2027 Rail & Sail In The Black Forest

Itinerary

Tour Highlights

• Hotel for 5 nights in Bad Dürrheim with continental breakfast & buffet dinner 
• Overnight hotel for one night with breakfast
• Overnight hotel for one night with breakfast & dinner (set menu)
• Porterage assistance (main hotel)
• Welcome Sekt (main hotel)
• Excursions and visits as stated
• Visits to Villingen and Titisee 
• Guided tour of Black Forest Open Air Museum
• Black Forest Gateau demonstration followed by coffee & cake 
• 30-minute boat trip to the Rhine Falls with audio guide
• 25-minute boat trip on Lake Titisee
• One way journey on the 'Pigtail' Railway
• One way journey on the Black Forest Railway from Villingen - Hausach

Willkommen im Schwarzwald!

Day 1 - After joining your holiday coach, travel to Dover for the short sea crossing to France. Then continue via the auto-routes of France to your overnight stop at the 3* Novotel Metz Hauconcourt. BB

Day 2 - Head further south to the pretty spa town of Bad Dürrheim to check into your resort hotel, 4* Waldeck Hotel & Spa for the next 5 nights with a welcome glass of Sekt (German bubbly) on arrival. 3-course buffet dinner each evening is included here DBB

Day 3 - 6 - At leisure in Bad Dürrheim with three included excursions and a full day at leisure to explore. DBB

Bad Dürrheim is known as a 'saltwater spa', a 'climatic health resort' and a centre for wellness, making it an ideal place for a relaxing holiday away from the stresses and strains of the everyday and for restoring body & soul. There are some wonderful parks and green spaces in Bad Dürrheim as befits a fashionable spa town, with themed gardens, water features, lovingly planted flowerbeds and even a barefoot path. The hotel is located approx. 10 minutes' stroll away from the town centre with all its amenities and is also well located for a walk through the nearby woods. The Solemar Thermal Spa Centre in the town offers 13 indoor & outdoor pools, steam bath, massage jets, loungers and much more (entrance + sauna fees apply - from €17.50 for 3 hours in 2026. Treatments are chargeable)

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS
Rhine Falls & The 'Pigtail Train'
Remember your passports today as you head south into the most northerly region of Switzerland to experience the drama and beauty of one of Europe's largest waterfalls, the magnificent Rhine Falls, which plunges from a height of approx. 23 metres. Take an included 30-minute boat trip with an audio guide which sails close to the mighty central cliff for which the falls are so famous. Experience the power of the Rhine and this extraordinary natural spectacle at close proximity. Make a brief stop in nearby medieval Schaffhausen, one of Switzerland's prettiest towns, before continuing to Blumberg for a ride on the Wutach Valley Heritage Railway to Weizen (may operate by steam or diesel. Route may be reversed). This is one of the most unusual and impressive stretches of railway in Germany and is popularly known as the Sauschwänzlebahn, literally the 'Pigtail Line'. The nickname was coined because whilst the distance covered is only 9.6km, the journey is actually more than 25km by way of  its extreme twisting, winding, convoluted route including Germany's only loop tunnel. A memorable experience!

Villingen & Black Forest Open Air Museum 
Just a short drive from your hotel takes you to Villingen (part of Villingen-Schwenningen, a lively twin town) in the Central Black Forest region. There is plenty of historical flair to discover in Villingen with its almost completely preserved town walls, mighty fortified gate towers, beautiful half-timbered houses, babbling brooks and romantic winding alleyways. Enjoy a 1000 years of history set against the landscape of the Black Forest. From here you will board the Black Forest Railway for a journey of loops, tunnels and a high viaduct to Hausach where you coach awaits to take you onto the Black Forest Open Air Museum, a wonderful collection of authentic farmhouses ranging from 16th to the 18th centuries, painstakingly disassembled and moved to be preserved for future generations. In a beautiful natural setting, each house focuses on different aspects of farm life from times gone by and you'll find horses and chickens, an open-air bakery as well as demonstrations. A local English-speaking guide will show you the museum highlights before you learn the secrets of how the famous Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Gateau to us!) is made. Enjoy a slice of the genuine article with a cup of coffee before heading back to the hotel.

Titisee with Lake Cruise
Head to the beautiful town of Titisee with its lake of the same name, probably the best-known and most popular destination in the Black Forest Highlands. The lake is 850m above sea level, 2km long, just under 1km wide and approx. 40m deep and is pollution free where boats are powered by electric motors. Enjoy time at leisure to relax and explore this charming lakeside village with its many souvenir shops, cafes and beer gardens. There is a lovely lakeside promenade and an included round-trip cruise is the ideal way to enjoy the magnificent scenery 

Day 7 - Time to bid Auf Wiedersehen as you head back into France with suitable stops along the way. Your final overnight stop is close to Reims at the 4* Novotel Reims Tinqueux with dinner (set menu) included. DBB

Day 8 - After breakfast, travel back to the port for your return to England and your hometowns Back to top

Accommodation

Waldeck Hotel & Spa, Bad Dürrheim

The 4* Waldeck Hotel is a modern, family-run hotel, traditional in style and with an emphasis on well-being and wellness.

It is located approx. 10 mins walk to the town centre and the Waldeck Wellness Clinic forms part of the resort.

Public areas are bright and spacious and include a reception, bar, restaurant, roof terrace and garden.

Generous guestrooms are light and airy, each with its own balcony as well as TV and hairdryer.

The hotel offers extensive leisure facilities including a large indoor swimming pool, saunas, gym and spa. Several of the resort buildings are connected by covered walkways.

Residents have free use of leisure facilities, but treatments are chargeable. There is also an atmospheric wine bar.

There is a lift but no ground floor rooms Back to top