The Heidelberg Castle Festival is being held from 15 June to 2 August 2014 and celebrates its 40th birthday this year. The festival actually dates back much further than that, but was interrupted because of the Second World War. If you would like to be part of this traditional festival, you could watch the production of Robin Hood, for example, which offers something for all the family, or the story of the Three Musketeers. The programme also features a series of high-calibre concerts.

Those who stay just a little longer will discover a host of attractions away from the beaten track and will have more time to soak up the unique atmosphere that sets Heidelberg apart from other university cities.

Every year during Pentecost, the International Street Performance Festival (Internationales Kleinkunstfestival) brings a touch of magic to Usedom island. From 6 to 9 June 2014, up to 27 groups comprising a total 38 performers from 14 countries will compete in a thrilling contest in front of spectators and a panel of experts. During the festival, the seafront promenade at Heringsdorf is transformed into a long, lively and vibrant open-air festival stage right on the edge of the Baltic Sea. Year after year, visitors to Usedom are enthralled by magicians, comedians, mime artists, street performers, fire jugglers and all kinds of other entertainers.

The annual Handel Festival in Halle an der Saale is the biggest music festival in the Saxony-Anhalt region. Every year it presents a programme that is as captivating as it is varied.

Events get under way on 5 June 2014 with an opening concert in Halle's market church and culminate two weeks later on 15 June 2014 with a finale of music and fireworks. At least one Handel opera and one guest production will feature in the festival performances. There will also be a recital of works by composers from Saxony-Anhalt who have close links to Handel. The festival's declared aim is to bring audiences closer to Handel's oeuvre.

You don't have to be a nature lover to enjoy the Regional Garden Show (Landesgartenschau) in the Swabian town of Gmünd, which opened on 30 April and runs until 12 October 2014. The event emphasises the town's unique character through its theme: 'The Green Ribbon – new ties between town and country'. The area's distinct atmosphere and almost mediterranean lifestyle are successfully captured in the garden show's projects, its displays of plants and flowers and its green spaces. Water becomes an exciting element of urban design. For younger visitors there is also a park for games and events that is right next to the railway, plus a fascinating woodland discovery trail through the dramatic Taubental valley. A great place for a family day out!

This year's Würzburg Mozart Festival from 23 May to 29 June 2014 has the theme 'Mozart – trazoM. Music in the mirror', which explores Mozart and his fascination with mirrors. The 2014 programme comprises around 60 events, including various world and European premieres. What's more, many internationally celebrated musicians will be making their first appearance at the Mozart Festival this year. Highlights include the grand Jupiter Night and Mozart Day, for which the entire city centre is transformed into a musical stage. The individual events are staged amid the splendour of Würzburg Residenz Palace, as well as in the city centre and in the heart of Franconian winegrowing country.

A must for all Mozart fans!

Tollwood Summer Festival takes place from 2 to 27 July 2014 in Munich's Olympic Park. Crowds at this open-air event are in for a treat with concerts by star acts such as Bob Dylan, Birdy, Jamie Cullum and Chicago. Tollwood stands out for its mix of culture, crafts and food and drink. The Market of Ideas is always especially popular with festival-goers. Around 70 per cent of the Tollwood programme can be enjoyed free of charge.

If you can't make it this summer, come back later in the year for the Tollwood Winter Festival on the Theresienwiese site in Munich. The winter edition centres around international theatre performances and the Christmas-themed Market of Ideas, and culminates in the traditional Tollwood New Year's Eve party and the midnight waltz.

Weimar is famously known as the town of artists and great minds. The Golden Age of Weimar Classicism is reflected in a series of buildings and parks that now form a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town's second great period is that of the Bauhaus, which you can discover today at the Bauhaus Museum. No trip to Weimar would be complete without visiting the renowned Duchess Anna Amalia Library, which has been restored to its former glory following a devastating fire in 2004.

If that weren't enough, Weimar also presents a diverse series of events during the summer months, such as open-air concerts, summer theatre and film festivals. This summer programme is designed to showcase the town in all its variety and to attract visitors with events across a wide range of genres.

This year the Luther's Wedding town festival takes place in Wittenberg for what will be the twentieth time. The varied programme of events runs from 13 to 15 June 2014.

The festival is a celebration of Wittenberg's most famous son: Martin Luther. On 13 June 1525 he married Katharina von Bora, a former nun who had fled her convent. This occasion is honoured today with a magnificent historical procession through the centre of Wittenberg. More than 2,000 'weddings guests' from far and wide will be taking part in the parade on Saturday, 14 June 2014. Hundreds and thousands of people are expected to line the streets, just as in previous years.

Fancy a sightseeing tour with a difference? Then take your place on the red upholstered seats and enjoy a leisurely trip around Husum. After the ride, you can take a sightseeing walk for a closer look at the town. Tours in the historical post bus run every Tuesday and Thursday and on the first Saturday of the month from May to September.

The post bus can also be hired for private parties and functions. Alternatively you can book guided tours of Husum without a trip on the post bus. These run every day except Sundays.

The seventh Klassikwelt Bodensee expo for classic cars runs from 23 to 25 May 2014 at the exhibition grounds in Friedrichshafen by Lake Constance. Around 800 participants, including exhibitors and clubs, will be presenting an exquisite range of historical vehicles and classic cars together with related products and services. From the air show to the classic boats, from the vintage racing car circuit to the dealer and restoration centre. The many special displays at Klassikwelt Bodensee take visitors on a journey through days gone by – on land... on water... and up in the air! A cross between a trade fair and consumer event it shows the history of motorised transport in all its facets.