Bus from AUGSBURG to FREIBURG

Augsburg

Since its foundation by the Roman Emperor Augustus between 15 BC and 8 BC, Augsburg is the crossroads for the most important traffic connections on the continent. Augsburg also owed its great importance to this privileged position in the Middle Ages. The wealthy Fugger family and sea-trading Welser family gave Augsburg reputation of the world city, of the city of the emperors, which was famous for its painters, sculptors and musicians.

Augsburg is the third largest city in Bavaria, mainly a university town, the seat of the government of Swabia, and a major economic center with internationally renowned companies offering state-of-the-art computer technology and electronics.

If you are in Augsburg, you can visit the following:

The Augsburg Town Hall - the landmark of the city's richest citizens: the Augsburg Town Hall is one of the most important Renaissance buildings north of the Alps and is one of the most impressive city halls in Germany. Together with the Perlachturm it is the landmark of the city of Augsburg. Because of its historical importance, it is under consideration of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflicts.

Augsburg  Oldtown - Shopping and exploring in a Mediterranean atmosphere: It is almost like visiting Italy. The Augsburg Oldtown radiates Mediterranean flair. Narrow streets and squares invite you to take a stroll, while on the other hand there are many captivating small restaurants or cafes. There are no large department stores, but only small shops, tanneries, jewelry stores or galleries. If you’re looking for a place to rest, the old town of Augsburg is the right place for you. This is not a coincidence - it is free of transit traffic. Constant companions on the stroll through the Old Town are the Lech canals, which speaks volumes about the importance of water for Augsburg.

The Golden Hall : The Golden Hall is one of the highlights of the interior design of the Renaissance in Germany. He takes its name from the rich gold jewelery that decorates its interior. Originally, the splendid ceiling of the hall was hung with 27 chains on the wooden truss. Today it is attached to a steel stone ceiling. The cover is covered with gold leaf (231/2 carats). The Golden Hall is located on the second floor of the Augsburg Town Hall and is 14 meters high. In 1944 it was completely destroyed, but after a 17-year restoration,  he was finally completed in 1996.

Fuggerei - the oldest social settlement in the world is in Augsburg: This oldest existing social settlement in the world was founded in 1521 by Jakob Fugger for the innocently impoverished Augsburg citizens and it was built between 1514 and 1523. It consists of 67 houses with 140 apartments, a church and administrative buildings. The annual rent is still only 0,88€ (formerly a Rheinischer Gulden). Three prayers daily for the souls of the founder family are an integral part of the tenancy agreement.

The Pearl Tower: With its 70 meters, the Pearl Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Augsburg. In 989 it was built as a watchtower. At that time it was not even half as high as today. In the course of the centuries it experienced numerous transformations. In 1526 it was increased to 63 meters. Shortly thereafter, the tower received a clockwork with a bell. When Elias Holl, the city master builder, rebuilt the city hall, he also placed his hand on the pearl tower. Thus, from 1612 to 1618, it got its present appearance withits columns, roof, and the figure of the city goddess Cisa.

Today is rather controversial where the name "Pearl" comes from. There are three theories, but since none of the three theories are historically documented, the origin of the name will remain a secret forever.

Augsburg has so much to offer and you will not be sorry because you can find pleasure in this center of the historical treasury.

Freiburg, the sunny Black Forest metropolis, the 'capital of the Black Forest', lies in the tripoint to France and Switzerland. With more than 200 000 inhabitants, Freiburg offers a variety of cultural activities, various theaters, concerts, museums and historic buildings. The Black Forest is nevertheless directly in front of the door, that is, with a cable car ride to the Freiburger Hausberg, Schauinsland, you are already there. Freiburg offers its visitors a diverse range of activities and, at the same time, its typical charm and geographic location. The city is very student-oriented due to the large and first-class university. Freiburg's Old Town attracts many visitors. Every year about 3 million tourists come here to witness the beauty of the fourth largest city in Baden-Württemberg.

Surrounded by tree-topped hills, Freiburg is considered the gateway to the southern Black Forest. The 1,284-meter Schauinsland, a mountain with stunning views across the region, lies within the city's boundaries, its numerous small streams still flowing through the streets of the Old Town. It's a beautiful city to explore on foot, especially if starting along Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse, which divides the old town into an eastern half, with the Minster, and a western half with the Town Hall and University. On the south side stands the old St. Martin's Gate (Martinstor), and a short walk away, in Minster Square, are numerous well-preserved old buildings including the red Merchants' Hall (Kaufhaus) dating from 1532. Other highlights of the old town include the 13th-century Swabian Gate with its wall paintings and dioramas; the Rathausplatz with its statue of Berthold Schwarz, a Franciscan friar said to have invented gunpowder in 1359; the Gothic St. Martin's Church, with a beautifully restored interior and cloister; and the lovely House of the Whale (Haus zum Walfisch), a Late Gothic house built in 1516 as a residence for Emperor Maximilian.

The most important building in the city by far is the Freiburg Cathedral. The tower is the only one of a German cathedrals that was completed in the Middle Ages. It is commonly referred to as the "most beautiful tower of Christianity" in the city. With its height of 116 meters it surpasses the otherwise relatively flat-built Freiburg’s Old Town.

Merchant’s Hall (Kaufhaus): Between 1520 and 1532, Lienhart Müller built the department store at the Münsterplatz for the municipal market administration. The coats of arms and the figurine of the main facade of Hans Sixt von Staufen represent a reverence to the House of Habsburg. The balcony was not added until 1550 by stonemason  Jörg Sorger.

St. Martin’s gate (Martinstor): St. Martin’s Gate is one of the most recognizable buildings in Freiburg im Breisgau. Built in 1202, it served as one of the gates into the historic city center. In 1599, Martinstor was the site of Freiburg’s witch burnings during the medieval witch hunt. Today, there is a plague to commemorate three women who were burned there.For 250 years, a painting of St. Martin of Tours (France) existed on the side facing the city center. It was removed in 1968 to make way for a new painting. Unfortunately, the city has so far been unable to decide what to put in its place, so the wall remains blank. The Martinstor was originally much smaller than it is today. Around 1900, the city’s population was growing and the infrastructure needed to change. The city considered demolishing the Martinstor, but decided against it. Instead, it was enlarged. After tripling the height of the building, a green, gothic-style roof was added. Additionally, a second throughway was built so that the gate could accommodate two-way traffic.

Minster Market (Münstermarkt): Colorful hustle and bustle prevails every day on the Minster market around Freiburg's landmark, Freiburg Minster. Fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and the legendary "Lange Rote" attract numerous people. On the north side of the Minster Market there are numerous stalls of peasants from the Dreisamtal, Markgräflerland and the Kaiserstuhl. The quality is particularly important here, for which the wide range of organic vegetables and the exact information of the farmers are famous. On the south side of the Minster you can find original pottery and woodwork, exotic fruits, pickled antipasti and fragrant spices.

Cannon Square (Kanonenplatz): The Cannon Square on the Schloßberg, directly over Freiburg's Old Town, offers an excellent view over Freiburg and its surroundings. After a short, steep ascent you reach the Cannon Square, where in the summer boules players meet and tourists enjoy the view. From there, various hiking trails start over the Schlossberg. The nearby Schloßberg Tower offers visitors a complete panoramic view.

Visitors can enjoy the cosmopolitan character at one of the many festivals, such as the Filmforum, with its focus on ethnographic films and the Zeltmusik Festival, where the Weltmusik division plays an important role. Musically, Freiburg offers many small events ranging from classical music to jazz, which plays a special role in the city