Mannheim, the secret capital of the electors of the Palatinate, the Kurpfalz, is the ideal base for days out into the surrounding area. Lovers of culture will find many worthwhile places to visit in the immediate vicinity, along the banks of the Rhine and the Neckar, in the area where Baden and the Palatinate meet. There is the romantic university town of Heidelberg, the asparagus mecca of Schwetzingen, with its world famous castle, one of the capitals of motor sport, Hockenheim, as well as the cathedral cities of Speyer and Worms. It is also only a stone's throw away from the scenic castles' route or the Palatinate with its scenic route through the German vineyards region.