Castle and Schwetzingen castle Gardens
The Schwetzingen Palace with its magnificent park is an art and cultural monument of European standing. It was the summer residence of the Palatinate Elector Carl-Theodor. He expanded the palace and had well-known garden architects lay out the extensive castle garden in the late Baroque style. It is divided into an English and a French garden and also has numerous garden architectures, such as a garden mosque, a bathhouse, a temple of Apollo and the orangery. You should take plenty of time for a walk. The apple and cherry blossom season is particularly popular. A part of the garden is transformed into a sea of pink flowers. But in every season the garden surprises with overwhelming changing flowers from spring to autumn. But the brittle beauty of this extraordinary garden in autumn and winter also casts a spell over walkers.
The rococo theater, well worth seeing, is housed in the palace. It gives the Schwetzingen Festival the perfect setting and takes the visitor into a special world.
Schwetzingen
In addition to the magnificent castle with its castle garden, Schwetzingen as the center of the Electoral Palatinate has a few small but fine pearls to offer. When walking through Schwetzingen you will pass some historical buildings. The many motif benches that invite you to linger everywhere are particularly eye-catching. They are colorful and unusually designed and give insights into the history, the cultural preferences of the residents or represent the twin cities.
Hardly anyone knows that Freiherr von Drais, the inventor of the draisine, worked in Schwetzingen for a few years. He taught at his uncle's forestry school and took the first test ride on his “Draisine”, the so-called original bicycle from Mannheim to Schwetzingen.
Some small museums invite tourists to explore Schwetzingen's history. There are permanent exhibitions in the Karl Wörn House that are well worth seeing. Blue is the city color of Schwetzingen. In the blue museum you can learn interesting facts about the art and cultural history of this special color.
If you love theater, you can go to Theater am Puls in addition to the many events in Schwetzingen castle. In the small theater there are stagings that are absolutely worth seeing. Cabaret at the highest level and music events can be enjoyed in the old wool factory.
And last but not least, Schwetzingen is the (capital) city of asparagus. At asparagus season it is clear what culinary dishes will be served. But also in other seasons the noble vegetables are omnipresent and immortalized in sculptures.
Heidelberg
The venerable university town of Heidelberg attracts tourists from home and abroad. The beautiful old town is located below the imposing castle ruins directly on the Neckar, surrounded by the foothills of the Odenwald with its gentle hills.
You have a picturesque view from the Philosophenweg, which is worth climbing. The view from the Königstuhl into the Rhine plain is just as beautiful. You can go up by car or mountain railway. Sports enthusiasts can hike up and finally climb the „ladder to heaven“.
More relaxed is a stroll through the old town with its many bars and cafes, the old churches - above all the Heiliggeistkirche - and a trip on the river neckar with the white fleet.
Families like to go to the fairytale paradise at the Königsstuhl.
Speyer
Speyer is one of the oldest cities in Germany. Speyer is known for its Kaiser- and Mariendom, which has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1981. The impressive cathedral is the world's largest surviving romanesque church.
In the Historical Museum of Palatine there are constantly changing exhibitions that are put together with great dedication. The exhibitions for children are also an experience for the whole family.
Technology enthusiasts of all ages should definitely plan a visit to the Technik-Museum Speyer. There is the largest space travel exhibition in Europe. Among other things, you can climb into the space shuttle “Buran” or into a Boeing 747.
Mannheim
The city center of Mannheim is laid out in a grid pattern in squares. That is why Mannheim is also known as the city of squares. The city center itself is not a tourist magnet, but there are some buildings and squares that are worth seeing. First and foremost the imposing baroque palace and the landmark of Mannheim, the listed waster tower. This is located in the middle of a beautiful Art Nouveau park.
There is another park that tourists and locals like to use: The Luisenpark. The extensive green area with playgrounds, small animal enclosures and a plant show house, as well as some gastronomic refreshment stops offer the visitor relaxation and variety at the same time.
For culture enthusiasts, a visit to the National Theater Mannheim or one of the numerous museums is recommended, e.g. the Technoseum, the art gallery or the Reiss-Engelhorn museums.
The famous Pop Academy of Baden-Württemberg is also located in the city of squares. Numerous well-known musicians have studied here: e.g. Alice Merton, Joris, Wallis Bird, Danny Fresh and many more.
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring, the venue for motor sport races and host of well-known music concerts, offers visitors a wide range of leisure activities.
Have you always wanted to sit in a Formula 1 car? here it is possible!
Or speed around the Hockenheimring in your car or even take part in a race. On the website of the Hockenheimring you will find all descriptions of the offers under Activities. If you book early, you can get an appointment at the Public Race Days, Race and Roll, tourist trips or the race taxi.
If you have not reserved in advance, you can book an appointment for an E-cart tour at relatively short notice, which is a mixture of a guided tour of the racetrack, entry to the museum and karting on the Grand Prix circuit.
You can also roll over the ring on a bike or inline skates at certain times. This activity is called Fit on Track.
For Porsche lovers, we recommend a look at the offers at the Porsche Experience Center, a Porsche world of experience right on the legendary Hockenheimring race track. Here you can choose from various driving programs with a Porsche provided.
