Hamburg's bridges – more than Venice and Amsterdam combined
Hamburg lies in a water labyrinth of the Elbe, Alster, Bille, Fleeten, and harbor basins. That is why the city has an unusually large number of bridges—estimates range between 2,300 and just under 2,500, depending on how they are counted, in some cases significantly more than in Venice and Amsterdam combined. The difference is due to definitions: Do you only count road bridges? Or also rail, foot, and harbor crossings? A frequently cited figure comes from a 2004 LSBG report with 2,496 bridges; Guinness generally speaks of 2,300–2,500; municipal buildings and museums usually say "almost 2,500." . What remains is the image of a city that repeatedly builds paths over water – from delicate park footbridges to landmarks such as the Köhlbrand Bridge. For visitors, this means that if you want to experience Hamburg, you should simply walk across as many different crossings as possible. You quickly realize that "city of bridges" is not just marketing here, but everyday life.

The gummy bear from Bonn – a small idea, a big export
In 1922, Hans Riegel invented the "Tanzbär" (dancing bear) in Bonn, the precursor to today's Goldbären. The story is surprisingly down-to-earth: soft fruit gum figures, inspired by fairground bears, sold for little money – and suddenly a big hit. The family business HARIBO ("HA-RI-BO" for Hans Riegel Bonn) became a brand that made gummy bears popular worldwide. It is exciting to see how early on, form factor and price drove distribution: small size, lots of pieces, high fun-per-penny factor. The fact that we take gummy bears for granted today is due to this early product-market fit. If you want to follow the development, take a look at the company chronicle – from dancing bears to gold bears to countless flavor variations. Fun detail: the very first bears were larger and slimmer than the current ones. And yes, English pop culture has long since adopted the "gummy bear" – but its roots remain in the Rhineland.

Oktoberfest – the world's largest folk festival
Oktoberfest is not just about drinking lots of beer. It is a seasonal state of emergency with precise choreography: breweries erect tents, security and sanitation logistics run like clockwork, and millions of guests find their place. Officially, the Wiesn is considered the largest folk festival in the world; depending on the year, visitor numbers fluctuate greatly with the weather and duration: in 2023, around 7.2 million guests were reported, in 2024 around 6.7 million. The record-breaking nature lies less in a single figure than in the overall format: customs, music, rides – and the amazing ability to manage this size year after year. Those who want to go find it easier to get in during the week during the day; evenings and weekends are traditionally busier. And: reservations are nice, but not mandatory – the classic remains the patient "we'll squeeze in together."

Fanta – Improvisation in front of Orange
The origins of Fanta are a lesson in inventiveness born of necessity: during the Second World War, the ingredients for Coca-Cola were not available in Germany. Coca-Cola Germany therefore developed a substitute drink in 1941 from whatever was available – whey, apple scraps, sugar beet – and, after a brainstorming session, named it "Fanta" (from "fantasy"). The orange version that is popular today was not created until 1955 in Italy. The fact that brands later struggled with this history is demonstrated, among other things, by a 2015 anniversary campaign that was revised after criticism. What is important to note is that the historical recipe was a product of an economy of scarcity; modern Fanta is a completely different drink – but the name still reminds us of its improvised beginnings.

1. Germany’s official bread register lists 3,200+ varieties.

2. Wuppertal’s suspended railway has run since 1901.

3. Ulm Minster boasts the world’s tallest church spire (161 m).

4. Berlin has Europe’s densest theater-and-orchestra scene.

5. In the Black Forest, you’ll find house-sized cuckoo clocks.

6. Cologne Cathedral took 632 years to complete.

7. Lake Constance touches Germany, Austria and Switzerland—no single border line on the water.

8. Zugspitze at 2,962 m is Germany’s highest peak.

9. Rügen’s chalk cliffs inspired Caspar David Friedrich’s paintings.

10. Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland is the world’s largest model railway.