Things to Do in Stuttgart: A Guide to Germany’s Auto and Wine City
Stuttgart surprised me. I had heard it described as a city of car factories, and it is true that cars are everywhere here, but I found far more than that. Set in a valley of vineyards, with a compact old town and some of the best museums I have visited in Germany, Stuttgart turned out to be a place worth far more than a single day. Here is how I explored it.
Visit the Porsche Museum and the Mercedes Museum
Anyone with even a passing interest in cars should come to Stuttgart for the museums alone, and I visited both of them. The Mercedes Mercedes Museum sits near the stadium in a striking building designed to hold the story of the brand, and inside I walked a timeline of automotive history lined with everything from the very first cars to modern racing machines. The Porsche Museum, set near the iconic factory, is more focused and stunning, with its collection displayed in a vast white space. I gave each museum a full half day because there is a lot to see, and both were some of the finest vehicle museums I have ever been to.
Walk the Old Town and Schlossplatz
The center of Stuttgart is easy to walk and I spent a good part of a day just strolling it. The Schlossplatz is the main square, dominated by the old palace and the New Palace, with a colonnade and gardens. I wandered past the state theaters and along the shopping streets that fan out from the square. Near the palace I took a moment to walk through the quieter gardens, which were a lovely escape from the busier shopping areas. The old town is compact enough that you can see the main sights on foot without any transport.
Visit the Staatsgalerie and Plieningen Heights
Art lovers should make room for the Staatsgalerie, the state art gallery, which sits in a striking modern extension built against the older gallery. I spent a pleasant afternoon there, moving from medieval altarpieces to modern paintings and sculpture. For the best view of the whole city, I then made my way to the high ground around the city, where a short trip up the surrounding hills gave me a sweeping panorama of Stuttgart spread across its valley, with the vineyards and forests climbing the slopes all around it. It is the kind of view that explains immediately why the city feels so tied to its natural setting.
Explore the Vineyards and Wine Culture
Stuttgart sits inside one of the larger wine growing regions in Germany, and the vineyards climb right up the hills around the center. I joined a short wine tasting at a local producer and tried a few of the regional whites, which are lighter and crisp. The signs of this culture are everywhere, from the terraced slopes you can see from the valley to the wine festivals that take place through the year. In summer, many locals gather in the wine bars of the city center, and I found a relaxed spot where I sat with a glass and watched the evening settle in.
Take a Day Trip into the Surrounding Countryside
Stuttgart also works well as a base for exploring the wider region. I took a short train ride to the town of Ludwigsburg, best known for its grand baroque palace and gardens, which took me a pleasant afternoon to see. Back toward the city, the countryside is marked by forests and small towns, and I could easily have spent longer hopping between them. If you have the time, a rental car would open up even more of this green, gently hilly landscape.
See the Fernsehturm and the Rosenstein Park
For views without the drive, I took the lift up the television tower that stands just outside the center of Stuttgart. On a clear day the panorama from the top takes in the whole city and the green hills around it, and I could easily pick out the landmarks I had visited. For a calmer afternoon, I walked through the Rosenstein Park and the adjoining zoological and botanical gardens, which lie on the eastern edge of town. The park stretches for a long way along the river, with lawns, mature trees, and a quieter atmosphere that made an easy contrast to the museums and the shopping streets. It was a pleasant way to slow down after a busy couple of days.
Plan Your Visit Well
Stuttgart has its own airport and is well connected by high speed trains, so it is easy to reach from across Germany and Europe. The warmer months are the most pleasant, when the outdoor cafes and wine bars are at their best, though the museums and the palace keep the city worth a visit in any season. Two to three days is a good amount of time to catch the car museums, the old town, and at least one day trip. I came to Stuttgart for the engineering and stayed for the wine, the views, and the calm pace of the place. It earned a spot on my list of favorite German cities.
