The film heritage of the Weimar Republic is currently being celebrated at the British Film Institute (running until end June), in a joint collaboration with the Philharmonia and Tate Modern

Here are ten reasons why the city of Weimar, in Thuringia, Germany, makes a great travel destination:

1. Cradle of Classicism: Goethe and Schiller, Herder and Wieland, Nietzsche, Fürnberg, Liszt, Bach, Cornelius, Gropius, Feininger, Klee, Itten… all have artistic roots in Weimar.
2. Bauhaus: in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Bauhaus, a new Museum opened in Weimar in April, but Bauhaus fans are spoilt for choice – you can also go on guided Bauhaus tours, visit the Bauhaus University and book tickets for various cultural events happening throughout the city.
3. The Duchess Anna Amalia library: this exquisite library, with its famous Rococo hall, was restored to its former glory after a fire in 2004. It contains collections from the 9th to the 21st century and is open to the public.
4. Onion Festival: held every October (this year from the 11th -13th ), this fun, foodie festival was first established in 1653. It includes beer and food counters, sports events and the crowning of the ‘Onion Queen’.
5. Christmas Market: Weimar’s atmospheric Christmas market, against the fairy-lit backdrop of the market square (and other areas), also includes ice skating and events for children. The food, smells and sounds of Christmas create lasting memories.
6. Food! Whether it’s German comfort food, the famous ‘Thueringer Bratwurst’ or the fresh local foods of Summer, the food in Weimar is delicious. Weimar has an enormous choice of restaurants and cafes; meat and wild game dishes are plentiful here, but this is also big vegetable growing region, so vegetarians will find plenty of options, too.
7. Architecture, monuments and beautiful buildings: from Bauhaus to the Belvedere Palace, Weimar is richly blessed with historical buildings. Weimar has 12 separate buildings or ensembles listed on UNESCO.
8. History: the political history of Weimar is fascinating. The first republic on German soil was established here in 1919 and although it lasted only 14 years, the Weimar republic established Germany as a centre of intellectual thought through its universities, as well as a creative centre for music, arts and cinema.
9. Easy to reach: With the introduction of a new ICE high-speed rail link in December 2017, Weimar is easy to reach by train from e.g. Munich or Nuremberg (2 ½ and 1 ½ hours respectively) or 3 hours from Berlin.
10. Beautiful, green, open spaces: the river Ilm runs through Weimar and on the edge of Weimar’s old town, is the city’s 48-hectare landscaped park (laid between 1778 and 1828) running for a kilometre along the river’s banks. The park features such as Goethe’s garden house, the Roman House and the bark house within the park boundaries.

For further information go to: www.germany.travel