Supporting Program

It isn’t just the famous Heidelberg Castle that casts its spell on guests from around the world: the entire city radiates a sublime air while being clearly at the pulse of its time. With a historical Old Town that is never fully discovered, many small alleys, each of which tells its own story, and a location that Goethe called “ideal“,

Heidelberg has its fixed position in the hearts of innumerable visitors.
Heidelberg, however, is at the same time a modern city of science and deemed a stronghold of Life Sciences – the University, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, the German Cancer Research Centre and the Heidelberg Max-Planck-Institutes are some of the best research institutes in the world, making Heidelberg an internationally renowned science location.

The cultural repertoire of Heidelberg is just as colorful and diverse as its visitors from around the world are, offering dance, theatre, music and many events of the diverse culture scene that leave hardly anything to be desired. It’s not surprising that barely anyone who has ever been here will forget Heidelberg again.

Amidst Heidelberg´s passive house quarter Bahnstadt, nearby the main station and a 4-star hotel in the direct neighborhood, the Heidelberg Congress Center will be opened by the end of 2023.

As many congress centers and event locations in general have to be changed over into modern infrastructures in order to adjust to hybrid conferences right now, Heidelberg Congress Center is already built for new meeting experiences: State of the art-broadcasting technique, digital communication specialists beside a contemporary space concept and interior design lead to an enhanced more collaborative and common network.

In Schwetzingen, not only the joy of life and the art of gardening come together, but also musical and culinary delights. The centrepiece is the summer residence with its magnificent palace garden, one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe. Only a few steps away from the palace, the city centre presents itself and the palace square with its Mediterranean flair and numerous cafés invites you to linger. During the festival season, the local restaurants offer delicacies based on the famous Schwetzingen asparagus. Combined with a bicycle tour, the “asparagus nature trail”, located directly at the asparagus fields, also provides interesting information about the famous royal vegetable.

“Modern, yet steeped in history” – “Bustling, yet unruffled” – “A colourful explosion of seasonal offers”: this is how Maulbronn can be described. With a good 6.600 residents plus 300.000 tourists annually, the Monastic Heritage Town is small in size – but enormously enjoyable. All that Maulbronn has to offer is based in and around its UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site – the Maulbronn Monastery. The museums, the cultural venues and activities, the lakes and streams and the present day markets and fairs wouldn’t be what they are in quality and range without their monastic town legacy. You are warmly invited to discover for yourself the range of possibilities that Maulbronn has to offer. Nestled in the Stromberg-Heuchelberg nature preserve, the countryside surrounding the Monastic City district is characterized by oak and deciduous woods, vineyards, orchards, streams and lakes. Landscaped to a great extent by Cistercian monks centuries ago, this cultural haven is simultaneously a place for surprising discoveries and peaceful retreats, for tourists and locals alike! Numerous seasonal festivals and markets shape the image of the town and simply underline the “Maulbronner lust for life”.

Maulbronn Monastery (Kloster Maulbronn) is one of Europe‘s most well-preserved Medieval monastery complexes. It combines a multitude of architectural styles, ranging from Romanesque to late Gothic all in one place – it creates quite a unique atmosphere.

The unique unity of the Maulbronn Monastery complex and the surrounding cultural landscape convey a fascinatingly authentic insight into a medieval monastery. This small area contains some of the most beautiful examples of early Gothic style.