20 Things To Do In Stuttgart

Stuttgart is one of Germany’s major cities and the capital of Baden-Württemberg in the country’s southwest. Like many German cities, it is packed with modern and historic buildings, with fascinating history, fun attractions, good food and beer. The city is in a scenic location on the Neckar River and there is a dizzying array of things to do in Stuttgart, from exploring the heart of Germany’s automotive industry to discovering one of the country’s most celebrated wine regions.

It also has a vast array of museums and art galleries packed full of famous names, where families, couples and solo travellers can all find something to enjoy. A city of all seasons, whether you visit in the summertime to enjoy the many parks, gardens and outdoor festivals and concerts, or in winter when it will be dusted in snow and host the annual Christmas market, Stuttgart always delivers.

Stuttgart, Germany

20 Things To Do In Stuttgart

1- Wander Around Schlossplatz

Schlossplatz is located in the heart of Stuttgart and is surrounded by some of the city’s most important and historic buildings, such as the Neues Schloss (New Castle).

You can also visit the Landesmuseum, Old Schloss and Haus der Geschicht (History Museum), which are all close by. Skip the line and book your tickets here. 

The vast area has some walkways but is mainly covered in lots of parkland and gardens, where you’ll spot locals enjoying a drink or just relaxing in the sunshine.

It is also a common spot in the city for hosting festivals, concerts and other significant events, including one of Stuttgart’s Christmas markets and its ice rink in the winter.

The Stuttgart 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour will get you to most places. 

2- Take A Tour Of Solitude Palace

Solitude Palace is easily one of Stuttgart’s most famous attractions.

The stunning yellow building is on a hill in the city’s west and was built in the 18th century.

In the palace, you can learn all about its history and explore the many different lavishly-decorated rooms.

Previously, the palace was used as a primary residence and hunting retreat by the Duke of Württemberg, Charles Eugene.

The view from the palace is stunning, taking in the three surrounding cities of Stuttgart, Leonberg and Gerlingen, and the palace is also surrounded by manicured Baroque gardens, which you can wander around after your tour.

3- See The Exhibits At the Mercedes Benz Museum

Stuttgart is heaven for car enthusiasts, offering more than one sports car museum and complex – but let’s begin with Mercedes.

Anyone who knows about cars will know that Germany is a world leader in cars: building, racing and manufacturing.

At the museum, visitors can tour the different floors, each dedicated to iconic Mercedes models throughout the years.

Learning about the brand’s history, the making and mechanics behind the cars and all about Mercedes founder Mercedes-Daimler-Benz is fascinating.

There are 160 cars inside and more than 1,500 exhibits to explore, which can be done via a tour.

Mercedes Benz also sponsors the Mercedes-Benz Arena VfB Stuttgart, which you can sign up for a tour.

4- Visit The Porsche Museum

Another one for car lovers, although non-enthusiasts will likely be just as fascinated.

Porsche makes some of the world’s most expensive, iconic and coveted cars and more than 500 of them are on display on rotation at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.

Famous models such as the 911 and 550 are exhibited, and many cars are regularly switched out to be driven worldwide.

Besides discovering the history of the cars and brand, which can be done on their in-depth audio tour, the museum is packed with family activities.

Afterwards, you can check out the workshop where the cars are fixed or do a factory tour to look at the production lines.

5- Go Shopping Along Königstraße

Most German cities are laid out so that there’s at least one major shopping street in the centre of the action, so if you need real retail therapy or want to pick up a souvenir, Königstraße is the place to visit.

Stuttgart’s shopping street is the longest pedestrianised shopping street in the whole of Germany, and it’s lined with every shop, cafe and restaurant imaginable – many high street and designer favourites, plus some local German brands where you can find something special.

If you’re tired of shopping, don’t worry, as there are plenty of beer gardens on Königstraße.

6- Weissenhof Estate

It may seem strange to see a huge house in a city like Stuttgart; the Weissenhof Estate is one of Germany’s most important architectural buildings.

In 1927, there was a competition to design buildings for a huge exhibition, and the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of 11 buildings.

Many original buildings were destroyed in the war, but you can still admire architecture by Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies and Jacobus Oud.

The Weissenhof Museum is where you can learn about the existing buildings, those that are gone, and how they were dreamt up.

7- Enjoy Art At Staatsgalerie

One of the fascinating things to discover while in Stuttgart, the Statsgalerie is one of the best art museums in the world, and in fact, it is one of the most-visited in Germany.

Not only because of its striking architecture but also its amazing collection of contemporary artworks from the 20th century and much earlier in history.

Art lovers can view paintings by Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso, Dalí and many more celebrated artists inside, and it’ll undoubtedly take a few hours to get through them all.

The museum makes for a great rainy-day option if the weather is bad, but even on sunny days, it’s a must-visit in Stuttgart.

As it’s so popular, arrive early and note that it’s closed on Mondays.

8- Visit The Wilhelma Zoological-Botanical Garden

Visiting a city’s zoo is always a great activity for kids or adults and Germany has some particularly great ones, such as Wilhelma in Stuttgart.

The zoo is one of the country’s biggest and combines an animal zoo and botanical gardens.

In the gardens, you can stroll amongst more than 8,500 species of beautiful plants, including the largest magnolia grove in Europe.

There are around 1,200 animal species, including all the favourites, such as elephants, birds, reptiles and more, plus the zoo has one of Europe’s best African ape complexes.

9- Stroll Through Killesberg Park

In sunny weather, there’s nothing better than a stroll through one of Stuttgart’s many beautiful parks.

Killesberg Park has over half a square kilometre of manicured gardens filled with plant life, sculptures and water features.

One of the best sights is the Tal der Rosen (Valley of Roses) which comes in spectacular bloom in the warmer months.

Kids will love visiting the farm, where they can feed donkeys, goats and ponies, or families can ride the miniature steam railway or tram.

Elsewhere in the park is the landmark sight of the Killesbergturm, an attraction all on its own.

10- Admire The View From Killesbergturm

The Killesbergturm is one of the best places in the city to get epic views over Stuttgart.

The tower is 40 metres high and is made up of two sets of stairs shaped like a double helix which feature multiple platforms at various levels on the way up, with the highest at 31m (100ft).

The observation tower has stunning views over the parkland and city, although it can get windy at the top and occasionally wobbles slightly.

There’s a cute cafe at the bottom, so don’t miss it if you’re visiting the park.

11- Spend Time At The Kunstmuseum

The Kunstmuseum, which means ‘Art Museum’ in German, is just a stone’s throw from Schlossplatz.

The museum is one of the coolest in the city and a modern contrast to many historic buildings.

The facade of the museum changes between day to night, appearing as a mirror-like cube during the day, while at night, it is illuminated so that you can see inside.

The museum was built to encompass a huge disused tunnel system which now makes up the galleries.

Inside, you can find works from the 19th and 20th centuries, mainly from native Swiss and Austrian artists, although you can also find the likes of Dali and Picasso on the walls.

12- Visit The Stiftskirche

Stiftskirche is one of the prettiest and most historic churches in central Stuttgart.

Otherwise known as the Collegiate Church, it dates back to the 12th century and is designed in classic Baroque and Gothic styles.

Walk inside to admire stunning stained-glass windows and learn about the church’s history, including the couple who built much of the current structure.

Count Ulrich and his wife, who lived in the 13th century, are buried in the church’s south tower.

It is still a working church, so don’t be surprised to see a service or concert happening when you visit.

Join this Stuttgart: Exclusive City Walk.

13- Hike To The Top Of Eugensplatz

This one is a local favourite if you’re searching for the best views over Stuttgart.

Eugensplatz is a bit of a long climb to reach the top but provides one of the most amazing lookout points over the city.

The climb starts next to the National Gallery of Modern Art, although you can catch a bus to get closer to the top.

When you get there, enjoy sweeping views, stroll through the leafy green park and gardens, sit on the grass with a picnic, or grab a drink in the cafe.

The park is an excellent spot for kids to run around, and it has a well-known and popular ice cream shop nearby for the hot summer months.

Looking to get out in nature? Check out this tour.

14- Shop For A Picnic At Markthalle

If you’re feeling peckish in Stuttgart, there’s no shortage of places to get delectable German cuisine, however, Markthalle is a city institution, and you’ll find some of the city’s best produce.

The indoor market dates back to the 19th Century and retains its original style and structure.

Inside are rows and rows of stalls selling everything from fresh salami, cheese and baked goods to fresh flowers, coffee and wine.

It’s a fantastic place to buy a light snack or ingredients for a picnic or take in the atmosphere.

There are one or two restaurants inside, too, if you’re after a sit-down meal.

You may also like to join a guided tour of the Stuttgart Market Hall.

15- Enjoy A Coffee With A View At Fernsehturm

Many of Germany’s major cities have massive, iconic television towers, but Stuttgart’s Fernsehturm was the first to be built in the country.

It’s 216 metres high, and the main draw is its observation deck at 150m, which unsurprisingly has some of the city’s best views.

When the days are longer over summer, the tower stays open until 11 pm, meaning you can also enjoy views of the city lit up at night, plus it has a cafe if you’d like coffee with a view.

16- See The View From Birkenkopf

Birkenkopf is the highest hill in Stuttgart and translates as ‘Rubble Hill’, which may not sound particularly attractive.

However, this partially manmade structure combines a fascinating history with amazing views, so it’s more than worth visiting.

Its name is because it was created from piles of rubble left in the city after it was bombed by the Allies in World War II.

The rubble was piled on top of the existing hill, taking it up to around 511m.

At the top, there’s a war memorial and in the surrounding vista, you can see the lush Black Forest and Swabian Alps on clear days.

17- Ride The Historic Standseilbahn

One of Stuttgart’s most unique and fun things to do, despite being a brief journey, is riding the Standseilbahn.

This funicular railway remains in its original style, completely constructed from teak wood, and runs from Südheimer Platz to Stuttgart Derloch Cemetery.

Although it was only designed to allow people to reach the cemetery, it has become a part of the official transport system and is one of the city’s main attractions.

The four-minute strip has pretty forest views and once you arrive at the other side, the cemetery and surrounding woodland make the perfect place for a stroll. Or you may like this ghost tour.

18- Drink Beer At Cannstatter Volksfest

Germany knows how to celebrate; the most famous celebration is Oktoberfest, held yearly in Munich.

Stuttgart’s very similar answer is the Cannstatter Volksfest, held from September to October annually, usually in the city’s Neckarpark.

This huge beer festival is the second largest in the world after Munich and is very similar in layout and activities.

There are hundreds of beer tents playing music and serving steins, hundreds more food stalls, entertainment tents, funfair rides and any number of activities to take part in while there.

The only requirement is wearing the national dress: a dirndl for women and lederhosen for men!

Not visiting at the right time? How about an evening of raclette and wine?

19- Shop At A Christmas Market

Germany’s Christmas markets are legendary, and Stuttgart has some of the best.

The main market usually begins each year on the last Thursday in November, and stalls are set up in Schlossplatz.

Cute wooden huts sell gifts, souvenirs, Christmas decorations and other products.

There are plenty of food and drink stalls, such as classic sausage grill stands and merry-go-round bars which rotate while you enjoy a beer or a glühwein.

For kids and adults, there are 20 Ferris wheels, an ice rink and many other fun, Christmassy activities are usually on offer, so wrap up warm and take a stroll.

20- Go On A Vineyard Tour

Germany’s wines are famous worldwide and some of the best vineyards stretch down the country’s west.

The region of Baden-Württemberg, of which Stuttgart is the capital, is surrounded by rolling hills, which make the ideal landscape for grape growing.

The city and its immediate surroundings have more than 17.5 hectares of vineyards and wineries that can be visited, and many are reachable on foot or public transport.

Uhlbach is one of the most famous wine districts, known as the Tuscany of Germany, or explore more than one vineyard in the Neckar Valley.

For a bit of background, the Museum of Viniculture has lots of information about the history and production of wine in the city. 

Find out more about joining a Neckar Valley Vineyard Tour (by covered wagon).