Germany Guide
Baden-Württemberg
Though the Land of Baden-Württemberg is the result of cobbling together the states of Baden, Hohenzollern and Württemberg after World War II, it feels like a coherent whole thanks to the strong Swabian identity of the people who inhabit the entire federal state. Descended from a Germanic tribe that lived around the Baltic in Roman times, the Swabians subsequently migrated southwest peopling a region north of the Bodensee (Lake Constance). In the rest of Germany they're caricatured as hard-working, frugal and rather boring but their industriousness and inventiveness has undoubtedly contributed to the region's wealth. Unlike Bavaria such prosperity tends not to be flaunted conspicuously, but Swabians have just as strong an identity, built in part around their own food – a pasta-based cuisine including the famous Spätzle – a love of good local wine and quirky regional accent. Baden-Württemberg is also influenced by its proximity to France and Switzerland, and its common history with France in particular.
Though Land capital Stuttgart is the state's industrial powerhouse, it is small and easily navigable, in an attractive setting between a series of hills, with vineyards running right down to the city's edges. Known for its car industry and attendant museums, the city also boasts the best restaurant and nightlife scene in the region. South of Stuttgart lies the upland plateau of the Swabian Alb, a thinly populated agricultural region, encircled by various atmospheric castles, and Tübingen and Ulm, a couple of interesting and upbeat cities. To its south is the vast Bodensee where a huge body of water and Germany's best weather combine to form a popular holiday destination. West of here the hills rise and darken with the Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg's most famous asset. In the far north of the state, the historic towns of Heidelberg and Karlsruhe stick out as places worth visiting on your way in or out of the region.
Stuttgart is the main regional transport hub, but the whole state – with the exception of the Swabian Alb – is easy to navigate by public transport. Getting to remote places is of course easiest with your own wheels – and given the importance of the motor car industry in the state, this is a part of Germany where roads are kept in premium condition, and you can really let rip on the Autobahn.
Highlights
1 Mercedes-Benz-Museum Pay tribute to Swabian hard-work and inventiveness at this magnificent automotive museum.
2 Tübingen Punt or paddle the languid waters of this relaxed and venerable university town.
3 Maultaschen These Swabian ravioli were once poor food but now often the yardstick for many regional restaurants; those at the Hotel am Schloss in Tübingen are hard to beat.
4 Ulm Climb the world's tallest church spire, for giddying old-town views and vistas of the distant Alps.
5 Friedrichshafen Float high above the Bodensee in a Zeppelin, or if your budget won't stretch to it, explore reconstructions and the airship's history at the Zeppelin Museum.
6 ZKM, Karlsruhe Button-push your way into the future at this world-class interactive multimedia museum.
7 Heidelberg Soak up the atmosphere of Germany's most celebrated semi-derelict castle.