GERMANY & FRANCE
The Black Forest & Alsace
Black Forest & Alsace
The Details
Strasbourg, France
Colmar, France
Baden Baden, Germany
Freiburg, Germany
The renovated palace that is our homebase for the week.
A Timeless Stay, Storybook Days, and the Half-Timbered Spell of Fairytale Europe
Your Alsace & Black Forest Experience
Charming towns, a graceful pace, and the lasting magic of stepping into a once-upon-a-time world made real make this 8 day/ 7 night tour a timeless classic.
Spend a week savoring the best of fairytale Europe, where each day begins and ends in a grand, lovingly restored 19th-century villa nestled in a peaceful town on the edge of Germany’s Black Forest. From this elegant home base, you’ll venture into the winding lanes, timber-framed villages, and cultural gems that make Alsace and the Black Forest so irresistible. Our slow travel style allows us to linger longer, sip slower, and uncover the charm in every detail—from a handmade pastry to a centuries-old bell tower.
We will visit Strasbourg. A city that blends French elegance with Germanic charm, Strasbourg is where your fairytale begins. Wander the flower-laced canals of Petite France, marvel at the pink sandstone cathedral with its dizzyingly intricate spire—the tallest structure built in the Middle Ages—and savor a tarte flambée in one of the atmospheric winstubs tucked into crooked lanes. The city’s Franco-German heart beats strong, and we’ll give you time to fall under its rhythm.
Colmar is pure enchantment—a town that looks as if it leapt from the pages of a storybook. Its pastel houses lean over cobbled lanes and mirrored canals, and its art legacy (including works by native son Martin Schongauer) adds depth to its undeniable charm. We’ll stroll the old town, enjoy a market visit, and pause for a glass of Riesling in the sun, surrounded by 16th-century facades.
Tiny, walled, and impossibly photogenic, Riquewihr is one of France’s Plus Beaux Villages—and for good reason. Nestled between vineyard-covered hills and medieval ramparts, it’s a place where time appears to have stood still. We’ll explore its quiet lanes, sample the local Alsatian wines, and breathe in the sweet scent of kougelhopf drifting from village bakeries.
A short jaunt from Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé offers another slice of Alsatian charm, with flower boxes spilling from windows and castle ruins perched on nearby hills. This town was once ruled by minstrels, and its musical legacy lives on in the lively town square. We’ll visit artisan shops and perhaps catch a street musician strumming in the shade of the ancient clock tower.
Across the border in Germany, Freiburg is a sun-kissed university town brimming with Black Forest energy. We’ll meander through its open-air market, admire the Gothic cathedral, and learn the quirky story behind the Bächle—tiny medieval canals that still run through the streets. Freiburg’s relaxed pace, green ethos, and café culture make it a perfect afternoon stop.
Grand, glittering, and refreshingly serene, Baden-Baden is a spa town that’s been drawing royalty and artists for centuries. We’ll stroll through its opulent Kurhaus gardens, peek into the elegant casino, and maybe even dip our toes into a thermal pool. With its belle époque architecture and gentle mountain air, this is Europe at its most refined.
One day, we’ll venture deep into the heart of the Black Forest—a place where mist lingers in the treetops, waterfalls tumble through mossy ravines, and time is quite literally kept alive. In this enchanted setting, you’ll marvel at intricate woodcarvings, hear the echo of clockwork traditions passed down through generations, and feel the cool spray of a forest waterfall that’s drawn visitors for centuries. It’s a day that stirs both wonder and nostalgia—a fairytale brought to life through craftsmanship, nature, and timeless storytelling.
This journey is for the traveler who wants to soak it all in—not rush past. You’ll have time to stop for the perfect photograph, wander off down a side street, or linger over a glass of local wine while the church bells ring in the background. Join us for a week where elegance meets ease, and every day is framed in beauty.
Germany & France
The Black Forest & Alsace
The Details
What's Included
Seven (7) nights accommodation {double occupancy} apartment-style suites in a renovated palace situated in a small town on the western edge of the German Black Forest.
Please note that single occupancy carries an additional fee. Please contact us for more details.
Transportation, parking, and tolls to/from daily destinations
Seven (7) breakfasts
Seven (7) additional meals (a mix of lunches and/or dinners)
Museum tickets and admission fees on guided tours and experiences
All gratuities
Personalized support from Hub & Spoke team members
Detailed itinerary, pre-trip notes & relevant reading material, and travel guidelines
Travel planning advice for pre/post-trip stays
Your Financial Responsibilities
You are responsible for airfare and transportation to and from the initial designated tour meeting location, passport fees, meals other than those described above, personal items, single-occupancy supplement, and any additional lodging nights. Unscheduled (and often spontaneous) optional activities may also be offered at an additional cost, such as tour extensions in lieu of leisure time, bike rentals, stops at specialty shops, and additional wine and liquor purchases.
If so desired, you are responsible for choosing and purchasing a travel insurance policy that best suits your particular coverage needs. Hub & Spoke highly recommends travel insurance.
Itinerary
The order of experiences listed and specific activities in the itinerary may change for any given tour, based on the availability of our preferred guides, the weather, and the exclusive nature of the experiences.
Payment
A deposit of $1000 USD per person is due upon booking. The final balance is due no later than 120 days prior to tour commencement. Payment methods include Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. Installments may be arranged directly with Hub & Spoke.
Registration deposit and final balance are non-refundable. Travel insurance is strongly recommended and should include Trip Cancellation, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Baggage, and Accident and Medical Insurance. There are also insurance options that allow you to "Cancel for any Reason". Travel insurance options can be found at insuremytrip.com.
Pricing Adjustments
Pricing may be adjusted in the future due to inflation and currency fluctuations. Your price is guaranteed only at the time of your deposit.
Cancellation Policy
You will receive a full refund of your deposit if Hub & Spoke must cancel your tour.
Should you need to cancel up to 120 days prior to your tour commencement date, your full deposit may be applied to a future tour commencing within 12 months of your canceled tour.
If you cancel your tour between 119 and zero days prior to tour commencement, there will be no credits or refunds by Hub & Spoke, LLC. You will need to follow the conditions set forth in your travel insurance policy.
Responsibility Statement and Liability Disclaimer
Hub & Spoke LLC and its owners and team members do not own or operate any entity which provides, or is to provide, goods or services to any Hub & Spoke tour, including accommodations, vehicles, meals, activities, or other services. Because Hub & Spoke does not exercise any control over the personnel, equipment, or operations of these suppliers, Hub & Spoke is not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such third person, or of any other third party.
Hub & Spoke is not responsible for losses, injury, damages, or expenses of any kind due to illness, pandemics, endemics, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, local laws, or other such causes.
Hub & Spoke is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects of any individual participating in any Hub & Spoke tour.
If in the unlikely event that Hub & Spoke must cancel a tour, the entire amount paid by the traveler will be refundable or carried as a credit toward another Hub & Spoke tour within 12 months of the canceled tour. Hub & Spoke will have no additional obligations, including costs or fees related to the issuance and/or cancellation of airline tickets or other travel reservations. This includes delays, cancellations, and any non-refundable expenses.
Individual travelers are responsible for purchasing a travel insurance policy that will cover certain trip cancellations and interruptions, emergency medical evacuation, loss of luggage or personal effects, and other such coverage. Hub & Spoke strongly encourages our guests to purchase travel insurance.