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Top things to do in Mannheim

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Where to find art and culture in Mannheim

About Mannheim

Including tips for the best time to visit Mannheim

Mannheim Palace sits on the site of a former fortress that once guarded where the Rhine and Neckar rivers merge in southwestern Germany. Today, the palace is at the centre of modern Mannheim. Founded in 1606, the second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg fans out in a grid layout from the palace. Although you'll find a handful of older sites in town, Mannheim is predominantly modern and industrial, with 50s-era buildings erected after the city was levelled during World War II.

Shopping and culture are among Mannheim's biggest draws. You'll discover both in Paradeplatz, a pedestrian-only central square surrounded by storefronts and restaurants. This area is also home to Planken, Mannheim's busiest shopping street where parades and a Christmas market are held each year.

Arguably Mannheim's most popular attraction is the Wasserturm, a 19th-century water tower that soars above a series of rose gardens and baroque and art nouveau buildings lining the Friedrichsplatz. Mannheim Palace – now part of the University of Mannheim's main campus – is another worthy spot to spend an afternoon. Its interior exhibits display dazzling collections of tapestries, paintings and furniture. For a bird's-eye view, head to the Fernmeldeturm Mannheim. The communication tower's glass-enclosed observation deck and revolving restaurant feature sweeping views of the city.

A few precious pockets of green offset Mannheim's mostly urban format. Both Luisenpark and Herzogenriedpark offer tree-lined paths, playgrounds, fountains and flowers. Luisenpark is particularly known for its Chinese garden, which is home to one of Europe's largest Chinese teahouses.

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Most popular time to visit October-December
Cheapest time to visit January-March
Local currency € 1 = $1.17
Language German
Average weekend price $106 per night
Average weekday price $108 per night
Average stay 1 night

Points of interest in Mannheim

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Mannheim reviews

What other travelers say about Mannheim

10

We really enjoyed our time in Mannheim.

August 1, 2025

We really enjoyed our time in Mannheim. The city felt clean, safe, and well-organized, with a surprisingly wide variety of food options to explore—something for every taste. Getting around was incredibly easy thanks to the efficient bus and train system, which made it simple to get wherever we needed to go without hassle. Overall, Mannheim was a pleasant surprise and a great place to stay.

Tammy
Tammy United States
6.0

The water tower (Wassersturm) is nice.

July 3, 2025

The water tower (Wassersturm) is nice. Otherwise, there's not much notable in Mannheim. I was there for reasons of family history and should have spent 3 days instead of 5. There are more interesting places to visit in that part of Germany.

Steven
Steven United States
8.0

Mannheim is a great starting point for visiting several...

April 28, 2025

Mannheim is a great starting point for visiting several nearby cities in a star-shaped travel plan. Transportation within the city and to nearby destinations is excellent, whether by car or train (Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Mainz, Strasbourg). The abundance of shops, restaurants, cafés, and pastry shops, along with the opportunity for pleasant walks, makes the stay even more enjoyable. Mannheim is also home to the second-largest Baroque palace in Europe, and the Technoseum (Technology Museum) is well worth a visit. As a university city, Mannheim hosts one of Germany's top economics universities, and its technical and medical universities are also highly regarded.

Edit
Edit Hungary
10

While I was driving my wife checked this hotel from web page...

April 2, 2025

While I was driving my wife checked this hotel from web page of booking.com and we liked it. wanted to book it with breakfast, due to personal questions I asked her use my mobile where I have the booking.com app with genius level 2. she made the booking from the app with a little bit higher price but we didn't care. When we reached to hotel noticed that the although a higher price breakfast was not included. Reception offered a better price with breakfast but because it was last moment booking we did not have cancellation option with refund. I will not use app anymore, anonymous web page usage is cheaper.

Ağırkaya
Ağırkaya Netherlands
10

Our trip was very short and it was really just to visit the...

March 6, 2025

Our trip was very short and it was really just to visit the art gallery with so many wonderful pieces of work on display for the first time! However, we also managed to visit the Palace (highly recommended!) and some magnificent buildings that interested us, including the Church. The Information place is very useful and provided us with a good map of the area. We are planning to return to Mannheim in the near future as we enjoyed what we experienced before we had to leave.

Anonymous United Kingdom
10

I have traveled to more than 20 countries and over 150...

January 22, 2025

I have traveled to more than 20 countries and over 150 cities in Europe so far. During these travels, I mostly stayed in hostels, but this is the cleanest hostel I have ever stayed in. I congratulate the management for the value they place on people.

ercan
ercan Germany

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