Travel tips Mannheim
Shopping tips Mannheim: Mannheim for discerning travellers, cultural tourists and discoverers
Creative, exciting, inventive – Mannheim, the second-largest city of Baden Württemberg is the ideal destination for a weekend trip and an exciting cultural holiday in the Electoral Palatinate. The best way to discover Mannheim is to start at the impressivehe Barockschloss Mannheim (Mannheim's Baroque Palace) and work systematically through the city centre, which spreads out in front of you like a chess board. Happy Mannheim students: As well as housing a museum, the Rittersaal (Great Hall) and plenty of splendour, the castle is also home to probably the most beautiful university in the country.
Mannheim is the city of discoverers and inventors: The bicycle, the car, the tractor – the world would not be nearly so mobile if it wasn't for Mannheim. There is still a lot to discover today in the inventors' city of Mannheim and you can stroll in the footsteps of the great inventors. For example in the Technoseum, where you can experience the history of technology hands-on and up close. The Nationaltheater, home to opera, plays and ballet, is the cultural highlight of the region. Kunsthalle Mannheim is one of the most beautiful museums of art in the country and provides top class exhibitions. And also the Reiss-Engelhorn Museen Mannheim, with sections dedicated to archaeology, cultures of the world and photography, are a must-see; they are among the most important exhibition halls in Europe. The cosy Rhein-Neckar city, where the Rhine and Neckar rivers converge, has plenty to tantalise real gourmets. Excellent restaurants and exquisite wines from the region make a stay in Mannheim a real culinary experience.
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Culture tips in Mannheim: Mannheim for cultural tourists and museum visitors
Mannheim is considered the multi-cultural centre of the Rhein-Neckar region. Classical art, national and international exhibitions, research and history thrill visitors from all over the world. The Barockschloss Mannheim (Mannheim's Baroque Palace) shows its visitors the art and culture of the Mannheim Court and is the largest Baroque complex in Germany. In the Kunsthalle Mannheim, attractive, light halls await you, providing the pieces of art with plenty of space. Marvel at sculptures by Rodin and Giacometti, paintings by Francis Bacon and Edouard Manet and exhibitions on new media and current trends.
Both an exhibition piece and a museum is the side-wheeler paddle steamer DS Mannheim, launched in 1929. And the best way to explore great galaxies, stars and fog is on a stroll along the Milky Way at the Planetarium Mannheim. The cultural offering is rounded off perfectly by the numerous theatre performances, cabarets and plays. The Capitol, the Kammerphilharmonie (Chamber Philharmonic), the Nationaltheater and the Schatzkistl (Treasure Chest) are just a few of the city's excellent theatres. By the way: Friedrich Schiller's play The Robbers (Die Räuber) premiered in 1782 in Mannheim's theatre – triggering a scandal and the creation of numerous "gang of robbers" in Southern Germany. Today's Nationaltheater, affectionately referred to as Schillertheater, is still one of Germany's most renowned theatres.
Sightseeing tips in Mannheim: Mannheim for map-readers, palace fans and party-goers
A sightseeing tour in Mannheim also means getting to know the "quadratic city". At first glance, the absolutist planning system of Mannheim's streets, dating back to 1600, appears complicated, but it is easy to grasp after a short introduction. One of the main hubs is Friedrichsplatz with its Wasserturm (Water Tower), one of the most attractive Jugendstil buildings in Germany. And a magical place for young and old, capturing visitors in its spell with its extraordinary fountains when darkness falls.
Mannheim city centre impresses its visitors with the largest palace complex in Germany. In addition to the university, Schloss Mannheim (Mannheim Palace) is today home to a grandiose palace museum, Rittersäle (Great Halls), throne room and plenty of splendour to admire. Luisenpark is certainly one of the most magnificent park complexes to take a stroll and relax. The Alte Rathaus (Old City Hall) and Pfarrkirche St. Sebastian (St. Sebastian's Church) are the oldest remaining buildings in Mannheim, dating back to the beginning of the 18th century. The Rathausplatz (City Hall Square) is home to an imposing monumental fountain from 1771 - a gift from Carl Theodor to the city of Mannheim. The traditional market days date back to 1600, today Mannheim's market takes place three times a week at this hstoric location.
Restaurant tips in Mannheim: Mannheim for multicultural tourists, "Fressgass" visitors and gourmets
In Mannheim people from more than 160 countries come together, which is reflected in the gastronomic scene. You have not trouble satisfying your appetite for pizza and pasta, sushi, Indian curries, Vietnamese spring rolls and African fufu in Mannheim. In Fressgass (Food Alley), cafés, bars and restaurants line up one after another. In Aida Restaurant soak up the atmosphere of the old Venetian décor and enjoy Italian cuisine. And in the city's probably highest restaurant, Skyline, 125 metres above the hustle and bustle, regional and French delicacies are on the menu including a stunning view.
If you like fresh products and lively market life, you will feel at home in Mannheim: The Kapuzinerplanken in Mannheim is the site of regular markets: An organic market, Easter market, autumn market and of course the beautiful Christmas market with its arts and crafts offer the finest culinary temptations.
Shopping tips Mannheim: Mannheim for product seekers, shopaholics and market visitors
There is nothing you cannot find in Mannheim: The city's shopping opportunities make every technology fan, jewellery lover and fashion freak's heart race. And best of all is that there is the perfect thing for every wallet. The perfect starting point for a shopping trip is Paradeplatz, which is surrounded by a variety of shops and large department stores. Breite Straße is Mannheim's pedestrian precinct with a huge range of fashionable stores. For exclusive shoe and clothes stores, visit Mannheim's top shopping location, Planken.
Mannheimer Wochenmarkt (Mannheim's weekly market) and the market on Kapuzinerplanken offer a huge selection of fresh delicacies. Those seeking something individual and creative are in the right place around the Marktplatz and in square G4: they can browse through international grocery stores, wine shops, belly-dancing costumes, fresh fish and all kinds of nik-naks.
Nightlife tips in Mannheim: Mannheim for night owls and clubbers
You don't have to spend the night in Mannheim sleeping. There is plenty to discover and experience even at night in the lively university city. Trendy clubs and stylish bars and pubs are a real paradise for night owls. Cool beach bars by the Neckar river provide a Caribbean feeling, e.g. Playa del Ma and Hafenstrand. And Mannheim's beer gardens, such as Eichbaumbrauhaus and Wirtshaus Uhland offer shady oases of relaxation both during the day and evening.
Hot locations in Mannheim are Baton Rogue, Club Ritzz and KOI. The musical offering in particular is very broad in Mannheim: The "Melting Pot Mannheim" has developed into a kind of music Mecca – not only the Söhne Mannheims (Sons of Mannheim), a group of musicians based around Xavier Naidoo, are from here. The Mannheim musical style is an interesting mix of black music and issues of young immigrants. Hiphop with soul, traditional Turkish beats with black music – Mannheim grooves. Concert and event fans make a pilgrimage to the multifunction hall of the SAP Arena.