Entrepreneurs Route

Just off the Autobahn, you'll find a lush spa town where guests seem to ooze wealth. Enjoy lunch at Café König or Restaurant Le Jardin de France before visiting the Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, an official participant in the Ornamenta Lust programme. Keep an eye out for Leicht Juwelier – this shop in Baden-Baden is owned by a prominent Pforzheim entrepreneur, who hosts a series of tasting events featuring liquid black forest cake back in his Pforzheim headquarters. Take a leisurely stroll along the same paths that once welcomed high society. Baden-Baden wasn't just a place to bathe and relax, for most it was a hub for networking and new opportunities.

While you travel a scenic route, take the opportunity to listen to the recorded files of the World Hope Forum Germany. Gain insights into the German approach to well-being and self-care, a powerful foundation for any entrepreneur. On your way make a pit-stop at the Black Forest town of Enzklösterle, known for its thriving blueberry industry. At the Heidelbeer Haus you can find any product infused with local blueberries. In Nagold, be sure to check the time on the brand new public sundial on the Gerichtsplatz. The sunny timekeeper is constructed by Perrot, a company renowned for crafting unique, large-scale clocks for towers and public spaces. Perrot has branched out from their usual business for this project and collaborated with a rising star in typeface design from Berlin. If you like the dial, head to a nearby shop called Architare, run by Ms. Benz. There, you'll find newly made stylish sundials at affordable prices, perfect for bringing a touch of contemporary, local craftsmanship to your home.

Tired of driving? Check into Hotel Berlins KroneLamm in Bad Teinach-Zavelstein. Or, if you’re up for more sights and experiences, head to Baiersbronn. Imagine rolling hills, cute gingerbread houses, and fruit orchards - that's the idyllic atmosphere you'll find here. This thriving tourist destination, known for its culinary delights, perfectly captures this idyllic atmosphere also called “Ländle”. Head to Forellenhof Buhlbach, a traditional restaurant specializing in trout, or consider going all out at Hotel Bareiss. For a budget-friendly accommodation, check out Ferienhaus Schenk, which offers spectacular views over the valley.

Make your way to Wildpark Pforzheim to visit an exhibition on charisma, carriages and ceremonies. On your way, stop for cake at Café im Kloster Hirsau, a refreshing family-run business. “Zum Eros” features work by graduates of the transportation design department at Pforzheim University. The transportation designer offers a new perspective on ceremonial vehicles, a reaction to the region's home of luxury brands like Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. Also open to the public is a new chapel. Its interior incorporates chains from BINDER GROUP, a local company known for its wedding rings and chain products, and repurposed textiles from Digel, a formal menswear company based in Nagold.

The Müssle family is a strong force in Pforzheim's inner city. Enjoy lunch at their Risto. Head over to Juwelier Leicht, a renowned jewellery shop with branches all over Germany. Food designers host exciting tasting events here, reimagining the Black Forest cake in a new cocktail – perfect for critical city-dwellers. Their drinks are cooled by convenience ice from a local manufacturer, drawn by the area's high-quality mineral water. Continue to the Reuchlinhaus, located next to the brutalist architecture of the regional Chamber of Commerce. As part of Ornamenta’s “Solartal” exhibition, a sun-exposed, room-sized curtain designed by a Berlin-based duo has been woven by a local textile mill and treated by a Pforzheim community initiative. Explore further how a cosmetics brand from the region and an Amsterdam design studio exchange ideas on sun protection. The full beauty range of La Biosthétique is sold at the hairdresser located next to Parkhotel Pforzheim. Additionally, see how a regional jewellery maker uses materials from an orthodontics supplier to create smile-inducing pieces. While you're here, don't miss the exhibition at the Schmuckmuseum showcasing the work of Wellendorff, a successful Pforzheim jewellery house.

On the first weekend of July, visit Schmuck+, a cool sales event where you can view and buy experimental Jewellery from both young and established designers. Visiting another weekend? Take a short retail trip to jewellery collective Studio Drei, Jewellery Supplier store Fischer, and second-hand store Machen. Part of the last charming retailers in the city. Kreativ Zentrum Emma is a hub for the city's creative industries. Check their schedule to see if there are any meet-and-greets with emerging makers and thinkers. Nestle into your room at Parkhotel Pforzheim and relax at their nautical themed bar. Another accommodation we recommend is Hohenwart Forum, ideal for holistic business entrepreneurs with a smaller budget.

Ready for more culinary delights from the region? Be sure to book a table at one of the fine dining restaurants in the area. Three nearby recommendations are: Hirsch Genusshandwerk in Bad Liebenzell, Grüner Wald in Neuhausen and Gourmet restaurant Berlins Krone in Bad Teinach-Zavelstein.

Grab yourself a croissant and a coffee (preferably to go), and walk over to the Inselsteg, a bridge within walking distance from the hotel. Here you will find the public artwork "Haug, Rainbow Fountain." The sculpture is made by bronze producers Rohr and hosts a Kärcher sprinkler system. (You might recognize Kärcher from their high-pressure washers!) When the weather conditions are ideal, an artificial rainbow is produced.

The exhibition "Schmutzige Ecke" confronts us with taboos and the uncomfortable past. Upon entering, you'll learn more about how the local metal recycling industry offers a fertile soil for innovative design solutions. A second project focuses on the region's small-scale beer industry. Younger generations are drinking less beer, posing a particular challenge for these smaller breweries that don't produce alcohol-free options. To address this, a group of designers is showcasing a potential new drinking experience inspired by the story of local brewery Ketterer Bier. The industrial area you’ll see on the horizon is a beating heart of local industry: a gigantic slaughterhouse and distribution centre of struggling mail-order companies.

Visit a new public artwork in Mühlacker that integrates discarded fragments from the region into a public park. The benches are made of sandstone quarried by a producer in Maulbronn. This sandstone is iconic for the region, and many historical public buildings have a reddish hue due to its use. Before you leave the region, visit a local winery. Weingut Weinstein in Ellmendingen is a typical small-scale winery. Prefer something sparkly? Weingut Häussermann in Sternenfels sells a beautiful Sauvignon Brut—call ahead to make an appointment, then enjoy! Time left? Consider visiting the Ritter Sport factory shop & private art collection at Museum Ritter, or head to Stuttgart to visit the Porsche Museum and the Mercedes-Benz Museum.