There Goethe Institute in Mannheim is actually very nice. I say 'actually' because it does everything it possibly can to give you the impression that it won't be. It is hard to find, many of the streets leading to it are blocked because of construction, most of the streets around it don't exist on any paper maps or in any guide books because the whole suburb is still under construction after the removal of the BASF factory. It is very poorly signposted and the surrounding area, as my darling wife so delicately opined, looks more like Pyongyang than Germany. Despite all that, Google Maps and a bit of footwork will get you there. Like so many things, once you have found it the first time, it's easy. It also has excellent public transport connectivity. As time passes, the construction, the signage, the surroundings will all be developed and I'm sure it will be fine. All they will need to do is move the smoking area a few metres away from front doors so that students can get in and out of the building without having an asthma attack.
After all of that, once you are inside the building it is really nice. It is modern, brand new actually, and the people who work at there are super lovely. It has a really well kitted-out Media Centre, a great range of classes (up to C1, which is rare-ish) and a fantastic after-hours activities programme. Tip: get your full programme in advance. I got my dates in advance and the full programme when I got here. Actually the first day is just an 'arrival day', the last is a 'departure day' and there are no classes on either. Also the third-to-last and second-to-last days are exam days. The exam costs 240 Euro and there are no lessons then either. I say all this, because if time is an issue for you, for example if you are coming the the school holidays and you don't want to sit the exam, you can easy shave 4 days off of the plan and not really miss out on anything.
I'm planning to take my students to Heidelberg, but I'm in Mannheim for personal study as I have free accommodation here and Heidelberg doesn't cater to the level of German that I wish to study at. But for all adults who are looking to come to study in Germany, the Goethe Institute is great, the classes are small, the teachers are fantastic, there are so many good, reasonably-priced restaurants and there are so many wineries and craft breweries within 20 minutes of Mannheim on the train that it is impossible to visit them all. But if you are coming with students, honestly, you'd best look somewhere else to cater to their needs. I'll let you know how Heidelberg goes next week.
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