Mannheim is not likely to be on the radar of most travelers visiting Germany. A big mistake – because it’s not just culture lovers, foodies and trend scouts who get their money’s worth in the “city of squares” in southwest Germany! We’ll tell you about the hottest addresses in the small metropolis and describe what a perfect weekend between the Rhine and Neckar rivers could look like.
Day 1
Arrival
Mannheim is one of the easiest cities in the region to reach, whether you’re traveling by train or by car. “Monnem”, as the city is called in the local dialect, is one of the most important local and long-distance transport hubs in the south. If you’re looking for a stylish and central place to stay, check into the boutique hotel Syte, for example, which is located between the main train station and the water tower.
City tour and baroque palace
For a first overview and a whiff of city air, we recommend one of the many city tours. For example the stroll with the night watchman, which is also available in English and Spanish. The Mannheim Palace is a must-see: with its 440-meter-long red sandstone façade, strict symmetry and geometric lines of sight, it is the second largest baroque palace in Europe after Versailles. At the “Muses’ Court of Europe”, artists such as Mozart, Schiller and Voltaire were a regular presence. And for those who are desperate to count and disprove the legend: the famous building is said to have exactly one more window than its French counterpart…
Harbor cruise and sundowner
Mannheim is located at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar rivers. So it makes sense to approach the city from the water, especially since it is so relaxing! The grand harbor cruise starts at the Kurpfalzbrücke pier and continues to the Neckarspitze, where the Neckar flows into the Rhine. Upstream, the industrial facilities of BASF and the container terminal at the Mühlauhafen exude industrial charm. The Diffenébrücke, an impressive bascule bridge with three bright red arms, is an architectural highlight. One thing is for sure: you are bound to get that holiday feeling while enjoying a sundowner at the “Neckarstrand” beach bar, with the waves lapping at the shore and barges leisurely passing by.
Dinner and nightlife in the trendy district
A quick freshen up and then it’s off to see Mannheim’s nightlife. The city’s gastronomic prowess becomes clear at the latest during dinner at “Mima Peru”. The restaurant in the trendy Jungbusch district is one of the most popular places to eat at the moment, combining modern Peruvian cuisine with the finest drinks from South America.
With ceviche and pisco sours in their stomachs, Mannheim explorers simply stroll on through the Jungbusch. Because in the only 15 streets between the Neckar and the harbor channel, where once porters, dockworkers and prostitutes lived, today the city’s party scene gathers at night. Whether it’s in the former strip club Onkel Otto Bar, in the Hagestolz, famous for its cocktails, or in the Tap Room for a craft beer – many bars and pubs line the Jungbuschstraße, the neighborhood’s nighttime catwalk. The Kulturbrücken are a good place to find live music, with a changing lineup of artists ranging from indie to gypsy jazz to ska or singer/songwriters.
Day 2
Mannheim “Dirt” for breakfast – why not?
If you don’t fancy breakfast in your hotel, the trendy Café Luuc offers a delicious selection of homemade breakfast dishes, juicy bagels, breakfast burgers and tacos, as well as sweet creations such as vegan waffles. Alternatively (or as a souvenir stop), Mannheim’s traditional pastry shop Herrdegen is a must: Because only here can you find the real “Mannemer Dreck”, a type of gingerbread that is still made today according to the original family recipe from 1822.
Sounds, street art and art
Mannheim is a very young city with a surprisingly active art scene. The Unesco City of Music is home to the Pop Academy, and countless festivals provide partygoers with beats and sounds from all genres all year round.
A highlight for fans of street art: since 2013, a huge open-air urban art museum has been created across the city. Under the umbrella term “Stadt. Wand. Kunst” (City. Wall. Art), artists have created more than 50 large-format murals that have given a new look to formerly grey facades, social hotspots and industrial wastelands. Most of the works are concentrated between the squares, Jungbusch and Neckarstadt-West and can be explored as part of various guided tours or individually.
Mannheim’s squares
Now is the time to familiarize yourself with Mannheim’s unique city center plan. This resembles a chessboard and reminds some people of Manhattan. However, the fact is that in 1606, Elector Frederick IV had the streets laid out in a grid according to the Renaissance ideal of beauty. Once you have figured out the strict logical principle, it is almost impossible to get lost in the city center – and in addition to tourist attractions such as the castle, the Jesuit church or the Paradeplatz, you will also find the Planken, Mannheim’s shopping mile, Turkish bakeries in “Little Istanbul” or small pop-up stores such as Hometown Glory and the Textilerei.
For a quick snack with a view of the famous water tower, another of the city’s landmarks, and the largest contiguous Art Nouveau complex in Germany, try Cafe Phi, for example. And for those who want to experience a real legend: right next to the Q6Q7 quarter is the ice cream parlor of Dario Fontanella. The scion of a Venetian ice cream dynasty is a local celebrity. He can often be found behind the counter himself. He invented spaghetti ice cream in 1969, which is now the best-selling ice cream specialty in Germany, with 40 to 50 million tubs sold. But, of course, the original can only be found here…
Bike tour in the countryside
It would be a shame not to devote at least a few hours to Mannheim’s green side! The best way to do this in proper style is by bike – one of Mannheim’s many inventions, along with the car, the elevator and the rocket plane. The tour is particularly beautiful, taking you past the Wilhelminian style buildings of the Oststadt to the Neckar. The route continues to the Rhine, past the lido and through the beautiful forest park. The Restaurant Rheinterrassen, perhaps the most beautiful beer garden in the city, is particularly suitable for the finish line. Of course, with a view of the passing ships.
Day 3
Green, greener, Mannheim
Speaking of green: Mannheim has already hosted the German Federal Garden Show twice, in 1975 and 2023. The Luisenpark, a green lung in the middle of the city center, played a major role on both occasions and is one of the most spacious and popular parks in Germany. Between the South America House, penguins and the largest Chinese tea house in Europe, you can relax wonderfully or take a gondoletta from one end of the park to the other. Before enjoying home-style cooking and fish specialties at the Seerestaurant with a view of the flamingos, it is worth taking a ride up the almost 218-meter-high telecommunications tower at the edge of the Luisenpark: from the platform at 121 meters high, you can let your gaze wander over the entire Rhine valley and as far as the Odenwald forest.
Bad weather options: Technoseum and REM
If the weather doesn’t play along, there’s no need to get bored. The gigantic Technoseum, for example, with its 9,000 square meters of exhibition space, ensures that: whether it’s early 18th-century craftsmanship, the age of industrialization, or modern robotics and AI, the motto everywhere is to participate and try things out for yourself. Examples? The thundering steam locomotive, the water wheel of the weaving mill, the Porsche production line or the exhibition about Carl Benz and his car, which the people of Mannheim referred to as the “stinking devil’s cart”.
Art lovers should pay a visit to the Kunsthalle Mannheim. As one of the first civic collections in the world, it attracts visitors with key works from Manet to Francis Bacon, as well as an outstanding sculpture collection. The exhibition “The New Objectivity” is worth seeing from November 22, 2024. The Reiss-Engelhorn Museums also offer “food” for countless hours with their exhibitions spread across several buildings, covering world cultures, photography, art and music.
