11 Top Things to do in Stuttgart, Germany

Things to do in Stuttgart

1. Schlossplatz

The square is the center of Stuttgart’s old town and the place everyone eventually ends up. It’s huge: wide grass fields around the Neues Schloss castle, two fountains, and a tall victory column in the middle.

When we visited, there was a beach volleyball tournament, and the whole square was packed with people watching. But even on a normal day, locals use it like a park. Families, picnics, people playing games on the grass. Walk around the back of the castle too; there’s a flower garden and a pond, and it’s quieter than the main square.

2. Old Castle (Altes Schloss)

Just across from the Schlossplatz, you’ll find the Altes Schloss (old castle). Even if you don’t visit the museum inside, it’s worth stepping through the gates into the beautiful inner courtyard. Surrounded by elegant arches on all sides and a unique clock face where two rams lock horns on the hour, it’s definitely a unique corner of the city.

We only had time to visit the courtyard (free to enter). But if you do want the full museum experience, you can enter with the StuttCard, a city pass that includes many of the places in this guide. Before your visit, make sure to check opening times online.

3. City Library Stuttgart

The library had been on our bucket list for a while, purely because of how it looks. The building is entirely white inside, walls and stairs included, with a massive central void that makes it feel more like a gallery than a place to borrow books. Our top tip: The library is huge (9 floors), so take the lift straight to the top and work your way down.

We visited on a Friday afternoon, and it was quiet, mostly families picking up books for the weekend. Remember, it’s a place of study for many, so keep your voice down while inside.

4. Mercedes-Benz Museum

Neither of us are big car people, which made this one of the bigger surprises of the trip. There’s either the Porsche Museum or the Mercedes Museum to visit, but we chose this one because we’d heard the architecture here was next level, which was totally true! The building feels like something out of a sci-fi movie; you take a futuristic elevator to the top floor and walk slowly down through the entire history of the automobile.

The old-timers were our favorites, all unusual colors and strange proportions. There are interactive spots too, including a Formula One wheel change, which would be fun for kids.

5. Grave Chapel on the Württemberg

The Grabkapelle is a beautiful hilltop chapel just outside Stuttgart, surrounded by vineyards and walking trails. We visited while it was being prepared for a wedding, and honestly, we completely understood why people choose to get married here.

Don’t miss the:

• Bright white interior and dome, which almost made us feel like we were in Rome.
• Basement, where the acoustics are incredible. Stand in the center and sing a few notes (I suddenly sounded like the best singer in the room!).
• Stuttgart Wine Trail, a circular walk which leads through beautiful vineyards, wineries, and traditional taverns.
• 1819 Bistro am Wirtemberg, a cute café next door for coffee, lunch, or ice cream with vineyard views.

6. Day Trip: Esslingen am Neckar

Esslingen was one of our favorite surprises near Stuttgart. Just ten minutes by train from the city center, this little town feels like stepping into the Germany you might have imagined before your trip: colorful half-timbered houses, canals, cozy cafés, and beautiful viewpoints over the vineyards.

Visit in the morning; we arrived around 9 AM and had the streets almost completely to ourselves, with a beautiful morning glow over the town. Don’t miss:

• Esslingen Castle: The uphill walk is a bit of a workout, but the views over the town and vineyards are worth every step. And it’s completely free.

• Stadtkirche St. Dionys: A beautiful church with a bridge connecting its two towers, which you can also spot from the castle walls.

• Agnesbrücke: One of the prettiest photo spots in town, overlooking the canals and half-timbered houses.

• Taste local sparkling wine: Esslingen is home to Germany’s oldest sparkling wine producer, Kessler Sekt. If you enjoy wine, it’s a fun local experience to add to your morning in town.
• HYGGE or Café Findelkind: Our favorites! Both are great spots for brunch.

7. Ludwigsburg Palace

Ludwigsburg Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces we’ve ever visited and an easy day trip from Stuttgart. Built in the early 1700s as the residence of the Dukes and later the Kings of Württemberg, the palace feels like a step back in time.

You can only visit the inside on a guided tour, with both German and English options available. The route changes between the male wing (the duke’s apartments) and the female wing (the duke’s mistress’s apartments), so you never know which one you’ll get. We visited the female wing and absolutely loved it; the pink hallways, ornate rooms, chapel, and theatre were all stunning.

There’s also a huge palace garden outside, so if you’re visiting in spring or summer, it’s well worth adding to see all the flowers in bloom.

8. State Gallery (Staatsgalerie)

The most distinctive part of the State Gallery for us was that many of the modern-looking pieces date back to the 1700s! Seeing a year like 1743 next to an abstract painting makes you think differently about what those artists were risking. No examples to follow, and probably people around them who thought it was nonsense.

The building itself is distinctive too, with bold green detailing on the facade. Entry is €10, or free on Wednesdays. Covered by the StuttCard.

9. Calwer Straße and Passage

The Calwer Straße is a great place to shop in Stuttgart! You’ll find cute boutique shops, wine bars, and some beautiful old buildings. Don’t miss the Calwer Passage either, a covered shopping arcade with a plant-covered exterior and a glass roof overhead.

It’s a short walk from the Hauptbahnhof, or take the U2 or U14 to Rotebühlplatz. Worth building into a morning of city-center browsing.

10. TV Tower (Fernsehturm Stuttgart)

If you want the best views of Stuttgart, the TV Tower is the place to go. It was actually the world’s first television tower! At 216 meters tall, you can see across the city rooftops, surrounding vineyards, and all the things to do in this guide.

There are two viewing platforms at the top, so you can enjoy panoramic views from every angle. Hannah is afraid of heights, so she had pretty shaky legs up here, but the views more than made up for it.

11. Markthalle

The Markthalle is a beautiful 1914 Art Nouveau building with a glass roof and colorful stalls packed underneath it. We saw filled dates, pastries, olives, cheeses, fresh flowers, and so many other delicious things to try. But there are also plenty of outdoor terraces around it where you can just grab a cold drink.

It’s free to get in, which makes it an easy stop even if you’re just passing through the old town. Open Monday to Saturday; closed Sundays (check opening times beforehand). There’s also a mural on one of the outside walls that’s worth a look.

How to Visit Stuttgart

Stuttgart has its own international airport (STR) with direct connections across Europe. We drove from the Netherlands, which took six to seven hours, and then continued south towards Austria.

If you’re traveling by train, Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof is well-connected to Frankfurt, Munich, and Zurich. See all tickets.

Getting Around

The city center is walkable, and public transport covers everything further out (Stuttgart’s U-Bahn and bus network is straightforward). If you’re driving in, parking is expensive and can fill up fast. We parked at our hotel and didn’t move the car again.

Tip: The StuttCard bundles museum entry with unlimited public transport. It comes in 24h, 48h, and 72h versions, and almost every sight in this guide is included. We recommend you buy the card online before your first day out.

Where to Eat in Stuttgart

• Fritz Stuttgart: Best brunch spot we found in the city! It was on the ground floor of our hotel, which was very convenient ;)
• 60 Seconds to Napoli: Great pizzas
• Greek Cuisine: We had the tzatziki here, and it was *chef’s kiss*!
• Kesselglück: Delicious ice cream!
• Doen Doen® Kebap: A good veggie takeaway option if you want something quick and cheap.
• Gasthaus Bären: Traditional Swabian cuisine; the place to go if you want to eat something local and regional.

Where to Stay in Stuttgart

Stay in the city center, as you’ll be walking to most things, and the public transport is right there when you need it.

We stayed at EmiLu Design Hotel, which worked really well. It’s within walking distance of Schlossplatz, the Markthalle, and the old town. Fritz Stuttgart, our favorite brunch spot in the city, is on the ground floor, and there’s also a gym and sauna on site.

Our favorite hotels in Stuttgart 😴

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EmiLu Design Hotel

Stuttgart

Park Inn Radisson

Stuttgart

Aparthotel Adagio

Stuttgart

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How many days in Stuttgart? Two full days are the minimum. But we recommend adding a third if you want to fit in both Esslingen and Ludwigsburg as day trips.

Cost Breakdown

Coming from the Netherlands, we found prices in Stuttgart pretty similar. It’s not the cheapest city in Germany, but it’s definitely more budget-friendly than Berlin or Munich.

Tip: We really loved the StuttCard, which definitely pays for itself quickly. Two museum entries alone almost cover the cost of the 48h card.

Best Time to Visit Stuttgart

We visited in early June, which turned out to be the best time! Days were sunny, and the whole city moved outside: Schlossplatz filled with people picnicking and playing games, terrace culture was in full swing, and the vineyard walks around the Grabkapelle were at their best. But anytime during the summer months would be a good time to visit.

Spring works well too, especially if Ludwigsburg’s garden is in bloom. Winter is also popular for those who want to visit the Stuttgart Christmas Market (there are popular markets in Ludwigsburg and Esslingen as well).