50 years after President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech to a crowd of hundreds of thousands on 26 June 1963, a wide range of events are being staged in Berlin between 30 April and 29 June 2013 to commemorate the impact of his immortal words on the city's history. The diverse programme includes exhibitions, bus tours and special guided tours, plus talks given by those who were there to hear JFK speak.

Lovers of art and culture will be pleased to see Berlin's popular Gallery Art Weekend is taking place between 26 and 28 April 2013. A selection of galleries will be opening their doors and inviting visitors to take part in this celebration of creativity and culture.

Franz von Lenbach's villa in Munich houses one of the world's largest collections of works by the Blue Rider artists. Alongside these most notable paintings, the arthouse also features works by 19th century Munich painters and contemporary international artists.

Following a four-year rebuild, this museum of international standing is set to reopen its doors in May, giving visitors the chance to see the exhibition rooms in the villa and in the underground Kunstbau gallery in a new light – literally and figuratively. The museum's new lighting, which gives the exhibition a distinctive ambience, is the first of its kind in Germany.

Munich boasts a thriving museum scene, including many other reputed establishments such as the Pinakothek der Moderne.

Europe's biggest oldtime jazz festival once again invites visitors to tap their feet to jazz beats in music venues across Dresden. From 12 to 19 May 2013 the International Dixieland Festival returns to Dresden for its 43rd year with a diverse programme of solo artists and jazz groups from all over the world. The festival showstopper has to be the Riverboat Shuffle, which sees the world's biggest fleet of paddle steamers take to the waters of the Elbe. Though with all those New Orleans boats, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were on the Mississippi. A fun day out for all the family – whether on board or on the riverbank.

In Dresden you can admire architecture from the Renaissance, baroque and classicist periods or escape to the surrounding countryside. The parkland at Pillnitz Palace is a particularly popular destination for a relaxing day out.

Visitors to Flensburg between 9 and 12 May 2013 have the chance to see a cross-border event of cultural and historical significance. The International Rum Regatta, held annually since 1981, is a celebration of the region's rum heritage and is attended by sailors aboard some 130 historical merchant vessels. In recent years the event has attracted up to 100,000 spectators. The north of Germany is known for its many sailing events – including such annual favourites as Kiel Week and Hanse Sail in Rostock.

Flensburg is also the perfect starting point for a sporting journey through Germany along the German Golf Route. Stretching all the way to Passau in the south, the route takes in a great range of golf courses where you can chip and putt to your heart's content.

The Bavarian state library has teamed up with the Bavarian Department of State-owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes to develop an app featuring information about Ludwig II, the German king renowned for his fairytale castles. This modern resource presents young people in particular with an exciting way of retracing the 'footsteps of a fairytale king' and discovering the significant places and events in the life of Ludwig II. The multimedia content explores subjects ranging from architecture to music.

Besides plenty of cultural attractions, Bavaria also boasts a huge range of culinary specialities, outdoor activities and wellness facilities.

The Ars Viva Award for young artists living in Germany was first presented 59 years ago. The Association of Arts and Culture of the German Economy has continued to award this prize for fine arts ever since, and each year it takes a new theme as its focus. Forty-two artists took part in the 2012/13 contest and their works on the latest theme of 'systems' represent a wide spectrum of outstanding artistic talent.

The exhibition has already made an appearance at the Neues Museum in Nuremberg, but visitors still have until 12 May 2013 to see it at the Kunsthalle art gallery in Kiel and between 28 June and 6 October 2013 at Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein.

German wine-growing regions don't come much smaller than the region around the Ahr river. Wine-growers here go to great lengths to cultivate exquisite vines on the smallest scraps of land and on steep slopes. Alongside portugieser and dornfelder, the most popular grape varieties in this region famous for its red wines are pinot noir and pinot madeleine. But even the relatively small proportion of white wines produced here are of exceptional quality. The Ahr terroir is characterised by rocky slate soils and very low rainfall.

The region is yours to discover on foot or by bike. What's more, the charming wine taverns make an inviting spot for a bite to eat washed down with a glass or two of the region's finest wines.

From 11 January to 4 May 2013 the International A Cappella Festival, now in its 16th year, returns to Wilhelmshaven with a programme of high-calibre concerts. The series of eight concerts features ensembles from the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany performing in Wilhelmshaven venues including the former pumping station.

If you're in the area, be sure to visit Bremerhaven too. As the biggest city on Germany's North Sea coast it is the perfect day-trip destination with attractions such as the German Emigration Centre and the Klimahaus, where you can explore the Earth's different climate zones.

The 67th Ruhr Theatre Festival in Recklinghausen near Bochum is taking place from 1 May to 16 June 2013. This year's festival is themed on 'the dawn of the modern age and utopia' and will present works by leading representatives of this era in around 75 productions and 183 performances at twelve different venues. The plays are performed on the 'green hill' in Recklinghausen and visitors can enjoy fantastic music and comedy in the EntertainTent theatre marquee.

Recklinghausen is also hosting FRiNGE – THE OFFBEAT FESTIVAL from 21 May to 8 June 2013, which is a platform for new creative talents and innovative performances.

On the last day of April, people of all ages with pointed hats, broomsticks and long crooked noses will be flocking to Mount Brocken to join in the Walpurgis Night fun. This traditional European festival is celebrated in more than 20 regions in the Harz mountains. The festival programmes each have a character of their own and in addition to the ghouls, ghosts and witches offer everything from music to medieval crafts. The theatre production of Goethe's 'Faust' at the Brockenherberge hostel and a ride on the Brockenbahn railway are among the highlights.

The Harz is home to a number of castles and palaces as well as several UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Mines of Rammelsberg, the old quarter of Goslar and the Upper Harz Water Regale.