Freiburg's neighbourhood for enjoying & shopping

Shopping with pleasure and tranquillity - and a bit of culture and sightseeing to boot? The Schneckenvorstadt neighbourhood on the southern edge of Freiburg's old town offers you all of this. The former craft district is now a real hotspot for indulgence and special shopping experiences. Small, owner-run shops with special products await you here, as well as cafés, wine bars and culture: the Museum für Neue Kunst (Museum of Contemporary Art) presents exciting exhibitions of contemporary art. Just let yourself drift through special alleyways such as Gerberau and Fischerau or sit down with the locals on Augustinerplatz or by the river Bächle!

Was it the former inn "Zum Schnecken" at Martinstor (Martin's Gate) that gave the neighbourhood its name?
Or rather the many spiral staircases that spiral upwards in the narrow craftsmen's houses?

Nobody knows for sure today, but both explanations are still characteristic of the Schneckenvorstadt: wine bars and cafés, along with the many owner-managed shops, are what make this neighbourhood so attractive and the old craftsmen's houses in the narrow alleyways give it a charm all of its own.
Tanners and fishermen once had their businesses here in Gerberau or Fischerau; they used the water in the brooks just as much as dyers, stone cutters or butchers. Today, these two alleyways, just like Marienstraße and the island, are lively places where creative minds work in historic houses - often on site and by hand.

Our tip for your stroll through the Schneckenvorstadt: be sure to take a look at the studios and workshops!

Important tips for a barrier-free city experience.