Lörrach is a city of 50,000 people (2022) in the southwest of Baden-Württemberg, in the valley of the Wiese, close to the French and the Swiss borders. It is the site of the Rötteln Castle, the third largest castle ruin in Baden.
Understand
[edit]It is the home of the Milka chocolate factory owned by Mondelez International.
Lörrach's climate is mild, and in the summer, it is often hot. The region of Markgräflerland is the warmest in Germany because of the Mediterranean air current from the valley of the Rhône. Because of its numerous sunny days, the region is dubbed the German Tuscany.
Tourist information
[edit]- Lörrach Tourism website
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]Euro Airport (BSL IATA; MLH IATA; EAP IATA) near Basel (but on French soil) has flights from many cities in Europe including from budget carriers.
Travellers from further away may find it cheaper to fly to Zurich and take a train from the airport there to Basel SBB and thence to Lörrach by train.
By train
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Get around
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There are train services from the central station every half hour to Basel (leaving at one minute past the hour and half hour). Trains can also be used to get to the southern suburb of Stetten or the northwestern suburb of Steinen. There is also a bus service around Lörrach but buses are not as frequent as trains. However, most areas are within walking distance of the central city.
From Stetten, the Swiss border is in easy walking distance and the number 6 tram runs from the border into Basel.
See
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- 1 Rötteln Castle (Burg Rötteln), 79541 Lörrach-Haagen (bus no. 16 to Röttelnweiler plus 15 minutes walk or about 50 minutes walk from the main station), ☏ +49 7621 56494, [email protected]. open 10:00-18:00. The fortification was one of the most powerful in the southwest, and today is the third largest castle ruin in Baden. The outer bailey is free and open year round. The inner bailey and museum is open each day in summer and on weekends at other times. In the outer bailey there is a café and a beer garden. €2.50 adults; €1 children.
- There are views over Lörrach, Basel in Switzerland, and parts of France from Obertüllingen on a hill directly west of the Lörrach suburb of Stetten.
Further afield
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- Holzen is 13 km north and has large stork nests on top of several buildings, most picturesquely on a narrow church spire. Look for a witch's house (marked with 'Hexe') - if you put 50 cents in the slot the shutters will open and a mechanical witch appears to tell you (in German) about her life.
- Inzlingen is a neighbouring village which can be reached walking through the foothills of the Black Forest. It has its own castle, Inzlingen Castle (Wasserschloss Inzlingen).
Do
[edit]Go for a walk through the foothills of the Black Forest, which surrounds the town.
Buy
[edit]There are market days on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with the latter being by far the largest.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Gasthaus zum Kranz, Basler Straße 90, ☏ +49 76 21 - 890 83. W-Sa 11:30-14:30; 17:30-22:00, warms dishes until 13:30/21:00. Traditional Baden cuisine at its best. Known for seasonal dishes, like asparagus or venison, and regional wines. €25-€45.
- 2 Brauhaus Lasser, Wallbrunnstr. 31. M, Tu, Th 11:00-14:00; 16:30-23:00; warm dishes: 11:30-13:30, 17:00-21:30; F 11:00–14:00 and 16:30–midnight; warm dishes 11:30–13:30, 17:00-22:00; Sa 11:00–midnight, warm dishes 11:30–22:00; Su 11:00–22:00, warm dishes: 11:30–21:00. A classic German beer garden and restaurant belonging to the local Lasser brewery. Try the "Wurstsalat" or the Schnitzel. €12-€40.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Hof, Wallbrunnstraße 77 (in a former industrial courtyard), ☏ +49 7621 1622345. Tu-Th 09:00–22:00, F-Sa 09:00–midnight, Su 09:00–18:00. A creative and cozy community hub which serves as a café during the day and transforms into a lively bar and event space in the evening. Known for its excellent coffee, local beers, and a wide selection of gin and tonics. It often hosts live music, workshops, and cultural events.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Stadt Hotel Lörrach, Weinbrennerstraße 2 (town center), ☏ +49 7621 59 20 40, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Comfortable rooms and a good breakfast. Single bedroom from €130 on.
- 2 Jugendherberge Lörrach, Steinenweg 40 (in the north of the town), ☏ +49 7621 47040, [email protected]. Check-in: 17.00-20:30, check-out: 10:00. Modern youth hostel, good for hikers and budget travelers, though with a distance of 2.6 km (1.6 mi), it's a bit of a walk from the center. From €49 for dormitory, €65 for single bedroom.
Go next
[edit]- Basel (CH): Just 10–15 minutes by S-Bahn (S6). Switzerland's cultural capital offers world-class museums, a historic old town, and the famous Rhine swim in summer.
- Freiburg (DE): About 45 minutes by car or 1 hour by train. Known as the gateway to the southern Black Forest, famous for its cathedral (Münster) and charming "Bächle" (small water canals).
- Colmar (FR): Approximately 1 hour by car. A fairytale-like Alsatian town famous for its colorful half-timbered houses and the "Little Venice" district.