The German town of Metzingen has been twinned with Hexham since 1989.  Metzingen lies in Swabia in southern Germany and is about 40km from Stuttgart.  With its associated districts of Neuhausen and Glems, Metzingen has about 20,000 inhabitants.

Metzingen has light industry, including the famous Hugo Boss factory, and vineyards.  It is well known locally for its seven wine press houses, which can still be seen near the town centre, although they are now converted to other uses. The annual Siebenkeltern (seven wine presses) wine festival takes place each October in one of the converted wine press houses.

There is a strong musical tradition in Metzingen: exchanges have taken place with Hexham Abbey Choir and several musical groups from Metzingen have visited Hexham.  There have also been exchanges between artists and craftspeople.

Metzingen offers access to excellent walking country, and is a good centre for exploring Swabia and Bavaria.  The university city of Tubingen is nearby, and Lake Constance and the Swiss border are within easy reach, as is Stuttgart with its Mercedes-Benz museum and impressive art gallery.