Germany is so big, and so diverse, that it's still possible to visit entire sections of the country that are not deluged with tourists in summer, places where the diesel buses disgorge German visitors, not foreigners, and where the vast majority of restaurants cater to local tastes, not timid auslander palates. Such is the region around Stuttgart, including that handsome city itself, and it's all the more reason why you should consider visiting here. In case you're an historian at heart, you'll be in the heart of old Swabia (sway' bee uh), now part of the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
You'd think a metropolis housing two splendid auto museums (Porsche and Mercedes-Benz) would attract plenty of visitors from abroad, but when I visited one fine day recently, I had lots of room to myself. The Porsche Museum is in Building 2 of the factory complex where the car is manufactured. Around 20 production cars, prototypes and racing cars are on display at any given time, as the core of the museum. The museum is open weekdays from 9 to 4, weekends and holidays from 9 to 5, subject to change. Admission is free. And to think it really began with a Volkswagen and that the local police now drive Porsche patrol cars. Located at Porscheplatz 1, 70435 Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, phone 49 711/911-5685. If you want to tour the factory, you must make appointments ahead of time (min. age 18) by calling 49 711/911-5384.
Thumbing its nose at Detroit, the Daimler-Benz Museum (tel. 49 711/172-2578; www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/museum) celebrates "over 110 years of automotive history," with the first motor vehicles of Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, including the first Mercedes, of course, as well as dozens more, and two cinema theaters. Admission is free to the museum, open daily (except Monday) from 9 to 5. There are free audio tours in English and four other languages, as well as easy access for disabled visitors. Located at Mercedesstrasse 137.
The best fine arts destination is the State Gallery on Konrad Adenauerstrasse 30-32, with works by Rembrandt, C¿zanne, Picasso, Warhol and Lichtenstein, to mention only a few artists. Other "must-see" spots include the Fish Market, the Botanical Garden, the TV Tower, and the Bad Cannstatt Mineral Baths/Pool.
But perhaps best of all is to stroll around the Schloss Platz in front of the "New" Castle, take in the nearby Old Castle and its Wuerttemberg Museum, then visit neighboring Konigstrasse, the city's main shopping street. If you have time, visit the Market Hall, and in good weather attend an outdoor performance in the Market Square.
In the evening, take in a performance of the world famous Stuttgart Ballet if you can, or the equally impressive Stuttgart Philharmonic or the State Opera.
Beer Festival & Market
The nearly 200-year-old Cannstatter Beer Festival (www.cannstatter-volksfest.de) takes place this year from September 24 through October 9, open daily from noon to 11, weekends and holidays from 11 to 11. Last year, the city had a package that started from €59 (about $76.20) per person in a double room, giving you bed and breakfast, a welcome drink, a souvenir festival tankard, half a chicken at the festival and a T shirt, as well as a map and guide. The price for 2005 is not yet set, but should be little changed, spokespersons say. Book directly at 49 711/222-8246. In addition to beer and food, there are rides on the Ferris wheel ("the world's largest transportable one"), a craft market, a parade, a hot air balloon race, fireworks and more.
The Stuttgart Christmas Market will open on November 25 this year and run through December 23, 2005, continuing its long tradition since 1692. There are over 230 stalls, making this one of the largest such markets in Europe. There's a kiddyland also, in the Schlossplatz, about five minutes on foot from the main rail station. It will be open daily from 10 AM to 10:30 PM. For more information, go to www.stuttgart-tourist.de.
A Wine Festival runs from August 31 through September 11, daily from 11 to 11, offering more than 350 different kinds of wine, including the fabulous Lemberger, very good Riesling, and lesser known Kerner and Trollinger. Venues: Schillerplatz and Marktplatz.
The city's annual Spring Festival takes place this year from April 16 through May 8 in Cannstatter Wasen, while the Summer Festival is between August 4 and 7, in the city center.
Food and Drink
Among local food specialties, most interesting is schupfnudeln mit sauerkraut (spatzle or noodles), kasespatzle (noodles in cheese), crispy roast leg of pork or roast chicken. Two good places to have these Swabian dishes: Weinhaus Stetter, with a nice outdoor terrace in the cobblestoned street at Rosenstrasse 32, tel. 49 711/24-0163; and at Stuttgarter Staffele, as cozy as all get out, at Buschlestrasse 2a, tel. 49 711/61-7276, also with tables out on the street. At either place, a main course of schupfnudeln mit sauerkraut and a small pitcher of wine for dinner will run about €12 to €15, including tax and service charge (about $15.50 to $19.50). A third, slightly more expensive, restaurant is the Alte Kanzlei am Schillerplatz, also featuring Swabian dishes.
"The beer of the Swabians" is Schwaben Brau, while a good wine is Wurttemeberger itself, as well as those mentioned previously.
Getting Around
Look out for the Stuttcard, a booklet with vouchers and tickets for all kinds of discounts or freebies, from a small carafe of wine at a participating restaurant, or free admission to museums, to free or discounted transport. The basic book costs €11.50 ($14.21), the Stuttcard Plus is €17 ($21.96). The Plus card gives you three days of public transport and the same offers as on the basic card, which means free admission to most museums, up to 20% reduction on city tours and souvenirs, up to 35% reduction for many attractions, including Wilhelma (botanical gardens), the Planetarium, mineral baths, boat trips, and bicycle hire. It also includes a large number of freebies in restaurants. The basic card does not include the free transport for three days.
A Note on Genealogical Roots
Many Americans of German extraction can trace their roots to the old Swabia, now part of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, including the Stuttgart area. Though the authorities welcome inquiries, be sure you come with the vital link, the name of the ancestor who left Germany and went to the USA or Canada. In addition to the usual reference sources, you might want to consult, as I did, with genealogical expert Friedrich R. Wollmershauser, who has compiled a fascinating article about genealogical correspondence and travel. You can correspond with him in English, and may wish to visit his website (still under construction) at www.wollmershaeuser.de. You can also contact him at wollgen@t-online.de.
Those interested in research of this type should also note that a big new institution, the German Museum of Emigration, will open in Bremerhaven in August, 2005. This port was the departure point for most Germans (and people from many other European nations) leaving for America. Check out www.dah-bremerhaven.de.
Finally, the German National Tourist Office, in cooperation with the German Information Center, Research & Travel Inc. and Nonstop Travel have just published a new brochure, "Discover your Roots in Germany," which is available free on the GNTO website or by phoning the GNTO at 800/637-1171.
Getting There
There are dozens of packages from tour operators anxious to take you to Germany, some of which are listed on the German National Tourist Office website. One I like is from Europe Express (tel. 800/927-3876; www.eeitravel.com). It's three-night package to Munich starts from as low as $679 for airfare from New York or Newark, three nights lodging, daily continental breakfast, hotel taxes and service charges, and a free Munich Welcome Card (the latter while supplies last). This price is good for travel through May 29, 2005, and again from September 1 through October 31, 2005. In late spring and through most of summer, the base price is $959, reflecting higher seasonal airfares. You can stay on for extra days, including time enough to make the quick trip over to Swabia and Stuttgart.
On this package, you'll stay at the Atrium Hotel in Munich, though you can upgrade to fancier hotels if you wish. You'll be on your own to see such things as the Marienplatz glockenspiel, the infamous (thanks to Hitler) but gemütlich (thanks to Bavarian hospitality) Hofbrauhaus beer hall, and the nearby fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein, the prototype of Disney's Cinderella castles. The price does not include airport taxes and fees. Add-ons to the package range from $30 out of Boston or Philadelphia through $200 from Phoenix or Seattle, but can range up to $500 out of unusual airports such as those in Burbank and five other smaller California spots
Sources
In addition to our book, Frommer's Germany 2005, you can check out the Stuttgart Visitors Bureau (www.stuttgart-tourist.de) and the German National Tourist Office (www.cometogermany.com).
Head to our Germany Message Boards to talk with fellow Frommer's Travelers today.