Fritz-Walter-Stadion and a view of Kaiserslautern. (AP Photo/Ferdinand Ostrop, AP Photo/Rainer Dietrich)

Kaiserslautern, a town of just 100,000 people in the south-western Rhineland Palatinate region, occupies a special place in Germany's World Cup history.

Of the country's three world titles, the first in 1954 is by far the one which is remembered the most fondly. No one in these parts has ever forgotten that the West Germany side which sensationally beat Hungary in the Final 52 years ago contained no fewer than five Kaiserslautern players, including forward and skipper Fritz Walter, the legendary international after whom the club's home ground is named.

Also known as the Betzenberg, the 39,820 arena has a well-earned reputation for being one of Germany's noisiest and most atmospheric arenas, a place where fans of the 'Roten Teufel' (Red Devils) never hesitate to give maximum backing to their favourites. Conveniently, the Fritz Walter venue is only a five-minute walk from the main railway station in the south of town. Make for the far end of Malzstrasse and then ascend the flight of steps leading to the stadium.

Both inside and out, the stadium has a plethora of snack and drink stands. On Richard Wagner Strasse near the station is the Zick-Zack bar, much-frequented by football fans on matchdays. In these days of extensive personal searches en route to a World Cup ground, you may want to use the facilities of the 'Left Property' bus behind the East Stand. Here you can leave your rucksack, bottles, etc. for free. It's open for an hour after the final whistle.

The World Cup Fan Fest will largely take place in Stiftsplatz, where a giant screen is to be put up. Schneiderstrasse and the Rathaus will also stage a number of events that are bound to attract big crowds.

Kaiserslautern's economy is based on IT and communications industries, car manufacturing, and the presence of 40,000 American servicemen and women at the nearby airbase of Ramstein means the U.S. influence is impossible to miss. Many locals have even adopted Lautern's American nickname of 'K Town', with American-style diners and bars sprinkled around the town.

Probably the best music venue is the Kammgarn centre, a former textile factory on Schonstrasse. It has two concert halls, a nightclub (the Cotton Club), a restaurant and a beer garden. For live jazz, rock, blues, it cannot be beaten and if you are into House and hip-hop, head for the Cameo club on Kantstrasse, which also boasts a good bistro. Other decent nightclubs are A6 on Europallee, Diskothek Flash (Rudolf Breitscheid Strasse) and the Musik-Klub Undeground on Logenstrasse.

Running from the north-east of the town centre to the south-west, the pedestrianised streets of Steinstrasse, Marktstrasse and Kerstrasse have a high concentration of affordable restaurants and lively watering holes. Fan-friendly bars include the Hannen Fass in the central St Martinplatz, the bar of the Dorint Hotel on St Quentin Ring and in the Sportsbar of the Brauhaus am Markt on Stiftplatz, a micro pub where they brew their own beer on the premises. The latter has a very pleasant beer garden in the summer plus a terrace out front.

The best-known local beer is the eminently quaffable Bischoff, while the Rhineland Palatinate region is one of Germany's foremost wine areas, producing dry aromatic whites such as Riesling, Silvaner and Muller-Thurgau.

Other pubs/restaurants worth a visit are the Bavarian-themed Paulaner am Altenhof -- where the wheat beer is always good -- the Gastsatte Leberecht on Humboldstrasse and Die Quinte, a rustic pub on Morlauterenstrasse.

Culinary specialties from these parts such as 'Saumagen' (pig's stomach stuffed with meat potatoes and spices) and 'Pferdwurst' (horsemeat sausages) may be something of an acquired taste.

Indeed, ex-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher famously declined when ex-German Chancellor Helmut Kohl offered her 'Saumagen' during an official visit.

Still, there's plenty of other local dishes which could hit the spot, notably 'Rheinischer Sauerbraten' (succulent marinated roast beef with delicious dark gravy) and Pfalzer Pfannkuchen' (Palatinate pancakes).

For outstanding German cooking -- lots of excellent roast meats, schnitzel and imaginative salads -- try one of the two dining rooms at the Blechhammer Hotel (Am Hammerweiher), the Burgschanke Schloss near the Town Hall on Willy Brandt Platz or Spinnradl (Schillerstrasse), the only remaining half-timbered building in Kaiserslautern. The popular Tapasbar can be found in St Martinsplatz, while one of the best of many Italians is the Ristorante Medici in Munchstrasse. The ice cream at the Eiscafe Dolce Vita on Eisenbahnstrasse is wonderful.

Tourist attractions tend to be in the northern part of town with the 14th-century St Martinskirche (St Martins Church), the Gothic Stiftskirche and the ponds and waterfalls of the Japanese Garden, off Lauterstrasse, all well worth a visit.

Kaiserslautern is compact enough to be manageable on foot, but should the legs go, there is an efficient bus network to fall back on, with most routes converging on the central stops at the Rathaus and Schillerstrasse. An extremely helpful tourist information office is in the Rathaus on Willy Brandt Platz.

The nearest airport is in Saarbrucken, around 55 km away. The journey to Kaiserslautern by train takes 45 minutes.

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