Baden-Württemberg

In southwestern Germany, dark forests, vineyards along the Neckar and Rhine, the cliffs of the Swabian Jura and the shores of Lake Constance take turns shaping the landscape. A vacation in Baden-Württemberg combines automotive history in Stuttgart, romance in Heidelberg, hiking in the Black Forest and a Mediterranean mood on Mainau Island.

Baden and Württemberg

The state was formed in 1952 from Baden, Württemberg-Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern, and to this day the Badeners and the Swabians cultivate their differences. In the west, the Rhine forms the border with France and Switzerland, and beyond it the Black Forest rises, with the Feldberg as its highest peak. To the east lies the Swabian Jura, a limestone range of caves, castles and juniper heaths, whose caves holding the oldest known works of art in human history are a World Heritage Site. The Neckar links Stuttgart, Tübingen, Heilbronn and Heidelberg. To the south, the state borders Lake Constance, and to the northeast the Hohenlohe region and the Tauber Valley.

Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe

Stuttgart sits in a valley basin with vineyards reaching right into the city. The Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums tell the story of the automobile, since this is where Gottlieb Daimler helped invent the motorcar. Highlights include Schlossplatz, the Staatsgalerie, the Weissenhof Estate with buildings by Le Corbusier, and the Wilhelma, a zoological and botanical garden. In the evening, you can sit in a Besenwirtschaft, a pop-up wine tavern that serves its own wine only in season. Mannheim was laid out as the "city of squares," where streets carry letters and numbers instead of names; its Baroque palace is one of the largest in Europe. Karlsruhe was built in a fan shape around its palace and is home to the Federal Constitutional Court and the Center for Art and Media. Ludwigsburg has one of Germany's largest Baroque palaces in its Residential Palace, and the Blühendes Barock flower show in spring. Esslingen am Neckar preserves a medieval old town with half-timbered houses and vineyards, Schwäbisch Hall has a broad open staircase in front of St. Michael's Church, and Rottweil, the oldest town in the state, has gained an unusual new landmark in an elevator test tower.

Sights in Baden-Württemberg

Heidelberg, with its ruined castle above the Neckar, the Old Bridge and the oldest university in Germany, is the very image of German Romanticism. Freiburg im Breisgau is considered Germany's sunniest big city, with its cathedral, the Bächle (small water channels) running through the lanes, and the Vauban district as a model of ecological living. Ulm has a cathedral with the tallest church steeple in the world, about 162 meters high, and the Fishermen's Quarter on the Danube. Other Baden-Württemberg destinations include Tübingen, with punting boats on the Neckar, Hohenzollern Castle, Maulbronn Monastery, a World Heritage Site and the best-preserved Cistercian monastery north of the Alps, and Baden-Baden with its spa house, casino and thermal baths. Heilbronn is a wine town and home to the Experimenta science center.

The Black Forest and Lake Constance

The Black Forest is one of Europe's best-known low mountain ranges. Lake Titisee, Lake Schluchsee, the Triberg Waterfalls, the Black Forest High Road and Black Forest National Park draw hikers; cuckoo clocks and the Bollenhut hat are enduring symbols. On Lake Constance lies Konstanz, the largest city on the lake, with its old town, the Council Building and the Swiss border running right through town. Mainau, the island of flowers, Reichenau, the vegetable island with its World Heritage churches, Meersburg with its castle, and the stilt houses at Unteruhldingen make the lake a versatile destination.

Food and Drink

Swabian cuisine features Spätzle, Maultaschen, lentils with Spätzle and Saitenwürstle sausages, and Zwiebelrostbraten (roast beef with onions). In Baden, the cooking has a stronger French influence, with Flammkuchen, Schäufele (roast pork shoulder) and Black Forest cherry cake. Black Forest ham and kirsch are classics. The state has two major wine regions: in Baden, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) grow on the Kaiserstuhl, while in Württemberg, Trollinger and Lemberger grow on the Neckar slopes. In fall, the Besenwirtschaften serve new wine with onion tart.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Stuttgart Airport is the most important in the state, joined by Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Friedrichshafen, with Basel-Mulhouse and Zurich nearby. ICE high-speed routes connect Mannheim, Karlsruhe and Stuttgart, and the Black Forest Railway is an attraction in its own right. Many towns issue guest cards that include free public transit. The best time for hiking and Lake Constance is from May to October, and the fall grape harvest is especially lovely. In winter, there are ski areas in the High Black Forest and Christmas markets in Stuttgart, Esslingen and Freiburg.