Tips for Exploring Germany’s Baden-Württemberg Region: From Heidelberg to Mannheim

Baden-Württemberg is filled with idyllic mountain towns and romantic villages surrounded by stunning scenery of vine-lined rolling hills and forest covered mountains including Germany’s iconic Black Forest.It’s also one of the leading economic regions in Europe. This part of southwest Germany where the Old World meets futuristic innovation is for history buffs, car enthusiasts, wine lovers and outdoor adventurers. Here how’s to take a journey through time from Heidelberg to Stuttgart to Mannheim. 

24 Hours in Historic Heidelberg

About an hour from Frankfurt International Airport is a picturesque town filled with red-roof homes along the Neckar River. Heidelberg’s romantic charm has inspired artists and poets for centuries. It’s a city of scientific discoveries and home to Germany’s oldest university. Part of its fairytale charm is a stunning castle nestled into the mountainside. 

After settling into the colorful Marrakech room at the trendy Hip Hotel, I explored the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Town with guide and historian Dr. Patrizia Kern. She said the best time to visit the city is late April to June and from September to October.Our first stop was lunch at Café Schafheutle. Originally a tobacco house before opening as a café, it’s been around since 1832. University students call it “Oma Café,” or Grandmother Café. 

In the 1800s it was the center of politics and student life and is still a bustling café. After lunch, we headed to University Square and wandered around Heidelberg University, Germany’s oldest university that was established in 1386.I quickly noticed how much of the city’s medieval and Renaissance history was intact and found it interesting Heidelberg, like Oxford in England, was spared from bombing raids during World War II.Next, we made a couple of sweet stops, first at Schneeballen (Snowball Dream) for a delicious, deep-fried pastry created over 300 years ago by a poor mother in nearby Rothenburg who wanted to make her daughter happy and wished for her to find a joyous marriage. 

Make sure you have Euros as it’s cash only to buy a snowball. We continued strolling the streets of the medieval town center, stopping next on Kitchen Street filled with lively bars and historic haunts like Schnookeloch, established in 1703. We stopped at Chocolaterie Knösel to sample a Heidelberg Studentenkuss, or Student Kiss of Heidelberg. The famous chocolate treat has been a token of affection since the 1800s. 

As we walked toward the Old Bridge, we stopped to take pictures at the famous bridge monkey. The present bronze sculpture was erected in 1979, but the legend of a good luck monkey near Heidelberg’s Old Bridge extends to at least the 15^th century. It’s said rubbing the mirror will bring you money, rubbing the monkey’s fingers ensures your return to Heidelberg and rubbing the bronze mice nearby brings fertility.  

From just about anywhere in town, you can see Heidelberg’s famous castle high up on the mountain. Take the funicular up to Schloss Heidelberg to wander around the ruins.The stunning castle’s imposing edifice of Gothic and Renaissance architecture has intricate arches, statues, and terraces along with its famous garden that was never completed. While strolling the grounds be on the lookout for some of the castle’s treasures like the larger-than-life figures in the Friedrich Wing. The ancestral portraits in stone are relatives of Friedrich IV. The casemates are hidden in 16^th-century passageways. If you want to see the largest wine barrel in the world, the Heidelberg Tun is in the Barrel Building. It can hold 220,000 liters of wine. That’s almost 53,000 gallons! 

Don’t miss the view from the terrace. It’s arguably the best view in Heidelberg. For an authentic dining experience head to Wirtshaus zum Nepomuk. The cozy restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy local specialties like Käsespätzle, which is noodles with cheese and onions. I paired it with an asparagus salad as I was visiting the heart of “spargel” season which runs from mid-April to late June.

Taking advantage of Heidelberg’s Mediterranean climate, as the next morning I took an early walk up Philiosophenweg, or Philosopher’s Walk. The path has some steep cobblestone sections as you hike up for a picturesque perspective of the city.  For a lovely and relaxing view of the city, take a private tour with Riverboat Heidelberg.The hour and a half scenic ride in a restored century-old rescue boat was a fabulous send-off from one of Germany’s most romantic cities. I wished the ride could have been longer as I wasn’t ready to leave Heidelberg. 

Strolling Through Schwetzingen

Schwetzingen is only a 15-minute drive from Heidelberg, once the summer home for Heidelberg royalty. Dubbed the “Asparagus Capital of Germany,” the Schwetzingen Asparagus Festival runs annually from the end of April through St. John’s Day on June 24^th. Grab a hearty lunch including white asparagus soup if it’s in season at Schwetzingen Brauhaus zum Ritter. Open since 1831, the traditional restaurant is also a great place to sip a Radler. The beer cocktail is a blend of a lager or wheat beer with a lemonade or citrus soda. 

Needing to work off lunch and wanting to see what’s considered one of Germany’s most spectacular baroque castle gardens, we walked over to Schloss Schwetzingen for a guided garden tour. It is truly a walk back in time as the gardens are still done in their original design from 1749. Don’t miss the Apollotempel (Apollo Temple) or the Badehaus (bath house) modeled after an Italian villa. If you’re a music lover, the annual Schwetzingen Mozart Festival takes place in the fall. Mozart made his first visit to perform in the town in 1763. The Christmas Market in Schwetzingen is also a popular time to visit. 

Wining and Dining Through Stuttgart

On a Friday afternoon, it took us about two hours to drive from Schwetzingen to Stuttgart. The city’s prolific high-end automotive industry makes Stuttgart one of the wealthiest cities in Germany and Europe. If you’re a motorhead, Stuttgart is a mecca for Mercedes-Benz and Porsche fans. Both car manufacturers have world-class museums including historic automobiles, iconic racing cars and futuristic vehicles. The University of Stuttgart has a prestigious research reputation and the city has a thriving wine culture. 

We stayed at Park Inn by Radisson, a modern hotel in a wonderful location. To kick off foodie fun in this car-centric city, we went for traditional Swabian food at Wirtshaus Lautenschlager. Swabia is a cultural region in southwest Germany. Swabian cuisine traditionally includes homemade egg noodles, soups, sausages and dishes with broths or sauces. The hearty food sent me into a comfort food coma perfectly timed for an early retreat to my room for a good night’s rest. Saturday morning, we went on a guided food tour and started at Stuttgarter Markethall, which opened as a farmers market in 1914. Noshing on a pretzel is a must. Make sure to head upstairs for a bird’s eye view of the markethall. We walked to a producer and flower market next to the Evangelische Stiftskirche (a church) dating to the 15^th Century.Our last stop was at Feinkost Böhn. The upscale food market with all kinds of gourmet goodies reminds me of the food halls in Harrod’s of London.

There are 13 wine regions in Germany with two of those in Baden-Württemberg. Wanting to savor the sips around Stuttgart, we enjoyed a delightful tasting with the owners at Weingut Hans-Peter Wöhrwag. Doing a tasting is a great way to learn about a local wine region and its vinicultural history.

While tasting the 2021 Mineral Riesling, Christin Wöhrwag said, “We want people to have fun with our wine,” and joked “I have no time to spend the money,” as he described their passion over profits philosophy. When I spilled a little red wine on my white pants, Chrsitin immediately doused it with white wine. It’s a great wine hack as it completely erased the red wine. I was particularly fond of their Spätburgunder rosé and white burgundy.

Next, we headed to Rotenberger Weingärtle for a delightful light lunch in the lively restaurant overlooking vine-lined hills. After lunch, we walked up to Grabkapelle auf dem Würtemberg. The Sepulchral Chapel on Württemberg Hill is considered one of the most romantic spots in Baden-Würtemberg. You can easily visit multiple wineries in a day without driving by taking the Stuttgart Weintour. You can hop off the red electric bus at any of the nine wineries on the route and hop back on to go to another one. If you have more time in Stuttgart, Besigheim is less than 45 minutes away. 

We had the best time on a tractor tour with Felsengartenkellerei Besigheim. As Oliver drove the tractor out of town, we sipped Sekt, or Germany’s sparkling wine, as we headed for vineyards. We made several stops tasting different wines paired with light bites on a wine-tasting adventure that was an absolute hoot. Take time to enjoy the medieval old town of Besigheim filled with half-timbered houses. Hirsch Restaurant is a wonderful spot for Swabian cuisine. If it’s a nice day, enjoy their outdoor seating. 

Enjoying Esslingen

You need at least an afternoon to enjoy Esslingen, considered one of Germany’s most beautiful and well-preserved medieval towns. If you’re a bubbles fan, a tasting at Kessler Sekt is a must. Founded in 1826, Kessler is Germany’s oldest sparkling wine producer. Book a cellar tour in advance for the full experience. You can easily stroll through Esslingen’s cobblestone streets and ancient pathways on your own, but a guided tour is a fun way to about the town’s historic buildings and sites. Like Heidelberg, Esslingen was not damaged in World War II. Built during the 1200s, Esslingen’s stone bridge over the Neckar River is the second oldest in Germany. For a meal with history, eat at Weinkeller Einhorn.             

The Modernness of Mannheim

In stark contrast to the centuries-old buildings in Heidelberg, Mannheim is a modern metropolis with a chessboard design laid out in the 17^th century. Because of its harbor and railway lines, 80% of the buildings were destroyed during World War II making it one of the most heavily destroyed cities of the war. The city was rebuilt in a modern style. Many buildings have historic facades and are modern on the inside.Mannheim is now a vibrant city of art and culture. Our home base here was the Doriant Hotel. The minimalist style hotel is walkable to some of the city’s best sights. We started with a guided walking tour, it’s a great way to learn the history of this city situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar Rivers.When you’re ready for a cool treat, stop in Elis Fontanella for spaghetti ice cream. It looks like a bowl of spaghetti, but it’s really vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and strawberry sauce.

Mannheim is a city filled with green spaces and focuses on sustainability in building designs. One of its best outdoor spaces is Luisenpark, the park covers 100 acres (42 hectares). Don’t miss the stunning Chinese Garden while you are there. It has the largest original Chinese tea house in Europe. The tea house has more than 30 Chinese teas. 

The camellia garden is wonderful, too. Take a ride in one of the “gondoletta” boats. Keep an eye for birds around Kutzerweiher pond including flamingos and storks. Pop into the café to enjoy a German tradition of coffee and cake late afternoon. For a wonderful dinner, head to Rheinterrassen. Located in the historic castle garden, this cozy restaurant on the Rhine River has a lovely pergola and weingarten for al fresco dining. We had a fabulous meal of their French and Palatinate dishes for our last night.  The creative cuisine was a perfect ending to a journey through time in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany.