For those interested in "high culture":
The green capital Stuttgart with its world-class opera house the Staatstheater, city castle and famous gallery of modern art.
Mannheim, the "Squared City" boasts one of Germany's most important theatres the Nationaltheater.
The romantic student city Heidelberg with its famed castle, Germany's oldest University and scenic setting at the opening of the Neckar valley into the Rhine valley is an absolute must.
In the southeast, the calvinistic protestant citizens of Ulm built the world's tallest church.
For those fond of nature:
The Black Forest to the east of the Rhine Valley has been declared national heritage and will gradually return into a wild state over the next century.
The Schwäbische Alb in the south is a rough landscape with limestone geology, featuring huge caves, deep blue lakes e.g. the Blautopf and long walking trails.
Lake Constance Bodensee at the border to Switzerland and Austria is Germany's largest lake, source of drinking water for millions and a haven for hikers, cyclists and sailors. Around its banks, you can discover Stone Age settlements, the "Flower Island" Mainau and the medieval peninsula of Lindau where the living Nobel Laureates of the world meet once a year.
For those interested in touring castles
Like much of Germany, Baden-Württemberg is sprinkled with beautiful castles. From the ancient home of the Hohenzollerns to the homes of the Wüttemberg Dukes and Kings.
For those interested in tourist routes
The Bertha Benz Memorial Route follows the tracks of the world's first long-distance journey by automobile in the year 1888, performed by Bertha Benz, the wife of Dr. Carl Benz, the inventor of the automobile. It starts and ends in Mannheim. Important cities along Bertha Benz Memorial Route are: Heidelberg, Wiesloch with the world's first filling station, a pharmacy, Pforzheim, Bretten, Hockenheim and Schwetzingen. Important landscapes: Rhine Valley, Odenwald and Black Forest. Length: 194 km 120 miles.
The official tourism homepage is at (http://www.tourismus-bw.de/). Click on the "English" link at the top.
