Germany

I have visited Germany on 2 separate occasions, and this post covers both. My first trip to Germany was with friends, during which we spent the few days straddling New Years 2025 in Munich. My second trip to Germany was with my family a year and a half later in Summer 2026, where we took a quick 4-day tour of Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich. My second trip was also partially motivated by my having been a remote summer researcher with a group at the University of Stuttgart. While my family went to spend the day in Stuttgart, I went to visit the lab.

Frankfurt

Our touchdown in Deutschland was the financial hub of Europe’s economic leader. We only spent one afternoon here, but we squeezed in enough time to see the old town hall (Frankfurter Römer), the nearby gothic church, and indulged on some iconic local cuisine.

Among the pastries, I particularly liked the mini Frankfurter Kranz – a small ring of decadence coated with candied hazelnuts and topped with what we originally thought to be pieces of fruit but turned out to be red candy. Traditionally, it is indeed topped with red cherries and is baked to resemble the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor. At this same little cafe, I learned from my sister that Black Forest Cake is actually German.

The highlight of our fleeting Frankfurt evening was Mosebach, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant hidden away from the tourist center with an inconspicuously quiet exterior. There were absolutely no customers sitting inside for pedestrians to see. I thought I had made a poor dinner choice until the waiter took us to exterior seating in the terrace behind the building, where the atmosphere was immaculate. Every table was seated except the one fated to be ours. A mostly-local customer base unwound on a Friday night with beer and cards over Schnitzel. It was here that we tried the Grüne Soße mit Schnitzel, a Frankfurt staple.

Stuttgart

Our second stop took us to the capital of Baden-Württemberg and the birthplace of the automobile: Stuttgart. On our first day, we explored the area around the hotel situated in Neckarpark, including the main tourist attraction of the Mercedes Benz museum. Prior to that, we made a quick stop for lunch where we had some underwhelming Frankfurter Wursts and I ordered the Stuttgart specialty of Maultaschen which I can only describe as the skin of ravioli wrapped around the filling of chinese dumplings.

In the evening, we took a casual stroll through downtown Stuttgart, which I found to be excessively commercial. The streets of what should have been old-town were lined with upscale clothing boutiques and American fast food joints. That said, we passed by the lively and lovely Schlossplatz and took a few pictures of the Neues and Altes Schloss.

The next days had me mostly visiting the University of Stuttgart and meeting my summer colleagues. On the train out, I enjoyed some Wursts from the local farmer’s market.

Munich 2025

My first time in Munich with the boys unfortunately saw me sick for half the stay. We were in Munich for 3 nights and 4 days, but I only really left the hostel for 2 of those 4 days. The days where I was cooped up, I survived off Brotchen and Suppe from the Aldis next door. I did, however, muster up enough energy to tag along for the New Years festivities and a visit to Dachau, Germany’s first concentration camp that set the precedent for future camps.

A snow-dusted Dachau in the winter was the most emotionally powerful experience I have ever had as a tourist abroad. The atmosphere surrounding the camp is silent, somber, and lamenting – as expected. For 3 hours, I walked the grounds where tens of thousands of lives and burning spirits were snuffed. In the comfort of my scarf, gloves, and coat, I attempted to imagine a single day in what was endless torment for the victims suffering from infinitely more than just a slight cold sting on their cheek. I was brought to private and uncontrollable tears as we passed the crematorium which roared agnostic to whether they were decimating bodies or belongings some 80 years ago. Amidst this looming sense of hopelessness, the candid attitude of apologetic acknowledgement of our German-native tour guide garnered me much additional respect for the German people as a whole. Dachau is a must-visit for the tourist seeking depth over leisure.

Munich 2026

My second time and third time in Munich were with my family and by myself respectively. I didn’t have much time in either case – only an afternoon. With only so much time, what else is there to do but EAT and DRINK? I hit the historic Hofbrauhaus and Weisses Bräuhaus with only meat, potatoes, and beer in mind.