Move your way around Mannheim, Germany’s creative metropolis

Sitting at the confluence of the Rhine and the Neckar, this university city in the heart of Germany has a diverse cultural scene and a rich history. Discover the innovative programme at the National Theatre, the contemporary works at the Kunsthalle, the stately rooms at the Baroque palace and the vibrant murals that add colour to urban facades. One of the best ways to get around is by bike, invented here in the 1800s, while long-distance and regional trains connect Mannheim with Frankfurt and other major hubs, not to mention popular day-trip destinations such as Weinheim.

In 1817, Karl von Drais presented a prototype of his so-called “Laufmaschine” or “racing machine” in Mannheim. The wooden frame with aligned wheels had no pedals, gears or chains, but is widely considered to be the world’s first bicycle. You’ll find cycling paths all over the city, passing through the grid formation of streets in the city centre and connecting sights such as the Water Tower and the palace. For longer distances, try the Rhine Cycle Path or the Neckar Valley Cycle Route, which runs from Mannheim to the source of the river in Schwenninger Moos.

Mannheim has been a UNESCO City of Music since 2014, recognised for its institutionally established cultural sector as well as its lively independent scene. While it was the Mannheim School that once appealed to Mozart, today it’s places such as the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg, a public university focused on pop music and the creative industries, that bring musical minds to the city. Whether it’s dance, jazz, techno or classical music you prefer, you’ll be able to find something here. Every autumn, the international jazz festival “Enjoy Jazz” is held together with neighbouring cities.

Germany’s novelty dessert, Spaghettieis, was first made in Mannheim. The ice cream dish, made to look like spaghetti with tomato sauce and parmesan, was created by Dario Fontanella in the late 1960s. It can now be found across the country, but head to his café in the middle of town for the original. For dinner, try the lofty restaurant at the top of the telecommunications tower or reserve a table at the new hotspot, The Tourist Trap. Behind the somewhat provocative-sounding name is a casual fine-dining restaurant where chef Dennis Maier prepares a set menu or a selection of small bites. Try the grilled oysters with parsley and harissa.

For over a decade, street artists from around the world have been creating large format murals on walls across the city. The “STADT.WAND.KUNST” project has resulted in an open-air gallery with works from names such as Stohead, FRAU ISA and British duo The London Police. Guided tours cover the Quadraten (the grid of streets in the centre) and Necktarstadt-West, but you can also explore them by yourself, on foot or by bike. If urban art is your thing, you’ll find more murals in the trendy district of Jungbusch and on the high-rise buildings in the Vogelstang area.

Mannheim has a multitude of museums, but start at Schloss Mannheim, a Baroque masterpiece with a 440-metre-long facade and expansive courtyard. Come for the collection of paintings, tapestries and frescoes, as well as a permanent exhibition with instruments and audio stations. Elsewhere the Kunsthalle Mannheim has a vast repository of contemporary and modern works by masters such as Cézanne, Kandinsky and Rodin, while the Technoseum spans 200 years of technological and social history. The Reiss-Engelhorn-Museums complex includes research centres and different exhibition halls covering everything from archaeology to photography.

An excursion to the town of Weinheim with its historic market square, restored artisans’ quarter and two castles is a great way to see more of the region. Weinheim is also where you’ll find the centuries-old Hermannshof Garden, redesigned in the 1980s as a botanical garden for shrubs. Several hiking routes head off from the town, including the romantic Blütenweg (flower path) and the more challenging Burgensteig (castle trail), both following old trading routes. From the ruins of the Windeck Castle and the higher Wachenburg, you have fantastic views back to the town and across the Rhine plain to the palatinate forest.