Fans of classical music will be in their element at the Audi Forum in Ingolstadt from 26 June to 28 July 2013. The annual summer concerts here feature star names from the world of classical music as well as promising young talent. In 2013, the 17 events have the theme 'In foreign lands' and focus on composers who went or have been abroad during their career. The Audi Philharmonic Wind Orchestra will be performing works from all over the world at the first of two open-air concerts on 19 and 20 July.

From 26 to 28 July 2013, the norsemen of today will be transforming the Königswiese festival grounds in Schleswig into one of the biggest Viking settlements in Europe. On the shores of the Schlei firth, in view of historical Hedeby on the Baltic Sea, Viking fans can immerse themselves in the fascinating world of the legendary Scandinavian warriors.

There is plenty of entertainment in store: a Viking village with a battle arena where numerous shows will be performed, craft demonstrations, Viking ships at the Schlei firth, a Viking village for children, archery tournaments, fire displays and much more. The historical ambience of this family-friendly festival will make you feel as if you have been whisked back in time a thousand years to an age when Vikings set sail from these shores.

The third 'Stars in the Park' Garden Dreams Festival will be taking place in Elbauen Park in Magdeburg from 23 to 25 August 2013. It is a classical concert and pop event rolled into one that takes visitors on a journey through more than 300 years of musical history, accompanied by the Magdeburg Philharmonic Orchestra. The programme will include popular baroque melodies that are an intrinsic part of Saxony-Anhalt's tradition as well as more recent rock and pop songs. The Garden Dreams Festival is expected to attract visitors from all over Germany and provides the perfect opportunity for a short holiday in Magdeburg.

Around a hundred hectares in area, Elbauen Park is a leisure park for families that was created for the Federal Horticultural Show in 1999. One of its main attractions is the millennium tower, which, at a height of 60 metres, is said to be the highest wooden building in Germany.

From 18 to 21 July 2013, a host of music stars and thousands of festival-goers will be gathering at the seadrome in Cuxhaven-Nordholz for the Deichbrand Festival. Top German acts such as Die Toten Hosen and Sportfreunde Stiller will be rocking the stage on the open-air grounds beside the North Sea. Around 30,000 rock and indie fans are expected to attend. For the ninth instalment of this open-air festival on the North Sea coast, the organisers have secured 24 new names, making that a total of 40 artists for the 2013 line-up.

This area of unspoilt natural beauty offers a host of excursions, hiking and cycling trails, walks along the mudflats and verdant dykes. The sunset over the sea is a real highlight.

Now in its 31st year, the Zelt-Musik Festival – one of Europe's longest-running tent festivals – will be taking place in Freiburg im Breisgau from 26 June to 14 July 2013. Visitors flock to the unique setting that combines spectacular tents, nature and culture with a varied programme featuring an unparalleled line-up of acts from the worlds of jazz, classical, blues and rock. Numerous musicians from around the world, stars and newcomers will be performing. This village of tents set amid the green rolling hills just outside Freiburg, next door to the Mundenhof wildlife park, has its own distinctive charm that guarantees festival-goers an unforgettable experience.

The city of Hamburg celebrates its Dom funfair not once but three times a year, holding spring, summer and winter editions of the event. The Hamburg Dom is the biggest funfair in northern Germany, and the 2013 Sommerdom fair runs from 19 July to 18 August.

For 30 days the bright lights of the Dom entice millions of visitors to the Heiligengeistfeld in Hamburg
where the aromas of roasted almonds and fresh doughnuts waft between colourful carousels. There are lots of different fairground attractions and stalls spanning three kilometres, with choices ranging from the classic merry-go-round to high-tech, white-knuckle rides. One major highlight is the huge firework display – a firm family favourite.

Welcoming 200,000 visitors a year, Kaiserburg Castle is the cultural and historical highlight of Nuremberg alongside the Germanic National Museum. From July 2013 the main castle building will feature exciting room installations, 3D animations about the building's history, audio guides and themed guided tours – offering a variety of ways to explore the Kaiserburg. The new exhibition gives visitors a unique opportunity to discover the significance of this structure and its eventful history – all from within the castle walls.

Destination Germany is famed for its wide variety of castles, palaces and churches that offer every visitor a fascinating insight into the depths of Germany's extensive tradition and history.

The 26th Tour de Ländle, hosted by broadcaster SWR 4 Baden-Württemberg and energy company EnBW AG, is set to be a 'tour of nature'. Enthusiasts will be tackling Baden-Württemberg's biggest amateur cycling tour between 27 July and 2 August 2013, pedalling their way through Odenwald forest and the Neckar valley, crossing the Tauber valley and the Hohenlohe plain, climbing the Swabian Alb and winding through Upper Swabia towards Lake Constance and into the Hegau region.

To remind participants of the importance of nature, the route is lined with lots of activities and events exploring the topics of nature, the environment, culture and sustainability. The many different landscapes in close proximity provide an impressive insight into the botanical diversity of Baden-Württemberg.

'Dreamcatcher' is the theme for this year's Cologne Lights, which is taking place on the banks of the river Rhine between Hohenzollern Bridge and Zoo Bridge on Saturday 13 July. Fireworks, Bengal fire, waterfalls and hundreds of thousands of sparklers will transform Cologne into a dazzling sea of colour. The spectacle will be accompanied by a convoy of fifty illuminated riverboats that will play music all along this section of the Rhine.

The highlight of the evening will be several grand firework displays along the river. Held annually since 2001, this fireworks event set to music is expected to attract thousands of visitors again this year.

This year's Splash! Festival – so called because of its waterside location – will be taking place on the Ferropolis peninsula near Gräfenhainichen, east of Dessau, from 12 to 14 July 2013. The predominant styles of music are hip-hop, reggae and drum 'n' bass. In addition to a large stage, there are also tents offering dancehall music.

A highlight is the annual 'sound clash' when two or more sound systems are used to measure who fires up the crowds the most in the hip-hop after-show party tent. The Splash! Festival also alternates as the venue for the preliminary rounds and finals of the ITF DJ World Championships and offers visitors a wide-ranging programme right by the water.