Want to plan a trip to the Black Forest and don’t know where to start? Titisee is the cutest lakeside town to use as a home base!
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When you plan a trip to the Black Forest, Choosing where to go isn’t always straightforward. The question is what kind of experience you’re looking for.
Want a city gem with access? Freiberg.
Looking for the historic baths? Baden Baden.
Mountains and views? Feldberg. (Already shared a guide here!)
A lakeside getaway?
Head straight for Titisee!
Explore Lake Titisee
Titisee is a lake town! Techinically, Titisee is the name of the lake and the town inherits the name. “See” as an ending can mean lake or sea in German, so any town with that type of name has a waterfront!
Online, it’s often referred to as Titisee-Neustadt. This is because sometimes neighboring small towns get incorporated as one place. So while they’re often combined they’re technically different places. If at all possible, you want to base your time in Titisee, not Neustadt.
As a cute small mountain-ish lake town, it’s very popular but nothing like the visitor level of major cities. I first visited in late August and while it was busy, it didn’t feel overrun by any means! It’s a great spot if you’re trying to plan a trip to the Black Forest.
Tititsee sees tons of cyclists through! I think it’s a popular route to end up here for lunch for a few hours if you’re through-biking sections of the Black Forest. Same for hikers, but I noticed more cycling gear.
What to do in Titisee, Germany
When thinking about to do in Titisee, the best place to start is with the lake! There are tons of water activities.
Taking a lake tour by boat is one of the most popular. You can either rent a paddle boat to explore on your own or take a little sailboat out. The lake isn’t big enough to get lost on, so these are pretty easy options.
You can also join a short 25 minute guided boat tours if you want to learn more about the area and get a little background. None of these need pre-booking most of the year, although if you’re there in summer I might go ask earlier in the day to make sure spots or boat rentals aren’t filling up!
There’s a swimming area right in the middle of town with a beach. It has all the amenities you want: chair rentals, volleyball courts, bathrooms and changing areas, and a bar for food & drinks!
Keep in mind the German seasons dictate a lot of water activities! For example, the beach area doesn’t open for swimming until May and then closes by September. The boats run longer, but if that’s a dealbreaker for you make sure to check your dates against their opening hours.
Another great option is taking a walk along the lakefront! There’s a well-marked walk to give you a taste of the forest! It’s partially lakeside and partly in the woods. Most of it is either gravel or paved.
Want something a little more intense? Hiking trails cross Titisee nearby if you want something more rustic.
Just off the main street is Badestelle Am Titisee; a lakeside park that’s open to the public. It also has a swimming area that’s a little less crowded in the high season!
A small but cute thing to see in town is Miniatur Schwarzwaldmuhlen: a tiny town complete with working electronic parts and water feature. It’s worth the walk to take a look (and it’s free).
If spas are your thing, don’t miss Badeparadeis Schwarzwald! It’s a year round warm water spa. They have areas for relaxing, saunas, and mineral pools if you want to relax, as well as waterslides, a wave pool, and more if you want activity!
Where to Stay in Titisee
Titisee is a cute place to stay overnight! While you can see it all in a day, it’s a good base if you’re putting together a multi-stop Black Forest trip.
We stayed at Braviscasa, and I have mixed feelings about this one. It was great as a bare-bones home base. If you’re looking to hike or boat and want a place to crash and cook basic meals, this is perfect! But luxury it is not. Low expectations on niceness.
If you’re looking for a more classic guesthouse/B&B experience, I’d aim for Gästehaus Wald und See. They offer free rental bikes; perfect for exploring!
Brugger’s Hotelpark has all the luxe touches, and offers a private beach along the lakeshore. If you’re looking for an elegant retreat on the water, this is the perfect spot.
What to Eat in the Black Forest
The Black Forest’s fame internationally has as much to do with food as anything else!
Black Forest cake is the number one thing Americans know when it comes to the Black Forest. You have to get some while you’re here! You’ll see it on every menu, so this one’s easy.
Another one that inherited the region’s name is Black Forest ham. The local cuts are brined and smoked, and perfect as an appetizer! You’ll find it served shaved (like procuitto or jamon) or sometimes in a thicker slice.
The Black Forest is also known for its wässerli, brandies. Especially the cherry version! (Can you tell cherries in general are local here?)
There’s also a wine region within the Black Forest, so be sure to try some local sips. Look for Pinot Noir (spätburgunder), Pinot Gris (grauburgunder), Pinot Blanc (weissburgunder), or Riesling.
The Best Titisee Restaurants
Cafe Heck had great cake and was an easy stop when you wanted to get off your feet. They also offer it to go if you ant to take it home for later!
Restaurant Zum See was my favorite meal in town! The food was phenomenal: classic regional German dishes. I had a dish off their seasonal menu that was amazing: chicken smothered in a mushroom sauce over spatzle. It remains one of my favorite dishes I’ve eaten in Germany yet!
Gaststätte Bootshaus is the perfect place if you want to get away from the day trippers? It’s a cool, no frills bar tucked away on the lake. This spot is definitely a local haunt, perfect for a quiet afternoon drink by the water!
Isst Balance had great Asian food! It’s a great little counter service spot that offers plenty of fresh vegetables and bold flavors if you need to mix it up from German food. Don’t be thrown that it’s in the train station building – the food is quality! I had a ramen that had me slurping every last drop.
Fischerbeck Bäckerei was a solid breakfast choice. Not the only bakery in town, but definitely the earliest open (perfect for our traveling with kids or an early hike!) it’s also the only one open on Sundays? They also serve more than just bread and pastry – they have a few egg and protein-focused dish options. (Note: online it’s often listed as Cafe Bamby, but in person it’s Fischerbeck.)
Rauber Kaffee is the spot that we didn’t make it to this round. It had a cool coffee shop feel that makes me itch to get a quality espresso drink. Unfortunately, they opened later in the morning (after we’d left for day trips/hiking) so I didn’t get my fix!
Kuckucksstube is the restaurant under the coucou Hotel. I’m a little torn about whether I recommend it, because it advertises itself as a burger place and they were only okay. I do think they were right on par with most burger joints in Europe – why is a good burger so hard to find here?!? – but they do have other dishes on the menu like tarte flambee/flamekuchen or other regional dishes.
If you want to plan a trip the Black Forest, Titisee is a great choice! Make sure to check out Feldberg for a day outside! My guide has everything you need to know for planning, as well as a few suggestions for other add ons in the area.
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