Palace Square (Schlossplatz)
The Palace Square is the symbolic heart of
Stuttgart, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Baroque New
Palace. Once the residence of kings, it was built between 1746 and
1806 and is now a base for the state government. If the New Palace
feels a bit French it's because the Duke Carl Eugen of Wurttemberg
wanted to create a Versailles in Stuttgart. The striking König
Wilhelm Jubilee Column was erected in 1841 to honour King Wilhelm's
silver jubilee, while the statue of Concordia, the Roman goddess of
harmony, was added in 1863. The two fountains were built at the
same time, with the eight cherubs each representing one of
Wurttemberg's rivers. It's possible to catch the hop-on hop-off
tour bus from the square, which is a popular starting point for
explorations of the city.
Palace Square
Stefan Fussan
Old and New State Gallery
Built between 1838 and 1843 under King
Wilhelm I of Wuerttemberg, the Old State Gallery in Stuttgart
features a prestigious range of paintings, drawings, sculptures and
prints from the 14th to the 19th centuries, with Ratgeb, Canaletto,
Memling and Rembrandt taking centre stage. On the same floor is the
New State Gallery, dedicated to the art of the 20th century.
Looking at important schools within various art movements such as
Fauvism, German Expressionism, Die Brucke and Cubism, the New State
Gallery includes works by masters such as Picasso, Beckmann, Beuys,
Kiefer and Klee.
New State Gallery
Timothy Brown
Kunstmuseum Stuttgart
Centrally located, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart is a work of art in
itself. Its modern cuboid design transforms from a glass hexahedron
during the day to reveal a colourful skeletal interior when lit up
at night. Opened in 2005, the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart is renowned for
its prestigious collection of work by Otto Dix, the famous German
artist remembered for his ruthless depictions of Weimar society and
brutality of war. The colourful and abstract art of Willi
Baumeister and the mixed media work of contemporary artist Dieter
Roth are also on display, along with ever-changing international
exhibitions.
Kunstmuseum Stuttgart
Julian Herzog
Mercedes-Benz Museum
The impressive Mercedes-Benz Museum is housed in a slick,
contemporary building, an icon of modern architecture. With an
exhibition space filling seven storeys, it takes visitors on a
chronological journey through the history of the Mercedes
automobile; combining world events occurring at the same time as
Karl Benz's breakthroughs and displaying more than 160 different
vehicles, from racers and concept cars to aircraft engines and the
popemobile. Automobile aficionados will be in heaven but even
non-petrolheads will be intrigued. Visitors take the elevator to
the top of the building and then wind their way down
chronologically on a spiral until they reach the ground and the
present day.
Address:
Mercedesstrasse 100
Transport:
S-Bahn - line S1 (Neckarpark); Bus line 56
Opening time:
Tuesday to Sunday 9am-6pm. Closed on
Monday.
Mercedes-Benz Museum
Chris Tomlinson
Wilhelma Zoo
Initially a 19th-century Moorish garden for
King Wilhelm I, the beauty of the Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical
Garden never fails to leave a lasting impression. It has a
concerted dedication to conservation and teaching, supporting
initiatives to reintroduce animals back into the wild and holding
regular educational tours to inform and enthuse. There are
countless exotic plants, a range of biospheres in magnificent
greenhouses and an aquarium, all interspersed with lovely historic
buildings. The zoo takes care of some 8,000 animals, including
crocodiles, apes, polar bears and even elephants, all living among
5,000 different plant species. It survives as Europe's only
combined zoological and botanical garden.
Address:
Neckartalstrasse Road
Transport:
Stadtbahn/Metropolitan Railway, route U 14: Wilhelma
Station
Opening time:
8.15am-6.30pm
Lutung monkey
Josefma
Mineral Baths
Sitting on one of the largest mineral water
reserves in Europe, the Mineral Baths of Stuttgart have been luring
residents with its liquid vitality for more than two millennia.
Relaxing in a hot, steamy mineral bath is a good way to spend some
downtime, and the water is thought to help with skin ailments,
respiratory issues and heart problems. Das Leuze, Mineralbad
Cannstatt and Mineral Bath Berg all feature hot and cold mineral
baths, saunas, hot tubs and swimming pools. Das Leuze is geared
toward families with its playground, children's pool and bright
colours, while Mineralbad Cannstatt caters more for adults looking
for a haven of tranquillity. Mineral Bath Berg is a 1950s gem, its
iron-rich waters recognised by the state as a heilbad for its
medicinal properties.
Mineralbad Cannstatt
Klaus Enslin
Porsche Museum
The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart covers more
than 75 years of Porsche engineering and memorabilia. Extremely
popular with petrolheads, it also interests those not obsessed with
cars as there's loads of entertaining and informative exhibits and
designs. The Porsche Museum, which has become a city landmark,
displays all the historical and contemporary knowledge about the
Porsche brand as well as housing a collection of about 80 cars as
well as a number of smaller exhibits. They also put up regular
special exhibitions and you can check for details on these
temporary treats on their website.
Porsche Museum
Benutzer Bran
Stuttgart has an oceanic climate, with huge temperature swings
from summer to winter. Summers are warm, with an average
temperature of 68°F (20°C), although it can reach as high as 95°F
(35°C) in July and August. Winters are long, lasting from December
to March, with the coldest months (December and January) averaging
temperatures around 32°F (0°C). Rainfall is spread evenly
throughout the year, with an average of 9 to 10 rainy days per
month. Summer is considered the best time to visit Stuttgart due to
the long, sunny days. However, the heat and crowds at summer's peak
mean many choose to visit in the early autumn (September and
October).
Stuttgart International Airport
Location: The airport is located eight miles (13km) south of
Stuttgart city centre.
Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March
and the last Sunday in October).
Transfer Between Terminals:
All the terminals are within easy walking distance of one
another.
Getting to the city:
The airport is connected to central Stuttgart by S-Bahn lines S2
and S3. In addition to the train service, there are several direct
bus links to destinations in and around Stuttgart, as well as a
24-hour taxi service.
Car Rental:
Car hire companies include Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt.
Airport Taxis:
Taxis are available outside the terminals and the trip to
central Stuttgart takes about 30 minutes.
Facilities:
Facilities at the airport include banks, ATMs and bureaux de
change. There are restaurants, bars and fast food outlets, a
variety of shops including duty-free, and wifi access.
Parking
There are short and long-term parking options available at
Stuttgart Airport and parking can be reserved in advance.
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Most attractions and places of interest in
Stuttgart are in the inner city, making getting around on foot
easy. Hiring a car isn't recommended as the public transport system
is reliable, the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn trains proving good for
getting to the suburbs. Passengers can use tickets across the range
of transportation modes including buses, trains and trams.
For tourists, all day tickets are more cost
effective. If staying longer, the special three-day ticket is a
good alternative. Taxis can be expensive but if sharing or looking
for transport late at night, they are a more convenient option, as
are the numerous ride-sharing apps. Bicycles are also hired out in
some areas and as Stuttgart has some lovely open areas and parks,
cycling can be a fun and convenient way of getting around.
With good restaurants, superb local
wineries and a hearty dose of culture, along with beer festivals,
art galleries and a host of beautiful parks, Stuttgart has all the
elements of a big city. The variety of things to see and do in
Stuttgart will impress visitors from all walks of life. Families
are swept up in the open spaces and thoroughly entertained at the
planetarium and Wilhelma Zoo, while the city's mineral-rich pools,
saunas, hot tubs and spas lure those in search of health,
relaxation and rejuvenation. Car enthusiasts are predictably
enamoured with their lot, as the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz museums
never cease to enthral.
Other attractions in Stuttgart include its
impressive art galleries: the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart is housed in a
building which is considered a work of modern art in itself, while
the Old and New State Gallery owns masterpieces dating from the
14th to the 19th centuries. The Palace Square (Schlossplatz) is a
must for visitors as it's the symbolic heart of the city and a
popular meeting spot adjoining the remarkable New Palace, a baroque
fortress built between 1748 and 1806.
Stuttgart can get swelteringly hot in
summer and bitterly cold in winter, so the best time to visit is in
the shoulder seasons. At the end of August and during the month of
September, visitors can join the fun at the Wine Village Festival
and taste more than 200 different wines, or enjoy music and
merrymaking at the Cannstatt Beer Festival, the second largest beer
festival after Munich's Oktoberfest. The city shimmers in
springtime, as do the parks and surrounding vineyards, which host a
plethora of different festivals.
Palace Square
Stefan Fussan
New State Gallery
Timothy Brown
Kunstmuseum Stuttgart
Julian Herzog
Mercedes-Benz Museum
Chris Tomlinson
Lutung monkey
Josefma
Mineralbad Cannstatt
Klaus Enslin
Porsche Museum
Benutzer Bran
