Fact Sheets & Video - Germany

Stuttgart is a city bursting with history and culture. Its ballet is world renowned, its opera is famous throughout the country and its modern art gallery has one of the finest collections in Europe. But Stuttgart is best known as the home of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz - and of course, the famous Autobahn, a highway with absolutely no speed limit.

The Mercedes-Benz museum is a modern glass and steel structure displaying more than 70 vehicles. Admission is free, and the cars you'll see span the history of the automobile, for it was near this site that the very first gas-powered automobiles were built.

Mercedes-Benz is very proud of the fact that they invented the first practical automobiles, and as you enter the museum that's what you'll see. Be sure to grab a wireless radio for a description of all of the exhibits.

The museum also features a display of current models, including the cute 'Smart Car', which was originally the result of a partnership between Swatch and Daimler-Benz. The museum also designed the first pope mobile, for Pope Paul the sixth. You'll also see the Silver Arrow and learn how the legend was born.

The other big attraction is the Porsche museum, where you can see the greatest and the latest from this incredible car maker - like the Cayenne, whish goes from 0 to 100 in 7.2 seconds. You can also take a look at the three-dimensional site plan of the Porsche plant in Stuttgart. The various production areas are indicated with different colours in the overall view. You'll receive more detailed information during the virtual tour and in the History of Porsche Production display.

After soaking up a world of car history you may want to take things up a notch and hit the famous Autobahn. It's not often you get to drive on a highway with no speed limit, so make the most of it and push the accelerator to the floor. The only speed limit is how fast you're prepared to go!

To settle your nerves afterwards grab yourself a traditional German beer, a stein. Like Munich's popular Oktoberfest, Stuttgart has a beer festival as well. Their beer festival's only on during October, and a litre of steins costs around $4.

The facts:

Thai Airways International fly to Frankfurt. Prices start from $2057 ex east coast and $1985 ex west coast. Includes taxes. Subject to exchange rates. Conditions apply.

Thai Airways International

Tel: 1300 651 960

Hire a car from Hertz car rental. Prices start from $83 a day for one to two days and $95 a day for three to five days for a small sedan.

Accommodation at Maritim Hotel starts from $150 per person twin share. This price is valid until 31 December, 2004.

Travelworld

Tel: 13 14 35

Suggested reading material: Lonely Planet

Prices correct at 29/11/04