories Along the Way

The vineyard variation of the Glottertal Discovery Trail leads into the Eichberg vines and through the heart of the Glottertal wine-growing area, the “Roter Bur” vineyard. Along the way, there are views across the valley and interesting facts about Glottertal wine. The vineyards on the southern slopes of the foothills of Kandelberg are among the steepest and highest vineyards in Germany; winegrowing there reaches elevations of up to 500 metres above sea level.

Other variations focus on their own historical themes. The Glotterbad variation leads to the origins of the historic Glotterbad sanatorium. Three themed information boards explain its eventful history from the 15th century to the present day. The Urgraben variation is a separate, short circular hike of just under eight kilometres. It explores mining in Glottertal and the “Urgraben” technical monument. This lets you compare themes and route types: wine and landscape, sanatorium history, or mining and a technical monument.

Exploring by Bike

Glottertal is a good starting point for both sporty and leisurely bike rides. The well-signposted cycle network provides easy access to sunny Breisgau with the Kaiserstuhl, the neighbouring valleys of Elztal, Simonswäldertal and Dreisamtal, as well as the city of Freiburg. This gives you another way to shape your trip in addition to hiking. The options cater to different interests, without requiring you to stick to just one way of exploring.

Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald: The Wider Region

In the wider destination of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, many places in the district can be reached by train. The free KONUS Guest Card provides free travel on local trains and buses throughout the Black Forest. Other activities are also part of this regional offering: At Badeparadies Schwarzwald in Titisee, summer temperatures prevail 365 days a year, and you’ll find real palm trees and turquoise-blue water. The Galaxy waterslide universe offers more than 25 attractions and water fun for all ages. Fundorena’s facilities include a trampoline park on three levels; the Fundorena X Mind Arena consists of six stations. These regional options complement Glottertal’s local hiking, winegrowing and cultural themes.

Discover more destinations: Hinterzarten, Auggen, Heuweiler, Dittishausen, Munzingen, Sankt Peter Im Schwarzwald, Merdingen, Oberried

Back to the main travel overview: Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald.