Question 1

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

S1 trains run from Breisach station to Freiburg's main station in about 26 to 28 minutes, roughly every half hour through the day. A regional bus, line 826, links Breisach station with Colmar station, with about a dozen departures from Colmar on a weekday. Check the return times for the train or the bus before you set off, and allow a margin to be back on board.

Question 2

What to Eat and Drink

Accepted Answer

Geldermann makes sparkling wine in the cellars beneath the Münsterberg, and the cellars can be visited. The sparkling wine is fermented in the bottle, and the cellars are medieval vaults. The Geldermann cellars are open to visitors daily from March to October and from Monday to Saturday from November to February. Two weekly markets, along with farm shops and sales vans, sell regional produce and specialties.

Question 3

Tipping and Currency

Accepted Answer

Restaurant bills in Germany include tax and service, and a tip of about 10 percent is common. Germany's currency is the euro, and bank cash machines work around the clock. Major credit cards are widely accepted in Germany. Prices shown in German shops and restaurants include taxes.

Question 4

The Münsterberg and St. Stephan's Minster

Accepted Answer

St. Stephan's Minster, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, stands on top of the Münsterberg and gives the hill its name. The minster holds paintings by Martin Schongauer and a late Gothic altar by a carver known only by the initials H.L. The Münsterberg is a volcanic spur of the nearby Kaiserstuhl hills. Historic buildings and squares in Breisach carry signs in three languages. Public guided tours of the town run from Easter to the end of October and again in Advent. Ask the tourist office for the dates.

Question 5

History

Accepted Answer

Breisach's hill has been a stronghold for Celts, Romans and medieval rulers in turn. The Münsterberg has been settled for almost 4,000 years. It held a Celtic prince's seat, a Roman headquarters and then a medieval fortress. On December 7, 1638, Bernard of Saxe-Weimar, who was backed by France, captured the town. The Peace of Westphalia gave Breisach to France in 1648, and the Treaty of Rastatt returned it to the Holy Roman Empire in 1714. Neuf-Brisach, on the opposite bank of the Rhine, is a fortress town built by France. By the end of World War II, 85 percent of Breisach had been destroyed by Allied artillery, and the minster was heavily damaged.

Question 6

Traveling with Family

Accepted Answer

The easiest outing with children in Breisach is one of the short walks that the tourist office rates as easy. The Münsterberg walk is 3.4 kilometers long, takes about an hour and a half and climbs 37 meters. An open-air gallery walk of 2.9 kilometers climbs 56 meters. About 30 artworks stand along the route over the Münsterberg and the Eckartsberg. A smartphone-guided tour of the Münsterberg starts at the tourist office on Marktplatz. The tourist office also offers town rallies, which are popular with school classes. Ask whether one is available in English.

Question 7

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Ask the tourist office for its two barrier-free guides, one for getting here and things to do and one for places to eat and stay. The barrier-free offers in Breisach include a boat trip on the Rhine, a winery visit and a guided tour of the Münsterberg. The Münsterberg is a hill, and the signposted walk over it climbs 37 meters. Ask your cruise line whether the gangway will be step-free on the day.

Question 8

Shopping

Accepted Answer

Breisach's shops are mainly on Marktplatz, Neutorstraße, Richard-Müller-Straße, Neutorplatz and Kupfertorstraße. Supermarkets and discount stores are on the edge of town. A souvenir shop with a cash machine is at Rheinuferstraße 3, the street of the landing stages. Sunday shopping is generally not allowed in Germany. Bakeries, gas stations and shops in train stations are the usual exceptions.

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