Germany Travel Guide – Fun Facts
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Capital City: Berlin.
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As of 2024, Germany had the largest population (84.5 million) and economy (3.73 Trillion GDP in USD$) of any EU member country.
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Second most popular location for immigration in the entire world.
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First country to implement Daylight Savings Time in 1916.
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Germany has more zoos than any other country, with over 400.
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Over half of the autobahn network in Germany has no speed limit!
Frankfurt
Located in the Hesse state, Frankfurt is the fifth largest city in Germany. It is also known as ‘Mainhattan’ thanks to the skyscrapers that dominate its skyline and its location along the Main River. Frankfurt is the financial capital of the country and one of Europe’s top financial cities.
The city’s airport is the busiest in all of Germany and the third busiest in all of the European Union (based on number of flights). This is likely because it is Lufthansa’s main hub! It is also one of two cities that claim to be the birthplace of the modern hot dog – the other being Vienna.
Stuttgart
About an hour and a half east by train from Frankfurt, in the Swabia region of Germany, is Stuttgart. The city is known as the “Cradle of the Automobile” because it is believed cars were invented here! So it makes sense that both Mercedes Benz and Porsche have facilities and museums in the city. Even so, over half of Stuttgart is covered in green space and stairs! They have nearly 1,000 acres of parks/green spaces and 400 sets of stairs throughout the city.
Stuttgart is one of the largest wine-growing cities in Germany, covering over 25,000 acres. They plant a variety of grapes including Riesling, Trollinger, Lemberger, and Pinot Noir. More of a beer fan? Stuttgart also has the 2nd largest beer festival in Europe – Cannstatter Volksfest.
Munich
Munich, or München in German, means ‘Home of the Monks’. It’s the capital of Bavaria and the third largest city in Germany behind Berlin and Hamburg. The city is a major high-speed train hub connecting much of Europe. The central station, München Hauptbahnhof, sees over 400,000 passengers a day.
Munich is known for being a beer city. It’s home to the “Big 6” German breweries – Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten – as well as the world famous Oktoberfest. Not a beer drinker? Then explore the Englischer Garten – one of the largest urban parks in the world! There you’ll find the Eisbach wave, which people surf on year round. I didn’t know river surfing was a thing but Munich is actually the birthplace and world capital of the sport.
