Baden-Württemberg is a federal state in southwestern Germany bordering France and Switzerland, anchored by the automotive capital Stuttgart. The state combines the dense forests and thermal spa towns of the Black Forest, the shimmering shoreline of Lake Constance, the Renaissance and Gothic old towns of Heidelberg, Tübingen, and Ulm, and world-renowned engineering heritage at the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums. Vineyards, half-timbered villages, and Europe's largest theme park round out a region prized for both culture and outdoor recreation.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Black Forest cuckoo clock
Hand-carved wooden cuckoo clock from the Schwarzwald, the traditional craft centred on Triberg im Schwarzwald and the Gutach valley since the 18th century
Price: €40-€1,200 depending on size and carving detail
Where: House of 1000 Clocks and Drubba, both in Triberg im Schwarzwald
Kirschwasser (Black Forest cherry schnapps)
Clear cherry brandy distilled from Schwarzwald morello cherries, the traditional spirit used to flavour authentic Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Price: €15-€35 per 0.5-litre bottle
Where: Farm distilleries and shops around Triberg, Kirschbaumhof (Zell am Harmersbach), and Konditorei Café Schäfer in Triberg
Bollenhut traditional hat
Straw hat topped with red or black woollen pompoms, traditionally worn by unmarried women in Gutach, Kirnbach, and Reichenbach villages of the central Black Forest
Price: €150-€400 (handmade, made to order)
Where: Schwarzwälder Trachtenmuseum shop in Wolfach and craft workshops in Gutach
Villeroy & Boch regional ceramics
Fine tableware and decorative porcelain from the Villeroy & Boch factory outlet in Merzig-adjacent Swabian retail, alongside traditional Swabian pottery from the Rems valley kilns
Price: €10-€150 per piece
Where: Villeroy & Boch outlet stores and regional pottery markets in Schwäbisch Gmünd
Baden-Württemberg Riesling and Trollinger wine
Bottles from the region's Baden and Württemberg wine-growing areas, with Trollinger red being Württemberg's signature grape and Riesling grown along the Kaiserstuhl near Freiburg
Price: €6-€25 per bottle
Where: Weingut vineyard shops along the Baden Wine Route and Stuttgart's Markthalle wine stalls
Ritter Sport chocolate
Square-format chocolate bars produced at the Ritter Sport factory in Waldenbuch near Stuttgart, with the factory outlet and museum shop stocking flavours and formats not sold elsewhere
Price: €1.50-€6 per bar
Where: Ritter Sport Werksverkauf and Bunte Schokowelt museum shop, Alfred-Ritter-Straße 25, Waldenbuch
Ravensburger jigsaw puzzle
Puzzles and board games from the Ravensburger company, headquartered in the town of Ravensburg since 1883, including limited-edition regional-themed puzzles
Price: €8-€60
Where: Ravensburger Spieleland Shop, Meckenbeuren, and the Ravensburger flagship store in Ravensburg old town
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Markthalle Stuttgart
Art Nouveau covered market hall from 1914 with over 20 stalls selling cheese, wine, spices, fresh produce, and regional Swabian specialties
Where: Dorotheenstraße 4, 70173 Stuttgart
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30AM-6:30PM; Sat 7:00AM-5:00PM; closed Sunday
Konstanzer Wochenmarkt
Twice-weekly farmers' market on the Lake Constance shore selling regional produce, Bodensee apples, lake fish, and cut flowers
Where: Stephansplatz, 78462 Konstanz
Hours: Wed and Sat 7:00AM-1:00PM
Freiburg Münstermarkt
Daily market held in the shadow of Freiburg Minster since medieval times, known for Black Forest ham, farm cheese, and Feldschlösschen sausages
Where: Münsterplatz, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau
Hours: Mon-Sat 7:30AM-1:30PM (Sat until 2:00PM)
Heidelberg Christmas Market
Multi-square Christmas market beneath Heidelberg Castle with Glühwein, wooden ornaments, and roasted chestnut stalls
Where: Marktplatz, Universitätsplatz and Kornmarkt, 69117 Heidelberg
Hours: Late November to 22 December, daily 11:00AM-9:00PM
Karlsruhe Marktplatz Farmers Market
Daily farmers market beside the Pyramide monument selling produce, flowers, and street food from the surrounding Baden countryside
Where: Marktplatz, 76133 Karlsruhe
Hours: Mon-Sat 7:00AM-2:00PM (Sat until 1:00PM)
Tübingen Marktplatz Market
Historic square-front market outside the Rathaus selling Swabian Maultaschen, local honey, and seasonal produce from the Neckar valley
Where: Am Markt, 72070 Tübingen
Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat 7:00AM-1:00PM