South West

Modern architecture abounds in Montpelier, so start the day right away with a contemporary architecture tour. Don’t miss the Antigone district, which was created from scratch in the 1970s and 1980s and boasts futuristic architecture and the Hôtel de Ville in Port Marianne! Then get something to eat and drink at Amazon Coffee or at Hybride, the concept store and café rolled into one. After that, visit one of the many worthwhile museums in the city, for example Musée Fabre, which houses a collection of paintings ranging from across several centuries, as well as works by the contemporary artist Pierre Soulages. MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain provides you with two options for checking out modern art: La Panacée and Hôtel des collections! Photographic art is on show at Pavillon Populaire. If you love Street Art, keep your eyes peeled as you walk through the city – Montpelier has plenty to offer. There is also some street art on display at Marché du Lez, where you can look around for unique souvenirs from young, local designers, enjoy tasty dishes from the food trucks and restaurants or just soak up the creative, artistic atmosphere at »Dorf in der Stadt« Village. After that, explore the student district of Les Beaux-Arts , where you won’t have a problem finding a bar where you can spend the rest of the evening.

Several direct trains leave Montpelier every day for the next stop on your journey: Lyon (fastest travel time: 1 hour, 43 minutes).

If you happen to be in Lyon on a Sunday, make your way first thing to Saône, where there is a Market every Sunday morning where artists sell their work. Then choose from the wide range of museums the city has to offer: for example, how about Musée de l’imprimerie et de la communication graphique, which tells the story of book printing and graphic communication? Or maybe Musée Lumière, which follows the story of film at the house of the Lumière family? 12 kilometres north of Lyon, you can find more than 6,500 works of art by various artists, including sculptures, street art and a lot more at La Demeure du Chaos – Museum of Modern Art, spread over an area of 9,000 square metres. Then take a break at Sofffa – a slow café where you are charged by time rather than consumption. After that, take a stroll around the city, either in order to discover the Traboules, small passageways from the Middle Ages, which were used during the Second World War by the resistance movement, or to admire the huge murals that are spread all around the city. If you’re interested in architecture and town planning, head for the district of La Confluence, which was converted from an industrial and trade area into a living and shopping district in 2003. Some of the must-sees here include Cube Orange and Musée des Confluences. Right next door, you can enjoy a tasty meal at HEAT before heading to the bar Le Sucre, or one of the popular bar ships (Le Sirius, La Marquise, Sonic).

Take one of the trains that leave every one or two hours from Lyon Part-Dieu station to continue your journey to Bern (travel time: 3 hours, 48 minutes).

Get some pastries or bread rolls from Äss-Bar for breakfast and play your part preventing food waste! Then make your way to Zentrum Paul Klee, which not only houses the work of this important painter, graphic artists and Bauhaus teacher, but also holds regular exhibitions with other artists. The museum building by Italian architect Renzo Piano is definitely worth a visit! Alternatively, you could visit Kunstmuseum Bern, the oldest art museum in Switzerland, or Kunsthalle Bern with its exhibitions dedicated to contemporary art. If you’re in the mood to get active yourself, go to the Museum for Communication, which invites you to join in and try out the many interactive elements. You might also want to check out the programme at Kornhausforum – which holds regular exhibitions and lectures on a wide range of topics such as design, architecture and photography. Afterwards relax with coffee, cake and books at Apfelgold or go for a swim in the Aare River at Freibad Marzilil. Follow that with a trip to browse Chat Noir for design pieces made by local artists or pay a visit to Reitschule Cultural Centre, which has its origins in a squat. In the evening, enjoy a homemade beer at Altes Tramdepot before attending a concert at PROGR – Centre for Culture Production, ONO – Kulturlokal or one of the many other cultural events!

A train leaves twice every hour to the next stop on your journey, Stuttgart (fastest travel time: 4 hours).

There is a flea market on Karlsplatz every Saturday – so don’t miss it if you’re in Stuttgart at the weekend! Your visit to the capital of Baden-Württemberg wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Weissenhofsiedlung housing development, constructed in 1927 under the direction of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as a werkbund housing estate, and the associated Weissenhof Museum. Afterwards, enjoy the art on display at Stuttgart Art Museum and make sure to take in the view from the top floor of the museum. You could also educate yourself on the past, present and future of the city at StadtPalais. If you’re a fan of modern architecture, take a look at the outside, and perhaps also the inside, of the Porsche Museum and the Mercedes Benz-Museum. Allow yourself to be inspired by the modern structure of the Central Library at the Mailänder Platz, perhaps while sipping a cup of coffee at Café LesBar on the top floor? Alternatively, you can enjoy homemade lemonade and cake (with vegan options) at Café DA. If you’re to move on, head to Killesbergturm Tower, which boasts not only a fantastic view, but also an exciting steel net structure. In the evening, take a detour to Kulturinsel, where a platform for art and culture has been constructed on the site of a former freight station yard. Or relax with a beer at Palast der Republik, which has become one of the most popular scenes to meet in the city since its origins as toilet building!

Take a train which leave once or twice an hour from Stuttgart to Weimar (fastest travel time: 4 hours, 25 minutes). You have now reached the end of your journey – and are about to start experiencing the next exciting highlights!