Did you know that nestled in the quiet hills of Germany’s Black Forest is a town of 11,000 people that is also home to the world’s largest Advent calendar?!?
I knew I wanted to visit somewhere in Germany that had a real-life Advent calendar–one of those buildings that opens a different window every night leading up to the Christmas holiday. So when I searched where to go, I found Gengenbach, Germany. They turn their 24-windowed town hall into the world’s largest Advent calendar every holiday season.
And since it looked like the perfect Black Forest town to visit, I was hooked. Even though it took three trains to get there from Stuttgart. Even though it was tiny and off the beaten track (maybe more so for that!).
So whether you’re coming for Christmas or not, Gengenbach, Germany is the perfect place to visit the Black Forest. And I have here the complete guide for everything you need to know!
Year visited: 2025
Time of Year: December
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What’s in this Article:
- About Gengenbach, Germany
- Where to Stay in Gengenbach
- Places to Eat in Gengenbach
- Things to Do in Gengenbach
- Christmas in Gengenbach
About Gengenbach, Germany
Where is Gengenbach, Germany?
Gengenbach is located in the Black Forest, in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany. It is in Germany’s southwest corner, close to the border with France.
It is only 40 minutes from Strasbourg, France. The nearest city is Offenburg, just a 5 minute train ride away. We came to Gengenbach from Stuttgart, Germany, and from there traveled on to Colmar, France.
What is Gengenbach known for?
Gengenbach is famous for having the world’s largest Advent calendar. Another popular holiday happens in February, when they host a historic carnival festival, with traditional masks and costumes.
The town itself is a picture-perfect storybook town surrounded by rolling hills.
It’s a small town of only about 11,000 people, but it is a popular tourist destination in the Black Forest. It is beautiful in the summer, and of course a popular spot on a Christmas trip to Germany.
- Our Opinion: Gengenbach was our favorite spot on our whole 2-week trip to Germany and France. It felt the most authentic, not overrun by tourists, but still very tourist friendly. It was a perfect place to just relax and be present for a while. And the Black Forest cake! Mmm!
Where to Stay in Gengenbach, Germany
We stayed right in the center of the old town. Since it was during the holiday season, the Christmas market was literally right outside our door (like, literally. We missed our hotel one time because the entrance was in between Christmas market booths).
It was an easy walk from the train station that took about 5 minutes. We loved where we stayed, but there are plenty of other good places to stay anywhere in town. Gengenbach is fairly small, and easy to walk around.
- Good to Know: The further from the train station and town center you get, the more uphill you will have to walk. The walk to our hotel in the town center was all flat.
Hotel Restaurant Sonne
We stayed at Hotel Restaurant Sonne, and it was perfect. The owners were extremely friendly, the location was perfect (an easy walk from the train station, right in the center of the old town), and the rooms were lovely. It is also the only place we stayed in Germany where we got a free breakfast with our room. And the breakfast was so good!
Gasthof Hirsch
Gasthof Hirsch was the original hotel I found in Gengenbach that I was planning to stay at. It is a little further from the town center, which is why I ultimately chose our hotel. But Gengenbach is small, and it’s still an easy walk to get there.
Places to Eat in Gengenbach, Germany
The first thing to do once you reach Gengenbach is to get yourself some Black Forest cake. We had the best cake at the cutest cafe, and then ate dinner at the Christmas market. But I did research a lot of other places to eat, so here is all the information you need to enjoy a meal in Gengenbach.
Café Birnbräuer
Café Birnbräuer is the place to go for Black Forest cake! It was so good, we tried to stop again and grab some to go on our way to the train the next morning. Unfortunately, they are closed one day a week (Wednesday), and we were leaving on a Wednesday.
They have a bakery downstairs where you can just walk in and buy some to-go treats from the display case. Or you can head upstairs to the cafe, where you could get a coffee or hot chocolate to enjoy with your cake, or even a whole meal. They have soups and sandwiches, so it’s the perfect spot to eat lunch.
We went upstairs and were seated, and then ordered some hot chocolate and slices of cake, which they brought up to us. We did spend some time perusing the display case downstairs to decide which cakes we wanted to try (besides the Black Forest, of course!).
Hotel Restaurant Sonne
The hotel where we stayed also has a restaurant (and free breakfast!)-Hotel Restaurant Sonne. The owners were wonderful, and we really enjoyed staying here (plus the breakfast was delicious), so I know the restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Gengenbach.
In addition to the regular seating area, they also have special private dining pods in the back courtyard, each with a different theme. Though these cost more, they are absolutely adorable (we walked past them to get to our room).
Kinzig Grill-Haus
Kinzig Grill-Haus has an interesting combination of wood fired pizza with Mediterranean flavors. They had some of the best reviews online for restaurants in Gengenbach, and it was my top choice for where to eat if we hadn’t filled up on cake for lunch…
Things to Do in Gengenbach, Germany
Gengenbach is a small town, so there is not an overwhelming amount of things to do here. My favorite part about visiting is how laid back and authentic it felt. It was especially nice to just sit in a cafe, relaxing and eating cake after almost two weeks of non-stop moving across Germany.
I think one day is enough to spend here, but you can certainly stay longer. It is a quiet and beautiful town to base yourself in to explore the Black Forest in Germany (especially if you have your own car). There are plenty of hiking trails that you could spend the day enjoying, as well as several things to do in the town itself.
If you don’t have a rental car, you can also take unlimited regional train journeys each day with a Baden-Württemburg ticket, if you want to stay in Gengenbach and see more of the area.
Narrenmuseum Niggelturm (Carnival Museum)
The Carnival Museum is housed in one of the city’s iconic towers. It’s a small museum that celebrates the region’s February Carnival celebration of dressing up and wearing masks to scare away “winter demons.” It’s full of colorful costumes and… erm… interesting masks, all displayed along the spiral staircase as you ascend the tower.
- Good to Know: The museum is cash only. There is an ATM at the bank in the town square.
- All the signs are in German, but you can download an English audio guide from their app. However, I had trouble getting it to actually load.
- Head outside once you reach the top of the tower for good views over the town.
Eat Black Forest Cake
This was already mentioned under “places to eat,” but eating a slice of Black Forest cake in the Black Forest is an absolute must! And we had the best piece of cake at Café Birnbräuer. It’s right downtown, and is the perfect spot to relax in the afternoon (or anytime of day; I won’t judge!) with a hot chocolate and a slice of cake.
Wander the Old Town
Gengenbach, Germany is worth visiting alone for its fairy tale houses and towers. Take a wander around the town (especially in the early morning or evening) to photograph all the iconic towers, half-timbered buildings, and cobblestone streets.
Plus, you can step in all the shops and cafes surrounding the fountain and town hall in the square.
Hike up the Hill
If you need to walk off a slice (or two) of cake, there’s an easy(ish) 20 minute walk up the hill behind Gengenbach. You can stop at the viewpoint (with benches) partway up, or go all the way up to the church overlooking the town.
And if you’re really feeling up for a jaunt, there are more paths you can keep following all over the hills up here.
I walked up to the church at sunset and spent some time taking pictures and just enjoying being there. Gengenbach is one of the few places on earth that makes you just want to take your time and be present.
- Good to Know: There are several ways to reach the top. There are stairs cut into the side of the hill, or you can avoid all the stairs and just keep following the road/path that winds its way back and forth to the summit.
- The name of the church is St. Jakobus-Berglekapelle. You can find walking directions to it on Google maps. You can reach the walking trails from several different points in the main town.
- The church is open for people to sit in and contemplate for a while. There is also a bench by the church.
- There is a viewpoint with benches before you reach the church, as well as benches to rest along the path.
Christmas in Gengenbach, Germany
It is definitely worth it to visit Gengenbach anytime of year, but especially on a Christmas trip to Germany! Here are some helpful tips for visiting Gengenbach at Christmastime.
Gengenbach Christmas Market
The Gengenbach Christmas market is small, and it’s important to pay attention to the hours, as it’s not open all day like in the bigger cities.
This was one of our favorite markets. We were here on a week day, which always helps with crowds, but it was by far the most authentic feeling and least crowded (least overwhelmed by tourists) market that we visited.
- Hours:
- Weekdays: 2 pm-8 pm
- Weekends: Noon-8pm
- Dates: Nov. 29th-Dec. 23rd
- Pro Tip: Make sure you have cash! Since it’s a smaller market, almost everywhere was cash only. There is an ATM available at the bank downtown.
World’s Largest Advent Calendar
The best thing about Christmas in Gengenbach, Germany is the world’s largest Advent Calendar! Their town hall has 24 windows, and each night from the end of November until December 23rd, they reveal a new window.
There is a short program at 6:00 pm every night. Local kids dress in costumes and tell the story of the window design that’s about to revealed.
- Good to Know: The window that’s revealed every night is for the next day. So if you visit on December 9th, you will see all 9 windows on display all day, and window 10 will be revealed that night (up until December 23rd, when they reveal the 24th window).
- The program is all in German, so if you don’t understand German, you don’t need to rush to get a good spot at 6:00. However, you will want to be facing the town hall head on so that you can see the window being unveiled at the end of the 20ish minute show.
- The “Advent calendar” is on display from Nov. 29th until Jan. 6th (Epiphany).
Any other questions?
If you have any more questions about visiting Gengenbach, Germany, or tips from your own trip, please feel free to email me or comment beow.
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Julia is a travel blogger with a Bachelor’s Degree in photography from Indiana Wesleyan University. She worked as a professional photo-retoucher for seven and a half years, before leaving the company to work in the travel industry. She now works at a historic 1800’s hotel. When she’s not working, she’s reading fantasy novels or classic literature, and planning trips to magical destinations.
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