Mannheim

Mannheim earned the nickname 'Grid City' thanks to its chessboard layout of 144 blocks, true to the Baroque pattern of dividing towns into regular squares. The great benefit of this being that it's very difficult to get lost, so you are free to take in its 2000 shops, boutiques and culinary delights to your heart's content. With so many museums, gardens and churches to discover, Mannheim is an ideal city break. Be sure to try the spaghetti shaped ice cream, one of the most popular products originating from Mannheim.

The Water Tower is the emblem of Mannheim and is nestled in one of the largest and most beautiful art nouveau areas of Europe, the Friedrichsplatz.

• Flight time from London: 1 hour 35 min
• Frankfurt Airport: 80km from the city centre; transfer time about 30 min
• Nearest railway station: Mannheim Hauptbahnhof
• Currency: Euro