What to See in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Baden-Württemberg is a region of rivers, uplands, historic territories and modern cities in southwest Germany. From the Black Forest and the Swabian Alb to university towns, palaces, museums and industrial centres, it offers a varied collection of landscapes and places to explore. Neywo has free audio guides for 10 cities in Baden-Württemberg, covering 860 narrated places in total through 32 walking tours.

What to see and do in Baden-Württemberg

Explore the Black Forest and the Upper Rhine Valley

The Black Forest rises east of the Upper Rhine valley and forms one of the region’s defining landscapes. Its higher areas have frequent snow and wetter summers than the valleys, while the warmer Upper Rhine Valley has a milder climate. The Rhine forms Baden-Württemberg’s western border and much of its southern one, placing the region beside both France and Switzerland.

Triberg is one of the places where the Black Forest’s character comes together with local history. Neywo’s city guide covers the Triberg Waterfalls, Schwarzwaldmuseum, Burg Triberg and Maria in der Tanne.

Follow the Neckar through historic towns

The Neckar begins at Villingen-Schwenningen and crosses Baden-Württemberg through several important towns and cities, including Tübingen, Stuttgart, Heilbronn, Heidelberg and Mannheim. Its course connects university towns, industrial centres and historic settlements.

In Heidelberg, the river setting is part of a city known for its university history and landmarks such as Heidelberg Castle, Thingstätte Heidelberg, St. Bartholomäus and Kreuzkirche. Heidelberg University was founded in 1386, making it one of Germany’s oldest universities.

Further along the Neckar, Esslingen am Neckar brings together medieval remains and urban history. Its narrated places include the Kielmeyerhaus, the Wettersäule, the city walls and Saint Nicholas Chapel.

Discover university towns and regional culture

Baden-Württemberg has a dense network of universities, and Heidelberg, Freiburg and Tübingen are among its oldest university towns. That academic tradition is part of the region’s wider identity, which combines research, engineering and local cultural traditions.

Freiburg is one of the state’s major historic university cities. Its Neywo guide includes Freiburg Minster, Munzingen Palace, Dreisamstadion and Ebnet Castle, among 217 narrated places.

The region is also home to strong local voices. Baden-Württemberg is often called the Ländle, a diminutive of the word Land derived from local Swabian, Alemannic and Franconian dialects. These dialects reflect the fact that the modern state brings together several older territories and identities.

See Stuttgart’s mix of industry, culture and vineyards

Stuttgart is the state capital and a centre of theatre, opera, museums and inner-city parks. It also has vineyards within its urban territory, making it the only major city in Germany with vineyards inside the city.

The city’s character reflects Baden-Württemberg’s industrial strength as well as its cultural life. Mercedes-Benz Group and Porsche are headquartered in the region, alongside companies such as Bosch, SAP and Schwarz Group. Stuttgart’s narrated places range from the Observation Tower Burgholzhof and Solitude Palace to the Mercedes-Benz Museum and Klösterle.

Visit palaces and court towns

The history of Baden-Württemberg can be seen in its former court towns and residences. The modern state was created in April 1952, when South Baden, Württemberg-Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern merged. Before that, the area had been shaped by Baden, Württemberg and Prussian Hohenzollern, whose older identities still help explain the region’s cultural variety.

Karlsruhe is one of the places associated with this courtly and administrative history. Its narrated places include the Orangerie, Karlsruhe Art Museum, Museum für Neue Kunst Karlsruhe and Schloss Augustenburg.

In Baden-Baden, the regional story takes a different form, centred on its spa and casino tradition. The city guide covers the Stiftskirche, Bernharduskirche Baden-Baden, Rathaus Baden-Baden and Stourdza-Kapelle.

Experience the Swabian Alb and the Danube watershed

Between the Neckar, the Black Forest and the Danube lies the Swabian Alb, a high plateau and an important European watershed. Its higher elevations have a cooler climate, frequent snow and winter sunshine that can differ noticeably from conditions in the valleys.

Blaubeuren offers a route into this landscape and its long history. Neywo’s guide includes the Ruine Hohengerhausen, Geißenklösterle, the Museum für Urgeschichte und Eiszeitkunst and Blaubeuren Abbey.

The smaller towns of the region add further layers to the landscape. In Kirchheim unter Teck, narrated places include Schloss Kirchheim, Martinskirche, Saint Peter Church and Sankt Johannes. Leutkirch im Allgäu offers a different perspective through places such as the Elektrotechnisches Museum Leutkirch e.V., Glashütte Schmidsfelden im Allgäu, Leutkirch im Allgäu and Schloss Rimpach.

A region shaped by changing borders

Baden-Württemberg’s present form is relatively modern, but its history reaches back much further. The Romans occupied Württemberg and built a frontier along its northern edge. The Alemanni later pushed them beyond the Rhine and Danube, before a Frankish invasion defeated the Alemanni.

The map changed again after the First World War, when the monarchs of Baden, Württemberg and Prussia were deposed. Following the Second World War, the Allies established three states in the area. Their merger in 1952 created Baden-Württemberg, bringing several older territories into one federal state.

That layered history remains visible in the region’s landscapes and communities: the flatter Rhine side of Baden, the hillier inland areas of Württemberg and Hohenzollern, the Black Forest between Baden and Württemberg, and the distinct local traditions of the towns and cities.

Explore Baden-Württemberg with Neywo

Download Neywo and discover Baden-Württemberg with free audio guides for 10 cities, including Stuttgart, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Baden-Baden, Triberg, Blaubeuren, Esslingen am Neckar, Kirchheim unter Teck and Leutkirch im Allgäu. The app offers 32 walking tours and 860 narrated places in total, with narration available in 11 languages.

Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace: no group and no schedule. It is a simple way to explore the region while learning the story of each city, landmark and historic site as you walk.