Six palaces and parks connected by tree-lined avenues, framed vistas and architectural features form the unique sculpted landscape of the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz. A programme of events taking place in the parkland on 11 August 2013 gives visitors another opportunity to marvel at the remarkable horticultural diversity and attention to detail on display at this UNESCO World Heritage site.

For more holiday fun on a garden theme, you can pedal your way around the Garden Kingdom on the Prince Franz tour – a cycle route of around 70 kilometres that passes through the small historical town of Wörlitz, alongside its famous park, and on to the old dam watch house.

From 20 to 22 June 2013, participants in the Donau Classic vintage car rally will drive roughly 600km through the Donaumoos basin, the prehistoric Danube valley, the Altmühl valley and the Hallertau countryside. The car enthusiasts are in for an unforgettable drive as they wind their way through the breathtaking scenery of the Bavarian Danube region. For the past seven years, the Donau Classic – with its starting field of 200 vehicles – has been one of the most spectacular classic car rallies in Germany. Events are centred around Ingolstadt on the Danube, where there will be an array of vehicles that represent milestones of automotive history.

However, the Danube valley is not the exclusive reserve of motoring fans, of course; the region also presents ample opportunities for cyclists, hikers and other nature lovers to indulge their passions.

Frankfurt's penchant for apfelwein – the local cider – has always played a major part in the city's way of life. So much so that the locals and visitors honour the signature Frankfurt drink with a festival dedicated to apfelwein featuring a varied programme of live entertainment. Between 9 and 18 August 2013, producers from across Hessen and Europe will be serving this popular drink in all its wonderful varieties alongside culinary specialities in a marquee on Rossmarkt square in the city centre. Festival-goers can sway along to live music from popular regional bands or enjoy a cider cocktail while a chilled-out soundtrack adds to the easygoing atmosphere.

Germany's biggest dance music festival is back and booming. The open-air event takes place on the site of the former US missile base PYTNA near the small Hunsrück town of Kastellaun from 2 to 4 August.

More than 300 dance music artists from around 25 countries across the globe will be keeping up to 60,000 people enthralled for an entire weekend. The coolest clubs, labels and promoters from Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium have dedicated dancefloors in the tents and former missile bunkers. From trance and techno to house, there's something for everyone, and the festival once again features a 100-hectare camping village where revellers can camp out for the weekend.

Just outside Berlin the Babelsberg Film Park transports visitors to the world of film and TV, and on 3 August 2013 a special event at the park will be featuring cinema-inspired attractions and revealing one or two secrets of the silver screen. For one day the Potsdam theme park is transformed into an extraordinary, dazzling open-air film set with illuminated scenery, mesmerising shows and plenty of live music to guarantee a fantastic night. The shows and attractions featured in the daytime and evening programmes are included in the standard admission price. Traditionally the breathtaking surroundings are made all the more majestic at midnight with a perfectly staged firework display.

From 28 to 30 June 2013 Ulm will be playing host to the 25th Danube Cup. Once again there will be a range of competitions taking place at the Danube, including the Rowing Cup, the Dragon Boat Cup and, of course, the Ulm Spatzenflug, which sees participants vying to glide their homemade flying contraptions the furthest across the Danube. With so much going on during the Danube Cup in the Baden-Württemberg city of Ulm, visitors young and old are sure to be dazzled. The many determined rowers will be proving just how hard they have worked in the preceding months in order to take part in the competition.

Outside this event, visitors of the Danube region have ample opportunity to discover the region's unspoilt scenery on a walk or a bike ride along the Danube.

Now in its 24th year, the annual wine festival in Chemnitz has become a firmly established tradition, and takes place on Neumarkt square between the town hall, Roter Turm Gallery and Turm-Brauhaus brewery.

From 26 July to 4 August 2013, regional, German and international wines will be on offer and vintners will be showcasing their products. There is also no chance of going hungry, with regional caterers and stallholders offering various cheese, sausage and fish specialities as well as ice cream and confectionery.

Since the ninth instalment of the wine festival, local bands and solo artists have provided the musical entertainment. Festival-goers can look forward to warm hospitality and a convivial atmosphere on the edge of the scenic Erzgebirge mountains!

The annual Lake Maschsee Festival in Hannover has been one of northern Germany's most popular summer festivals since 1986 and will be offering a party atmosphere beside the water again this year from 31 July to 18 August 2013. The festival sees the lakeside promenade transformed into a colourful extravaganza and offers a fantastic free music and entertainment programme on several stages.

The event provides plenty of fun and enjoyment for everyone: regular attractions include inviting cocktail bars, mouthwatering cuisine, sporting activities on and beside the water, dance evenings beneath the stars and concerts for all ages. Northern Germany's largest event now attracts over 2 million visitors every year.

Exceptional concerts, top notch rock and pop music, a diverse selection of food and drink and the delightful lakeside setting of the municipal gardens – the Summer Nights Festival in Constance, on from 7 to 10 August 2013, is a real highlight for all the family.

Stars such as Nena, Aura Dione and Matthias Reim will be providing the musical entertainment this year. The Lake Night Festival, which takes place on the last day of the open-air Summer Nights event, includes a spectacular firework display with music and attracts 40,000 visitors every year from near and far because of its relaxed, mediterranean feel. The huge programme of entertainment, which creates a wonderful festival atmosphere along the lakeside promenade, promises to be more varied than ever this year.

This internationally renowned horseracing event, which has taken place on the Wadden Sea mudflats outside Duhnen since 1902, is surely one of the most unusual long-running events in the world. It will be taking place on 18 August 2013 on the outskirts of the coastal town of Cuxhaven. Against the dramatic backdrop of the Elbe estuary and its huge, ocean-faring ships, horses and their riders will be racing across the mudflats at low tide, hoping to take home titles and prize money. Visitors can watch this remarkable spectacle from the nearby dyke. Before, after and between the races, a tempting range of food and drink and other stalls for all the family can be found on the inland side of the dyke. A varied programme of music brings the day to a close.