Neighbouring districts include Stühlinger to the west, Neuburg to the north, Oberau to the east and beyond the Dreisam the Wiehre to the south.

From the Schlossbergturm, or Castle Hill Tower, you are about have a circular view of all the city's districts and surrounding areas.

Apart from the Münstermarkt on Minster square, most department stores and shops as well as many restaurants are situated in the very heart of the Old City.

Since 1979, the city hosts an annual outdoor art and design market called Kunst in der oberen Altstadt (English literally: Art in the upper old city) featuring many artists and designers of a number of different handicrafts.

Two centers are the Sprecht Passage, the Jos Fritz shop, the cafe with the same name, the Harrys Depot, the Grether factory, a former foundry, which includes the Radio Dreyeckland studios, the Rosa Hilfe Freiburg and the Strandcafé.

On the two main axes of the Old City, the Kaiser-Joseph-Straße and Berrtoldstraße and Salzstraße (to the east of Bertoldsbrunnen) are now served by trams.