TRADITIONS & MODERN FUN INSIDERS´ TIPS FOR BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG VACATIONS IN SOUTHWEST GERMANY WHERE THE PAST MEETS THE PRESENT Visit a castle, stroll past half-timbered houses, order coffee and cake, hike through the forest: here in SouthWest Germany, we enjoy our heritage. Some of our traditions are serious, others are just for fun. But they are part of every family’s everyday life. We want to share those experiences with you. And we want you to have fun! MAP WELCOME A B C D E F G H I J K 1 Frankfurt Main FRA ca. 55 km Tauberbischofsheim …to SouthWest Germany! Or, to use our German name, 2 Baden-Württemberg. Thanks to standing at one of Europe’s major crossroads, we have a heritage that includes mighty fortresses, elegant LIEBL. Bad Mergentheim palaces and charming cottages. Our museums display world-class art, as Mannheim KURPFALZ & 81 TAUBERTAL well as classic cars: after all, the automobile was invented here, back in 3 ODENWALD Heidelberg Jagst CONTENTS 1886! Schwetzingen Neckar Mosbach 5 Künzelsau Kocher Here in Germany’s sunniest region, we love the great outdoors. Explore 4 Sinsheim HOHENLOHE TRAVEL TIPS Page 6 our unspoiled countryside: cruise on our lakes and rivers; cycle through KRAICHGAU- 6 STROMBERG Heilbronn our vineyards. Stay in grand hotels or centuries-old inns. Savor fine Bruchsal Schwäbisch Hall A FOUR SEASON cuisine and tavern favorites; partner them with award-winning wines or HEILBRONNERLAND Page 7 5 DESTINATION traditional beer. There is so much to discover! Karlsruhe STUTTGART REGION FRANCE Marbach SIX DIVERSE REGIONS Page 13 But travel is all about people. You’ll find that most of us speak English 7 6 Pforzheim Schwäbisch and we look forward to welcoming you to SouthWest Germany! Karlsruhe Gmünd Baden-Baden Stuttgart Aalen FKB Baden-Baden Esslingen 7 Calw Göppingen STR FOOD & DRINK Page 20 Heidenheim Rhine Murg Strasbourg Metzingen 8 CAR COUNTRY Page 25 Gengenbach 8 SXB Tübingen Offenburg Baiersbronn Reutlingen Ki MADE IN n Page 30 zig Freudenstadt Neckar SOUTHWEST GERMANY Ulm MUC SWABIAN MOUNTAINS ca. 156km 9 5 81 FAMILY FUN Page 33 Rust Andreas Braun BLACK FOREST Danube BAVARIA7 CULTURE & FESTIVALS Page 37 Managing Director 10 Rottweil State Tourist Board SouthWest Germany Villingen- Sigmaringen Biberach Breisach Schwenningen Danube 11 PUBLISHING DETAILS Page 43 Donaueschingen Tuttlingen UPPER SWABIA Memmingen Freiburg FMM Titisee Feldberg 96 12 1493 m 98 Schluchsee LAKE CONSTANCE REGION Ravensburg Radolfzell Meersburg Konstanz 13 Lake ConstanceFriedrichshafen FDH Weil am Rhein Information T +49 711 238580 Basel Rhine SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA E [email protected] BSL14 0 20km ➔ www.tourism-bw.com > 100.000 Berg mit Höhenangaben 50.000–100.000 Autobahn 20.000–50.000 Landstraße / Bundesstraße < 20.000 Eisenbahn PAGE 6_7 IREL AN D TRAVEL TIPS A FOUR SEASON NETHERLANDS DESTINATION UNITED KINGDOM BERLIN LONDON GERMANY BELGIUM FRA CZECH REP. miles 375 250 125 km 600 400 200 SWG STR MUC FKB PARIS FRANCE AUSTRIA FDH BSL ZRH SWITZERLAND BERN SLOVENIA ITALY HOW TOSPAIN GET HERE By rail In the heart of Europe, SouthWest Germany Rail is a convenient alternative to flying and is easy to get to by air, road and rail. can be the quickest way of getting around By air Europe and SouthWest Germany. International airports Stuttgart Airport (STR) Long distance and local trains are coordinated www.stuttgart-airport.com to ensure quick, easy connections. The ICE- Frankfurt Airport (FRA) Intercity Express high speed service offers at www.frankfurt-airport.com least one train every hour between Germany’s Munich Airport (MUC) major cities and neighboring countries. www.munich-airport.com For timetables, tickets: www.bahn.de Zurich Airport (ZRH) With its friendly climate and varied www.zurich-airport.com By car landscape, SouthWest Germany is a SouthWest Germany has an excellent network genuine “four season” destination. In Regional airports of roads and highways (Autobahn). There are spring, parks and gardens are full of EuroAirport Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg (BSL) no tolls for passenger cars. Rental cars are flowers; summer brings temperatures in www.euroairport.com available in larger towns and cities, at airports, the 70s (21°C), just right for cycling and Baden Airpark (FKB) train stations and hotels. hiking. The blue skies and warm sunshine www.baden-airpark.de of fall/autumn are ideal for touring, not Friedrichshafen Airport (FDH) forgetting the grape harvest. And winter? www.fly-away.de Traditional Christmas markets add bustle to cities, towns and picture postcard villages. PAGE 8_9 SPRING SUMMER Spring arrives in dozens of ways. In the south, Music is in the DNA of SouthWest Germany STUTTGART | Wine Village around Lake Constance, apple orchards turn and summer is a time for concerts, indoors Who knew that red wine has been produced in into a mass of blossom; in the Black Forest, and out. But we have many more special and around Stuttgart for 1,000 years? For 12 wildflowers are in full glory. As for festivals, events, often in spectacular settings. days in late August and early September, wine some are religious; others are just an excuse makers show off some 500 wines. Taste and for an end-of-winter party. LUDWIGSBURG | International Music sip; join locals in Weinlauben, simple, open-air Festival restaurants, right in the heart of Stuttgart. STUTTGART | Spring Festival For more than 80 years, this charming ➔ www.stuttgarter-weindorf.de From mid-April to early May, SouthWest town just outside Stuttgart has offered Germany’s capital celebrates at the music from around the world. Over four Cannstatter Wasen fair grounds. The city’s months, Germany’s largest and best- mayor kicks off the festivities by tapping preserved Baroque palace is the backdrop for (opening) a barrel of locally-brewed beer; MANNHEIM | Easter Egg Fair performances of classical, opera, folk, avant- the fun includes amusement park rides and Artists from all over Europe display their garde and African rhythms. SPECIAL G13 fireworks. ornate hand-decorated eggs in Mannheim’s ➔ www.schlossfestspiele.de ➔ www.stuttgart-tourist.com Luisenpark. Chicken and duck eggs, goose Konstanz Seenachtfest | In August, one of Europe’s and even ostrich eggs are transformed HEIDELBERG | Castle Illuminations largest fireworks displays light the skies of this city on with filigree, lacquer-work and oil painting. with Fireworks Lake Constance. The Seenachtfest also has music, street entertainment and more. SPECIAL D5 Daffodils and tulips add to the color. Silhouetted against the night sky, one of www.bodensee.eu ➔ www.tourist-mannheim.de Europe’s most romantic castles is the stage Asparagus | We love white asparagus! This spring for spectacular lights and fireworks. Below is delicacy may be served with butter, ham or hollandaise the medieval heart of this delightful university sauce. Follow the Asparagus Route, where Bruchsal city. The show is on three evenings in June, hosts Europe’s largest Asparagus Festival in May. SPECIAL G7 SPECIAL I10 www.bruchsal-erleben.de July, and September. EASTER | For Easter, brightly decorated eggs turn the ➔ www.heidelberg-marketing.com Ride the Öchsle Steam Train! | For 11 miles, the train fountains of Schechingen (an hour east of Stuttgart) into chuffs through unspoiled countryside between the olde kaleidoscopes of color. worlde towns of Ochsenhausen and Biberach. www.schechingen.de www.bodensee.eu PAGE 10_11 AUTUMN WINTER With children back at school and leaves STUTTGART | Cannstatt Beer Festival Winters are crisp and sunny, great for GENGENBACH | The world’s biggest changing to vibrant colors, September and For authenticity, nowhere beats this 170-year- exploring outdoors – and for warming up Advent Calendar October are perfect for touring. Join us at old jamboree that lasts from late September with a piping hot Glühwein (mulled wine). Nowhere is the countdown to Christmas more dozens of festivals that provide an easy into early October. One of the world’s biggest From late November to late December, every graphic than here. Each year, the 24 windows introduction to the award-winning wines of beer festivals, it includes a fair with rides, city, town and village has its own Christmas of the ancient town hall are decorated by a SouthWest Germany. parades, huge tents and live music. And market. We all go to listen to carols, eat different artist. Then, at 6 p.m. every evening, wearing Dirndls and Lederhosen are part of special cookies and meet our friends. This a child opens a new window in this living HEILBRONN | Wine Village the fun! centuries-old tradition remains an important Advent calendar. Magical! In Germany’s leading red wine region, an hour ➔ www.stuttgart-tourist.de part of SouthWest Germany’s present. ➔ www.stadt-gengenbach.de from Stuttgart, Heilbronn is surrounded by vineyards dating back to Roman times. In the TÜBINGEN | chocolART International middle of September, some 30 co-operatives SPECIAL E10 Chocolate Festival show off 300 wines, including outstanding In the first week of December, the ancient sparkling wines. Fasnet | Our Mardi Gras | The week before Lent begins university town of Tübingen is the place to be ➔ www.heilbronn-tourist.de is dedicated to parades, masks and scary costumes. for chocaholics. Chocolate tastings, chocolate Medieval Rottweil is particularly atmospheric. making, chocolate-themed menus: the very www.rottweil.de best cocoa flavors from around the world. ➔ www.chocolart.de SPECIAL I11 ESSLINGEN AM NECKAR | Medieval Christmas Market SPECIAL C12 Bad Schussenried Waggoner‘s Day | Known for its bre- Half-timbered houses give authentic wery, beer mug museum and love of horses, this town atmosphere to this special market. From stall The Feldberg | Our highest mountain | Learn to ski and celebrates all three on October 3. Watch the parade; holders’ costumes to games, food and drink, board in winter; hike the trails in summer. Enjoy our enjoy a pint! SPECIAL G13 it’s back to the Middle Ages! beautiful Black Forest! www.schussenrieder.de www.blackforest-tourism.com Konstanz Rock around the Lake | Bid summer goodbye ➔ www.esslingen-tourist.de at this early-September, international rock fest on the shores of Lake Constance.