Bad Säckingen

Bad Säckingen is a magnificent little city located in the very southern part of Germany. For tourists, it is ideally located at the southern end of the Black Forest and Switzerland is just a few minutes walk away, crossing over the lovely old wooden bridge. Nearby attractions include Basel, Freiburg and Konstanz.

The town is also known as the town of the trumpeter, due to the book by Joseph Victor von Scheffel, "Der Trompeter von Säkkingen".

Get in
The place can easily be reached by car as well as public transport.

By car

 * from the north: Travel on the Autobahn A5 to Basel, then follow the A98 and B34 east
 * from the south: Follow the signs to either Basel or Zurich. Then travel to Stein in Switzerland and cross over the new bridge.
 * from the west: From Basel follow the A98 and B34
 * from the east: From Waldshut follow the A98 and B34 westwards

By train
There is a big intercity train station in Basel which can be reached easily from most major cities in the western part of Germany. Be sure to switch trains at Basel Badischer Bahnhof (not at Basel SBB). From there you can catch connecting trains to Bad Säckingen that run on a regular basis. Coming from the east (e.g. from Munich), you can usually travel via Ulm (possibly changing trains in Singen or Ravensburg). From Ulm on it will usually be a local train, but be prepared to watch some nice scenery on your way to Bad Säckingen. Make sure to sit on the left side (in running direction) of the train, so you can have a nice view of the river Rhine. Check for up to date fare information at DB.

By plane
Conveniently located airports are Basel/Mulhouse and Zurich.

Get around
Being a small city, you can reach most main attractions in the inner city by foot. Renting a bicycle might be a good idea to venture into the lovely suburbs like Wallbach or Obersäckingen, that can be reached in a few minutes. There are also public buses running to the suburbs. Furthermore, there is a local bus, the city-bus.

See
The main attractions are all conveniently located in the city centre. You should definitely have a look at the St. Fridolinsmuenster, the old Wooden Bridge, and the romantic Trompeterschloss in a nice park.

Do

 * Walk to the lovely Bergesee
 * Swim at the Aqualon

There are a couple of nice restaurants around town. However, regarding late-night entertainment, the city has not much to offer.

Events

 * Brückenfest
 * Shrovetide

Buy
You can buy 'Rheinkiesel', sweets looking like small stones from the Rhine, at bakeries in town. There you can also get sweets with an image of the Trompeter von Saeckingen on it, which give a nice souvenir.

Eat
There are lots of nice little restaurants next to the central square of town, the Muensterplatz, next to the St. Fridolins-Muenster. There are also some other places spread out across the city.

Drink
At most restaurants you can also just have a drink and many have a bar, where you can relax while sipping on one of the great local beers.

Sleep
For a listing of hotels, pensions and bed & breakfasts, visit the town tourist website

Stay safe
Note that crossing the Covered Wooden Bridge (and thus the border to or from Switzerland) at night is only allowed if you have accommodation in Bad Säckingen or a nearby town or village.

Go next

 * Rheinfelden
 * Laufenburg

Day trips
Nearby attractions, that can be visited easily in a day if you base yourself in Saeckingen are: Basel, Konstanz, Zurich, Alsace, Schaffhausen with the Rheinfall, Triberg and Freiburg.