Freiburg im Breisgau Historical Red-Light Tour
About this activity
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Experience Highlights
Explore the naughtier side of Freiburg with a historical tour of the old red light district. For 2 hours you'll relive the nights of the 70s, 80s and 90s as your guide reveals anecdotes about pimps, cabarets and "girls in the dim light". The tour is conducted exclusively in German and starts at 4.30 p.m. in front of number 11 Franziskanerstraße, where an unmistakable sign indicates the meeting point.
At the end of the walk you'll have a toast with an alcoholic drink and a small snack, perfect for discussing stories that give you goose bumps.
- Book in advance and secure your place in a lively group.
- Wander through 2 km of alleyways and squares with an underground past.
- Enjoy a drink and a snack included in the experience.
What’s included
- 2-hour guided walking tour (language: German)
- Alcoholic beverage (glass of liquor or beer)
- Light snack
- Historical narratives with photographic support
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Step by Step
The tour begins with an introduction to the rise of prostitution during the German economic miracle. As you make your way along Franziskanerstraße, your guide illustrates the secret codes, rates and illuminated signs that marked the geography of desire.
At the second stop, a former brothel converted into private housing serves as an example to explain the neighbourhood struggle and municipal regulations that eventually closed the area in the late 1990s. Archival photographs show neon signs and burly doormen guarding the entrance.
The itinerary continues through cobbled alleys where small windows of the "Salons" still remain. Here you will discover how changes in morals and legislation disrupted entire lives. True stories of "tough guys and light girls" are combined with facts about the underground economy, drugs and police corruption.
The tour concludes at a nearby tavern, where you'll toast with local liquor or beer and savour a snack. Amidst nervous laughter and sepia photos of the time, you will understand how this dark chapter is part of Freiburg's contemporary identity.
