Germany Guide
The Black Forest
St Blasien
Nestled in a tight, forested valley, the small spa-town of ST BLASIEN, 15km south of Schluchsee, is odd for being dominated by its main sight, the grandiose Dom St Blasien, a church that's well out of proportion with the rest of the mountain town. Wandering St Blasien's handful of central streets doesn't take long, though admiring its various wooden sculptures – product of the town's annual woodcarving festival – adds a few minutes. Another place to dwell is Museum St Blasien (Tues– Sun 2.30–5pm; €1.60), the town's oddball local history museum above the tourist office. The local radon-rich waters draw visitors year-round and the town forms a good hiking and skiing base too, which the tourist office has a good stock of information on, though much of this action is 9km away in the incorporated village of Menzenschwand. Here the Radon Revital Bad, In der Friedrichsruhe 13 (daily 10am–9pm; €8.50 for 4 hours; 
07675/92 91 04, 
www.radonrevitalbad.de ), is a very smart spa and sauna complex offering watery bliss, while in winter ski lifts are fired up on nearby slopes to power a small ski area. Sport Gfrörer, Hinterdorfstrasse 8 ( 07675/92 38 10), rents out ski gear, and bikes in summer.