Offenburg
SUNNY WINE TOWN ON THE EDGE OF THE BLACK FOREST

When you arrive at the train station, the city welcomes you with a beautiful collection of half-timbered houses. The large tower of the City Church points the way to the pedestrian zone downtown, which you can easily reach on foot within ten minutes. Around the marketplace you’ll find many cafés and restaurants, and a few metres further you’ll come to the magnificent old city hall.

If you want, you can wander down one of the smaller side streets where you’ll likely discover some interesting shops! It’s a lot of fun to go window shopping, or “bummeln” as they say in Germany. You always find something small you’ve never seen before because most of the shops are not chain stores. They sell things you can’t find anywhere else in Germany.

The city of Offenburg is known for its media industry. Around the city there are of several smaller towns and villages which you can reach by train or bus. One of these is Gengenbach where the second campus of the is located.

Winemaking is very important in Offenburg, which you’ll quickly notice by the countless rows of vines growing up the hillsides. The city stages a wine festival at the last weekend of September every year. The vintners of Offenburg present their wines on the marketplace during the four-day festival. There’s also music, food and many different wine-tastings. Enjoying the festive atmosphere together with friends is the most fun.

If you want to get some physical activity in your free time, you can participate in the (vineyard hiking tour) on the first Sunday of September. It’s a good opportunity to hike through the vineyards and try out wine and authentic Baden cuisine.

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