Stuttgart – what do you think, when you hear this city’s name? Until recently we had one major association: Stuttgart 21 – probably the most controversial railway project in Germany. Emphasis on the “had”. Fast forward to the present. We’ve been to Stuttgart several times and we can assure you that Stuttgart is much more than the construction site around the main station.
In our travel guide we tell you our best tips for a weekend in Stuttgart – from sights and restaurant tips to the best views of the city.
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1. Stuttgart Travel Guide: Top Sights and Attractions
Stuttgart is not a city where you have to rush from one sight to the next, however, there are some places and buildings that are really worth seeing. Plus, we really like the motto “Quality over quantity”.
Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart (City Library)
The Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart – City Library is probably the most photographed building in the city on Instagram. It was opened in October 2011 and is a symmetrical masterpiece, in our opinion – designed by the Korean architect Eun Young Yi, who is behind all the perfected lines and symmetry. When you first see pictures of the library, you almost suspect that it is a computer simulation. But we can assure you that the library really does look so bizarre.
Allow yourself about an hour for your visit – you will be super fascinated, we guarantee you! Oh, and they also have a roof terrace, but unfortunately the view is rather obstructed and therefore quite average.
Maybe you want to learn more about the City Library? You can book a guided tour!
You can book the tour here: City Library Architectural Tour
Information about the Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart
Address: Mailänder Platz 1, 70173 Stuttgart
Directions: U-Bahn Station Stadtbibliothek (U5, U6, U7, U12, U15)
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9am to 9pm
Photography and filming: only with prior approval! Photos with your smartphone are allowed without permission.
Grabkapelle Chapel on the Württemberg
Just outside of downtown Stuttgart lies the Grabkapelle chapel on the summit of the Wurttemberg, a 19th-century mausoleum. It is beautifully situated in the middle of the vineyards and in our opinion definitely worth a visit.
We would recommend you to visit in the late afternoon just before sunset. But beware: the Grabkapelle chapel itself closes its doors at 5 or 6 pm. Plan about 45 minutes to get there. We can assure you that it’s worth it!
Information about the Grabkapelle Chapel
Address: Württembergstraße 340, 70327 Stuttgart
Directions: U-Bahn Station to Untertürkheim, Bus 61 towards Rotenberg (terminus).
Opening hours and more information: Grabkapelle Chapel
Markthalle Stuttgart (Market Hall)
Something really cool and worth seeing is the historic market hall in the city centre. The traditional market stalls are located on the ground floor and in addition, there is a gallery with a residential and interior store called “Merz & Benzing”.
Information about the Markthalle Stuttgart
Address: Dorotheenstraße 4, 70173 Stuttgart / Directions: Underground station Charlottenplatz
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm, Saturday from 7.00 am to 5 pm
Schlossplatz
Schlossplatz is the largest and probably the most impressive square in Stuttgart. Situated in the middle of the city centre, there is no way you can walk past without noticing it. We thought it was great that the place was so busy: you find people resting in the meadow, drinking coffee or sitting at the edge of the fountain and chatting away.
Our tip: You have a really nice view of the Schlossplatz from the last floor of the Kunstmuseum. There is also a restaurant, which we did not try out as it seemed a little too fancy. You can still use the lift to get up there for free.
St. John’s Church at Feuersee
The Feuersee (Fire Lake) is a quite unusual sight in Stuttgart. Unusual because the architecture of the neo-Gothic St. John’s Church behind it. The church was bombed in World War II and was not rebuilt afterwards. Today the destroyed church is seen as a memorial against the war.
Information about Feuersee
Address: Feuerseeplatz, 70176 Stuttgart
Directions: S-Bahn Station Feuersee
2. Museum Travel Guide: Stuttgart’s Best Museums
Mercedes-Benz Museum
It is not without reason that the Mercedes-Benz Museum is by far the best-known and most visited museum in Stuttgart. We can confirm from our own experience that a visit is worthwhile even if you are not a fan of cars.
In the Mercedes-Benz Museum, the history of the automobile industry is shown chronologically. We were impressed not only by the size of the museum (we spent unbelievable hours in it), but also by the variety of the exhibits.
We also liked the futuristic architecture. All in all: Highly recommended – not just in rainy weather. We advise you to plan at least two hours on site.
Information about the Mercedes-Benz-Museum
Address & Directions: Mercedesstraße 100, 70372 Stuttgart / S-Bahn Station Neckarpark (S1)
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 6pm
Admission: 16 Euro (free with StuttCard)
You can book your ticket here: Mercedes-Benz-Museum
Porsche Museum
Not nearly as extensive as the Mercedes-Benz Museum, but still worth seeing is the Porsche Museum. It is much more tailored to car fans. That means: The focus here is more on the vehicles and not so much on the knowledge surrounding them.
The architecture could hardly be more futuristic. The mirrored entrance alone is amazing. The tour spirals upwards over several floors. Of course, you’ll see lots of vehicles – both old and new. We would primarily recommend the museum to Porsche and car fans.
Infos zum Porsche Museum
Address & Directions: Porscheplatz 1, 70435 Stuttgart / S-Bahn Station Neuwirtshaus (S6, S60)
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 6pm
Admission: 12 Euro (free with StuttCard)
3. The most beautiful Viewpoints in Stuttgart
There are countless lookout points in Stuttgart, from which you have a great view of the city – especially at sunset, when locals and tourists flock to the hills. Just a little note: Bring comfortable shoes to Stuttgart! You will have to conquer some so-called “Stäffele” – which are stairs that you find scattered throughout the city.
Stuttgart Fernsehturm (TV tower)
The TV tower is one of the city’s landmarks. From the viewing platform you have a wonderful view of the city. The platform is not behind glass, meaning that its more open and unrestricted, which we think is great. We were there for the sunset and enjoyed a really nice atmosphere. Can definitely recommend this spot!
Information about the Stuttgart TV tower
Address: Jahnstraße 120, 70597 Stuttgart
Directions: U-Bahn Station Ruhbank, from there its about 10 minutes walk
Opening hours: from 10am to 10pm
Admission: 10,50 Euro (free with the StuttCard)
You can book your ticket here: Stuttgart TV tower
Eugensplatz
The Eugensplatz is smaller than we would have expected, but very nicely located. Especially in spring and summer, the place is definitely worth a visit. You can get an ice cream in the nearby ice cream parlour and then enjoy the view of the city.
Information about the Eugensplatz
Directions: Eugensplatz (U15)
Killesberg Tower
The fascinating construction of the Killesberg tower alone, makes it worth a visit. It stands on the area of the Killesberger Höhenpark, a very popular destination. Don’t worry though, because you will get there quite quickly with the U-Bahn as it’s just a few stations away from the main station. From the top you have a great 360-degree view of Stuttgart and the surrounding area.
Information about the Killesberg Tower
Address: Thomastraße 99, 70192 Stuttgart,
Directions: U15 Killesberg
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from about 7am until dusk
Admission: 1 Euro
Kunstmuseum – Art museum
In search of a view over the famous Schlossplatz, we landed in the Kunstmuseum. On the last floor there is a restaurant, which we didn’t stop by as it looked a little too fancy – but you can enjoy exactly the same view from right beside it. You simply take the lift to the last floor of the museum and – voilà, you’re already there.
Information about the view from the Kunstmuseum
Address: Kleiner Schlossplatz 1, 70173 Stuttgart
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from morning until midnight
Karlshöhe
The Karlshöhe is one of the most famous and most visited lookout points in Stuttgart. Especially at sunset, many come here after work to drink and chill in the famous beer garden “Czechs & Sons”. Small note: to get a nice spot on a beautiful day, a little patience is required.
Another info for photographers: The sun sets behind the Karlshöhe. This means: one does not see the sunset from the beer garden itself, but “only” the sunlit city, which of course is very nice.
Information about the Karlshöhe
Address: Humboldtstraße 44, 70178 Stuttgart
Directions: hop out at the U-Bahn station Marienplatz (U1, U21), from there, you walk over the Willy-Reichert-Staffel
Opening Hours for Beer Garden: Monday to Sunday, from 11am to midnight
Weissenburgpark
The view from Weissenburgpark is also very pretty. You can visit the well-known Tea House, which is located in the Jugendstil-Pavilion. We can recommend you to visit, especially in the late afternoon or at sunset.
Information about Weissenburgpark
Address: Hohenheimer Str. 119, 70184 Stuttgart
U-Bahn Station: Bopser (U5 U6, U7, U12, U17)
Opening Hours for Tea House: March to October: Monday to Sunday from 11am to 11pm
Santiago-de-Chile-Platz
Santiago de Chile Square is a little insider tip among the viewing points in Stuttgart. A detour to Santiago-de-Chile-Platz is worth it just for the ride on the Zacke, Stuttgart’s rack railway.
From this small and rather inconspicuous square, Stuttgart is at your feet. Small note: You are looking towards the north-east – so unfortunately you cannot watch the sunset from up here.
If you have a little more time available: A wine hiking trail leads from Marienplatz up to Santiago-de-Chile-Platz in about an hour.
Information about Santiago-de-Chile-Platz
Address & Directions: Santiago-de-Chile-Platz, 70597 Stuttgart / Zacke (Nr 10) from Station Marienplatz (U1, U9, U34). You can also go directly to U-Bahn-Station Weinsteige (U5, U6, U8, U12).
4. Culinary Travel Guide: Our favourite Restaurants and Cafes in Stuttgart
Restaurant Reiskorn
Just fantastic! This place serves a mix of international cuisine from all over the world – the best of the best, so to speak. The restaurant is not purely vegetarian, but definitely suitable for vegetarians and vegans. There is a tiny, but wonderfully decorated courtyard and also a Schanigarten (with chairs and tables set up) in front of the restaurant. The only drawback is that they are only open in the evenings. Absolutely highly recommended!
Address: Torstraße 27, 70173 Stuttgart
U-Bahn Station: Rathaus (U11, U21, U24)
Zimt & Zucker
Very nicely furnished and quiet café. There are cakes, tarts, breakfast, lunch and of course tea and coffee. We opted for the cheesecake, which was delicious.
Address: Weißenburgstraße 2C, 70180 Stuttgart
U-Bahn Station: Österreichischer Platz (U1, U14, U21)
Hüftengold
The Hüftengold is somewhat of an institution, because hardly will we come across a travel guide about Stuttgart, which does not mention this place. They serve breakfast and lunch, with coffee and cake in between. We were there for lunch and had some very delicious food. Cool thing: For dessert, you have the choice of ordering an espresso with a half portion of cake.
Address: Olgastraße 44, 70182 Stuttgart
U-Bahn Station: Olgaeck
Lumen
The Lumen is located in the west of Stuttgart and is breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one. The place has a “shabby chic” style design and is very cozy – a bit like a large living room. We were there for breakfast and found it very delicious.
Address: Schwabstraße 65, 70197 Stuttgart
U-Bahn Station: Schwab-/Babelstraße
Eduard’s
By coincidence, we passed Eduard’s and, if we’re being completely honest, found ourselves attracted by its chic design. The restaurant is located in the pedestrian area of Stuttgart next to the Great Market Hall. We can recommend a visit especially in spring and summer, as you can sit outside. Perfect for a little snack after sightseeing!
5. Transport: Getting Around
Especially in the city centre, you’ll find you can reach a lot of places on foot, but for other destinations (such as TV tower, Grabkapelle Chapel, etc.) you are dependent on public transport. Luckily, Stuttgart has a very large underground and rail network. We will share with you 2 ways of getting around Stuttgart:
Option 1: The StuttCard
If you plan to visit several sights, then the StuttCard is definitely worth it! We had one of these and loved it. With the StuttCard you have free admission to all museums and many other discounts. There is a particular variant in which the ticket for public transport is also included. For a 72 hours StuttCard pass, it will cost you 45 euros and you can easily order the StuttCard online.
You can book the ticket in advance here: StuttCard (with public transport)
Option 2: A 3-day ticket of the VVS
The Traffic Association of Stuttgart (VVS) offers a special 3-day ticket for visitors, in which this 22,50 Euros ticket also includes the ‘getting to’ and ‘getting from’ the airport journey. You will receive the ticket either at the airport (Tourist Information Centre) or in the Info Centre “i-Punkt” near the main train station (Königstraße 1 A).
6. Our Hotel Tips for Stuttgart
Tipp No. 1: Waldhotel
On our last trip to Stuttgart we stayed at the wonderfully idyllic Waldhotel (Forest Hotel) Stuttgart for three nights. As the name suggests, the Waldhotel is located on the edge of the forest outside the center of Stuttgart, more precisely within walking distance of the Stuttgart television tower.
But we can reassure you at this point: the hotel is very well connected to public transport. The subway station is a few minutes’ walk away. From there you are only a few stops away from downtown Stuttgart.
The rooms are very spacious and the beds are really comfortable. There’s even a Nespresso machine waiting for you in the room. We slept excellently – no wonder, because it is very quiet and idyllic here. Another highlight is the excellent breakfast: not only is the selection great, you also sit beautifully with a view of the garden and the chirping of birds.
Last but not least: The staff is very friendly and you really feel welcome from the first minute. We have a clear recommendation.
You can book the hotel here: Waldhotel Stuttgart
Tip No. 2: Aloft Stuttgart
We also spent a total of three nights in Aloft Stuttgart and felt very at home. The rooms are not huge, but big enough. One of the best attributes was the bed: rarely do we experience such comfortable hotel beds.
The location of the hotel is next to the Stadtbibliothek (City Library) and not far from the main train station (Hauptbahnhof). Big plus: The U-Bahn Subway station called “Stadtbibliothek” is almost right at the doorstep. Despite some of the rooms facing the street, the windows seem to be extremely well insulated in blocking out external noise. We would gladly come back!
You can check out the hotel here: Aloft Stuttgart
Disclaimer: Affiliate Links & Invitation
We were invited by Stuttgart Tourismus for three nights, however, we paid for the majority of the restaurant visits mentioned here. We had the freedom of designing the program completely to our own accord. Many thanks to Stuttgart Tourismus for the great trip! This travel guide contains affiliate links, so if you buy or book through these link, then we will get a small commission. This doesn’t change the prices for you at all!
Have you done a city trip to Stuttgart? Do you have any further tips for sights, activities or restaurants? We look forward to hearing your experiences below this travel guide!
