Erlangen

The city of Erlangen in Franconia is attractive at any time of year. But it is in the summer that the Huguenot city – which is regarded as one of the best preserved Baroque planned cities in Germany – gives off a particular flair.

More than 300 years ago, the French religious refugees not only brought their handicrafts and their knowledge with them, but also French savoir vivre, which shapes the city to this day. The people sit in the numerous street cafés, stroll along the streets, and boules is played in the squares.

When the flowers are blooming and the trees are green, a walk through the Erlangen Palace Gardens and the adjacent Botanical Gardens is particularly pleasant. This green oasis of tranquillity is located behind the margrave's palace in the centre of the city. Students lie on the lawn and study or sunbathe, and families meet for a comfortable get-together with a picnic basket and blanket. A particular highlight in the Erlangen Palace Gardens is the palace garden concerts that take place on a regular basis in the summer. Bands, orchestras and jazz ensembles perform in front of the backdrop of the margrave's orangery, and several thousand visitors come to the Sunday matinees every year and experience the particular flair of these events. Entry is free.

Two other gardens, unique in their own way, also invite a visit: The Heinrich Kirchner Sculpture Garden with the sculptures of the Erlangen artist Heinrich Kirchner and the Aroma Garden, one of the first of its kind in the world, in which all kinds of herbs and aromatic plants grow and thrive and provide a feast for the senses.

Art and culture have a fixed place in Erlangen. The Margrave Theatre, the oldest Rococo theatre that is still in action, impresses with its excellent productions. Numerous top-quality festivals, such as the International Puppet Theatre Festival, the Comic Salon or the Erlangen Poet Festival attract thousands of visitors to the city year after year.

And Erlangen also caters for your physical welfare. Franconian specialities – from bratwurst sausages to baked carp, accompanied by delicious Erlangen beer, will delight your body and soul. The Erlangen Bergkirchweih, a traditional beer festival, attracts more than a million visitors every year.