There is something special in store for hip-hop fans on 20 July 2013 in Stuttgart, as the world's best hip-hop artists gather once again at the Cannstatter Wasen festival grounds and the neighbouring equestrian stadium for the HipHop Open. The event attracts the crème de la crème of the hip-hop world: Wu-Tang Clan, Die Beginner, Blumentopf and Marteria are among the German and international musicians making an appearance at the festival, now in its eleventh year.

Some 19,000 people attended the festival in 2012 and large numbers are anticipated again this year – so be sure to get your ticket early for this spectacular event!

The World Heritage Völklingen Ironworks is hosting a biennial dedicated to urban art until 1 November 2013. Over 30 artists from Europe and America have been showcasing their work in an exhibition space of 10,000 square metres since 24 March.

Urban art, which has its origins in graffiti culture, is still a new trend in the international art scene. The European Centre for Art and Industrial Culture in Völklingen is now providing a regular forum for this new contemporary art form every two years. Art museums and galleries are including works by the post-graffiti generation in their collections, and works on canvas by urban artists command high prices at auction.

The event organisers aim to make the Urban Art Biennale in Völklingen a major showcase for this new art genre of the 21st century.

The International Wheelchair Marathon has been taking place every two years since 1989 in the university city of Heidelberg – in a region where competitive wheelchair sport plays a big part. On 7 July 2013 handbikers will be taking their places at the starting line to compete in various categories. These tests of strength are often rewarded with a new world record. Children and young people also have the opportunity to race against each other in the Mobifanten Cup. And there is something new in store for this year's event: for the first time, celebrities will be joining in the fun for this good cause.

The annual Bayreuth Festival, also known as the Richard Wagner Festival, is taking place this year from 25 July to 28 August. During the festival season, operas composed by Richard Wagner, such as 'Siegfried' and 'Lohengrin', will be performed at the festival theatre, which was built specially to host this magnificent event. As in previous years, celebrated artists will be taking to the stage and delighting their audiences with the timeless works of this influential German composer.

The opera house in Bayreuth is another fine attraction and was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2012. A visit to the Upper Franconian town would also not be complete without sampling the food and wine from the region.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.