04 Aug 2015
This summer SouthWest Germany is celebrating the 300th birthday of Karlsruhe with two wonderful exhibitions. The "fan city" where the city's streets spread out from the royal castle in a fan-like design, has many museums and cafes, a well-respected university in technology and science, the Center for Art and Media as well as two of Baden-Württemberg's most important judicial courts. Also enticing this summer are the the beautiful and stately palaces and gardens maintained by the Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg, the state heritage agency. Not just devoted to castles and gardens, the agency also maintains the grounds and buildings of over 13 monasteries and sacred sites. Two of the state's most enjoyable wine festivals take place at the beginning (Freiburg) and end (Stuttgart) of the summer and offer visitors a wonderful look into local culture and traditions. The first part of the castle road from Mannheim to Prague runs through the state and is a wonderful way to organize a biking or driving trip encompassing castles, history, vineyards and charming medieval towns, including the romantic city of Heidelberg.
Happy birthday, Karlsruhe! 2015 Celebrations!
Karlsruhe, one of the world's first planned cities, was founded in 1715 and is celebrating its 300th birthday this year! This Baroque gem is nicknamed the 'Fan City' for the elegant streets that spread out from the palace. Celebrations include two major national art exhibitions: One devoted to Margrave Karl Wilhelm, 1679-1738, after whom Karlsruhe is named; the other devoted to Margravine Karoline Luise of Baden, an enlightened princess and art collector. The Karl Willhelm exhibition takes place at the Baden State Museum from May 9 - October 18. The Karoline Luise of Baden exhibition takes place at the State Art Gallery from May 30 - September 6. Karlsruhe is also partying with a Summer Festival filled with concerts that take place from June 17 - September 27. Karlsruhe is one hour northwest of Stuttgart.
SouthWest Germany Plans for "Year of the Garden"!
The Castle Road: A Royal Adventure
The Castle Road winds through the south of Germany, lining up more than 90 castles and palaces between Mannheim in SouthWest Germany and Prague. The portion of the castle road that is in SouthWest Germany is extraordinary and varied and is a wonderful way to organize a biking or driving trip. Starting in Mannheim, the road winds its way to Heidelberg, the extraordinarily charming walled city of Bad Wimpfen, Sinsheim, Heilbronn and the half-timbered town of Schwaebisch Hall. "Experience a journey through time"- this is the motto of this holiday route and each place along the road seems better than the next and each in-between-spot has its own beauty, history and special story, ranging from Burg Guttenberg where the Duke is raising his family today as his forbears did hundreds of years before him to the wonderful shops and houses in Bad Wimpfen. Visitors may explore massive castles, magnificent palaces and romantic small towns. Whether you stay in a castle hotel or in a hotel in the old town, they all combine your journey into the past with today's modern conveniences.
SouthWest Germany Celebrates its Local Wines and Culture
Heidelberg Has Heart, Romance and Love
"Heidelberg is itself a resplendent romantic, where castles and forests tell a wonderful story of times gone by, as though there were nothing evil in the world," wrote the poet Joseph von Eichendorff. The lively university town enchants visitors from all over the world. Here is Germany's oldest university, a quaint old town, and a river that is lined on one side with deciduous forests and on the other with steeply terraced vineyards. A stroll through the picturesque alleys of the Old Town with the churches and beautiful town squares has an international flair. Heidelberg is perfect for a romantic getaway and the travel package, "Heidelberg with Heart," combines the unique triad of river, countryside and city. A guided walking tour of Old Town, a cruise on the Neckar River on a solar boat, and a ticket for admission to the castle are included, as are overnight accommodations with breakfast.
