From the north to the south, the Black Forest offers scenic beauty, top notch packages, tours and carbon-free transportation with the Konus Card!

SouthWest Germany's Black Forest is a global epicenter for great nature conservation and green energy. The region is bursting with beautiful countryside and life and its residents enjoy spending their time outside in the fresh air and protecting that same future for their children. A visitor to the Black Forest can spend their days outside hiking, biking and eating fresh organic food but also exploring beautiful country-side and charming villages with traditional craft-making. Farms with solar panels and towns fueled by manure or hydro or wind energy dot the landscape amidst historic castles and towns.

The Black Forest offers a genuinely exceptional and green vacation via the KONUS-card: a free bus and train ticket for all Black Forest visitors. When you arrive, you will be given the free KONUS card at one of the 11,000 vacation spots and hotels and can plan your entire vacation on public transportation - great for the environment and your wallet. E-bike lovers will be thrilled with the Black Forest's more than 200 free charging stations and over 100 docking stations.

The northern gateway to the Black Forest is Karlsruhe, nicknamed the "fan city," for the city streets which fan out in straight lines from the palace in an elegant urban organization. It has abundant gardens and a wonderful zoo so nature always seems close by. The State Natural History Museum is an exciting way for all ages to learn more about Earth. This one-of-a-kind museum boasts many interactive exhibitions such as an Earthquake Simulator. Everything from minerals, gems, fossils, to animals, bugs and reptiles can be seen here. For additional fascinating animals and to learn more about the importance of biodiversity, head to the Karlsruhe Zooto see the elephants, polar bears and red pandas and where they just opened their newest Exotic House in 2015.

Not far from Karlsruhe, in the middle of the Black Forest, is the red-roofed town of Freudenstadt. Situated on three well-known tourist routes - The Black Forest Mountain Route, Black Forest Valley Route and the Black Forest Spa Route - Freudenstadt is an ideal base to discover wild romantic valleys, mountain passes and spectacular views. Several hundred kilometers worth of biking paths, either begin here in Freudenstadt or pass through the city. There are cross-regional easy paths, tours that last all day or half day tours with train access for your return trip. Whether you are looking for a challenging mountain biking experience or a gentler cruise, there are a plenty of paths for you. Freudenstadt residents enjoy their bike adventures and have laid out easy-to-follow plans for each skill level. An example of a magnificent tour is the Tour de Murg that follows the Murg River sometimes canyon-like valley ending in Gernsbach. The tour takes you past many rest stops and gourmet restaurants and is an easy path that will have you back to Freudenstadt by the evening. Other tours, such as the Kinzig Valley Tour, are mostly on forest paths. It is a longer distance, but there is a train that will take you and your bicycle back to Freudenstadt main station afterwards.

Close to Freudenstadt in the middle of the Black Forest is the tiny town of Baiersbronn, not only famous for its gourmet dining and eight Michelin stars but also for its vast array of hiking and mountain biking trails. There are over 400 kilometers of biking trails and some are dedicated to mountain biking only. The trails are between thirteen and eighty-one kilometers long and vary in difficulty. Both experienced and beginner mountain bikers can enjoy their time as the trails are marked with blue, red and black signs to display the level of difficulty. In addition to its network of trails, Baiersbronn worked under the motto "Respectful Togetherness" and created new parallel trails so hikers and mountain bikers can enjoy the same scenery without trampling over each other. It is ideal for families who would all like to spend an active holiday together hiking and walking. They can enjoy both and still meet at the same rest stops and destinations. Gourmet hikes and picnics are also available and can be organized for individuals and groups.

In the south, the picturesque Black Forest Highlands are at the forefront of the green movement. Everywhere you look, towns, hotels and people utilize natural energy sources such as solar panels, wind and hydro energy and creative forms of biomass. One of the newest developments in the Black Forest Highlands is an E-car sharing service whereby a region-wide, electric vehicle-charging network provides power to the cars from hydro-energy chargers. Visitors with the Red Inclusive Card can use one of the twenty-four electric BMW i3 cars free of charge and carbon free. Nine hotels offer BMW i3s for their house-guests. If you are not staying in these nine hotels, you can pay a fee to use the E-car sharing without the Red Inclusive Card. This new and innovative idea was nominated this year for the German Tourism Award.

In the middle of the Black Forest Highlands, and its unofficial capital, is Freiburg, one of the first cities in the Black Forest to push towards environmental practices and is now home to the Institute for Solar Energy. Green to the core, Freiburg has earned its motto of "Green City." The city's famous Münstermarkt, a fresh foods market in front of the cathedral, has been taking place for over 900 years. Since approximately the year 1120 AD, the people of Freiburg have been coming to the market to buy and sell their wares and hear the local gossip. Colorful, fresh and delicious food as well as bright flowers and personal history give the market a small town feel. Some of the farmers selling their food at the market today can trace their generations back 130 years. Today visitors can take part of this time-honored tradition by strolling through the booths and enjoy a "Lange Rote," the legendary bratwurst of Freiburg. This market is open on all workdays from 7am - 1pm. Freiburg is a city with medieval roots and traditions but also the most cutting-edge green practices.

For more information on events in SouthWest Germany, the destination and traditions, please visit www.tourism-bw.com and www.blackforest-highlights.com