Hofgut Sternen (in the Black Forest) // Germany

On our second day of our Rhine River cruise (when we docked in Breisach, Germany) we experienced two unique tours- one in the morning that encompassed driving through the Black Forest to Hofgut Sternen and then in the afternoon we headed to Colmar, France (which I will share more about later this week!). 

From our ship it took about an hour and twenty minutes to arrive at Hofgut Sternen. On our way we drove through parts of the Black Forest and it was incredible to see and experience that. (A word of warning for those who get a bit carsick- this excursion was rough for everyone getting to Hofgut Sternen. It is incredibly beautiful but the roads are very narrow and very twisty.)

When we arrived at Hofgut Sternen we were given the opportunity to visit a glass blowing demonstration, a cuckoo clock demonstration or a Black Forest Cake demonstration (or see all three). There were also a couple of gift shops that were on the property that you could visit. 

After walking around a bit outside and seeing the 5 buildings that were on the property both my mom and I decided to attend the cuckoo clock demonstration. We had already seen a glass blowing demonstration before and we opted out of the Black Forest Cake demo, but the cuckoo clock was intriguing. The demonstration lasted for about 10 minutes and it was really interesting to see how the clocks were crafted and all of the details that were put into them. 

After the demonstration was finished most of our group were interested in purchasing a cuckoo clock so they stayed looking at them but we headed back to explore more of the property. 

In warmer months there is the opportunity to walk throughout the property and even hike a bit into the Black Forest to see more of the property. Due to the ice it wasn't possible for us, but for those traveling in warmer months it would be. 

To be honest, my favorite part of this excursion was seeing the Black Forest. This was the one excursion that we walked away feeling was a bit over "commercialized". It felt a bit... touristy and a little out of sync from the rest of our tours. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it was our least favorite. If we had traveled in the warmer months and been able to hike and see more of the surrounding area I believe we would have walked away feeling differently. Unfortunately it may not be the best "winter weather" excursion and tour on the trip.

For those who are going on this same cruise and are not wanting such a touristy attraction I highly encourage you to enjoy the Black Forest experience itself but not to be daunted or concerned that the rest of the tours will have the same feel. I should also add that on our particular trip we drove right to Hofgut Sternen through the Black Forest and didn't stop anywhere else. I have heard that on other Viking Rhine River Cruises there have been additional stops along the way to see Cathedrals and Monastery's and even had the opportunity to walk through additional towns. I am not sure why our trip didn't include this but it may be something newer that is a change, or simply the time of year we traveled.

It was delightful to have the opportunity to explore a bit more of Germany though and I can't wait to share more in the coming days! Have y'all been to Hofgut Sternen before?

Interested in reading more posts from our Viking River Cruise on the Rhine River? Simply click on the links below! 

Viking River Cruise- Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Questions

Viking Eir- Stateroom 203 Review

A Walk Through Downtown Historic Basel // Switzerland

Basel Munster (Basel Cathedral) // Basel, Switzerland