Munich and Stuttgart: Germany's Perfect Match

Famished after an afternoon of exploring such venerable Munich sites as Marienplatz (the massive central square) and Maximillianstrasse (a shopping boulevard), I needed just such a muse. In a city of gourmands, finding the right eating venue is no simple matter. Hofbraeuhaus, complete with an oompah band and a breathalyzer in the corner, is where many a tourist has bade auf Wiedersehen to sobriety and a low-fat diet.

"Forget about it," said Hans, a friend whose sumo wrestler's girth suggested a profound knowledge of Munich's dining scene. His recommendation for traditional German fare was Hofbraeukeller, a brewery frequented by Munichers in the Haidhausen neighborhood. After a couple of subway stops and a short walk from Max-Weber-Platz, we were led to a heavy wooden table. Sasha, a portly waiter dressed in traditional Bavarian costume, quickly brought us overflowing mugs of Lowenbrau. They were followed by a couple of platters of pork knuckles, sauerkraut and potatoes -- and the bill, for $21.

The next morning, I hopped on the U-Bahn for the 20-minute ride from the city center to Allianz Arena, in the suburb of Froettmanning. I'd overheard a student from the University of Munich raving about the city's soccer teams. Would he recommend a trip to Olympic Park for a visiting sports fan?

"Oh, that's the past," he said. "The Allianz is the future."

Walking toward the stadium from the train station, I could see what he meant. The $435 million building was a gargantuan bubble-shaped structure that looked like an outsize rubber dinghy suspended in air.

Inside I joined a tour with a couple of soccer enthusiasts from England and a gaggle of German fans. For two hours, a guide ushered us behind the scenes and pointed out features that make the 66,000-seat stadium an architectural landmark, including the smooth outer skin (made from a thick fiberglass-like material) draping the exterior. The building's translucent shell is embedded with thousands of lights, allowing the stadium to flash brilliant shades of red, blue and white for a glow visible from miles away.

By tour's end, the group began to swap stories about their favorite players and sing sports combat songs. Brit fan Garry Francis couldn't stop beaming. "I'd come to Germany just to be a part of this," he said.

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Stuttgart is a 2 1/4 -hour train ride from Munich through scenic territory -- forests of birch, rugged mountains, villages with only a church steeple and a few half-timbered homes. It's a far less-visited city than Munich, so I figured it would offer a respite from the World Cup craze.

Not a chance. Amid the hilly enclaves and mix of modern and ancient buildings, posters of soccer players were plastered everywhere. In a walk along Koenigstrasse, a pedestrian shopping promenade, an electronic clock counted down the minutes to the Cup opening. Six games will be played in Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, just outside the city.

Here, too, all of the matches will be broadcast live on a screen in Schlossplatz, the city's main square. At nightfall, the buildings in the center city will be illuminated Times Square-style. And those missing the flow of suds in Munich may be relieved to know that during the tournament, Stuttgart is setting up a wine village -- featuring local vintages -- on centrally located Schillerplatz.

As far as my seatmate on the Munich-to-Stuttgart train was concerned, the not-to-be-missed attractions here are the mineral baths in the city and a couple of small towns. Though tourists generally haven't discovered them, visiting the day spas that have sprung up around the springs is a local pastime.