Stuttgart, the city rich with parks- how to have a fantastic weekend

Stuttgart as the capital of the Baden-Württemberg state in Germany is blessed to be such a green city. Primarily known for its car industry, visiting the Merzedes Benz and Porsche museum is a thrilling feeling. Being pretty walkable, Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is the best starting point.

Lying on the Neckar river, Stuttgart offers the fantastic views to the surrounding hills and vineyards. In fact, the most stunning way to explore Stuttgart is by bike. I was lucky that my brother lives in Stuttgart and gave me a little tour by his e-bike. Unfortunately, I couldn’t visit him at the moment as he had a small room in the co-living building.

Stuttgart hosts the second largest beer festival in Germany, dedicated to the celebration of autumn. Officially it’s known as Cannstatter Volksfest and lasts 3 weeks. Frühlingsfest respresents the similar event during the spring.

See also: Visiting Fussen town & Neuschwanstein castle

Visit the Porsche Museum or Merzedes Museum

Two museums that describe the soul of Stuttgart take the throne of car industry. Even if you’re not car enthusiast, it’s such a thrill to explore this specific history. You’ll see fantastic models, that you wouldn’t imagine before.

Carl Benz established the first vehicles in 1886, both the car and a motorcycle. Just imagine nine floors with 1500 exhibits and 160 vehicles. The stunning metallic building will take you to the time adventure. The audio guide is free, including the two parallel systems. You can discover history and diversity of vehicles.

Porsche Museum gives the overview of this popular brand, thanks to its inventor Ferdinand Porsche. The highlight of the museum is the Porsche Touchwall. At the stunning display of 12 m you can discover the rich collection of drawings, posters or photos. Porsche in the Mix gives you the possibility to play your own sounds.

Schlossplatz- the heart of Stuttgart

Schlossplatz is the exquisite centre of the city, not far from the Haupbahnhof. It’s the perfect pedestrian area to relax next to its wast lawns. Elegant buildings embrace the whole square, with the Neues Schloss (New Palace) in the focus. The Baroque style defines this large edifice from the 1807., now serving as the government building. Gothic Old Palace shines on the south side and today it’s a state museum.

Enjoying the open-air concerts and various events is just stunning at this ambience. Children have the priviledge to discover the lovely Christmas Market in November.

The popular shopping street- Königstraße- lies opposite to the New Palace.

During the Summer Festival Stuttgart becomes vibrant and attractive oasis. Once belonging to the palaces, the square became a public garden only in the 19th century.

The cupola shining on the North depicts the elegance of the Kunstgebäude gallery.

Schiller platz

The idyllic ambience of the Schiller platz covers the adjacent area to the Schlossplatz. It gives praise to Friedrich Schiller, the famous German poet and philosopher.

The flower market enchants the atmosphere every morning during Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. During the December Schiller platz hosts the traditional Christmas Market.

Stiftskirche gloriously dominates the square with its spires. The late Gothic style from 15th century defines this exquisite church that takes roots in the 12th century.

Stadt Biblioteque

The Stadtbibliothek at Mailänder Platz takes place so close to the Hauptbahnhof that it’s a pity not to miss it. The white interior transmitts the incredible symmetry and gives opportunity to take lot of photos. Such an instagrammable place is a paradise for book lovers.

The Public library requires not entry fees and exists from 2011. Could you guess that the main designer was the South Korean architect Eun Young Yi?

Additional bonus is an awesome view of Stuttgart from the rooftop caffe. You can enjoy a lovely meal at the 8th floor in this little caffe.

The library is closed on Thursdays and Sundays.

Take a bike tour

A bike tour will give you a comprehensive way to see Stuttgart, so try to do it. Strolling around many parks that are connected with bridges is so thrilling. Not only it will give you a refreshing breeze, but definitely you’ll get a feeling about the city.

Passing the Stadt Bibliotheque, you’ll discover mineral baths- the first one is Mineralbad Berg. Yes, you can get the free mineral water- totally different taste than the ones we buy. It’s such a fascinating fact that Stuttgart has five mineral baths. The next one is close by- Mineralbad Cannstatt.

Stuttgart is so picturesque capturing Neckar river with its bridges. The city offers the fantastic views of the surrounding hills, towers and vineyards. One of them is Eugensplatz, a viewpoint in the shelter of waterfalls. The statue of Galatea from Greek mythology stays at the top.

Wilhelma and Rosenstein Palace

Surely you cannot miss Wilhelma- the large zoological and botanical garden- on your bike tour. More precisely, you’ll rather encounter Rosenstein Palace in its threshold. It’s a Museum of Natural History, built between 1822 and 1830. The original purpose was to make a summer palace for the King Wilhelm I of Wuttenburg. The main architect was Giovanni Salucci.

Rose garden decorates the south-eastern corners of the palace.

Wilhelma zoo garden served originally also as a private retreat for the King Wilhelm I. Neo-Moorish style depicts the buildings, which resembles to Alhambra in Granada.

The botanical garden gives reign to the magnolia trees, many orchids and various camelias.

The parks of Stuttgart

Schlossgarten stretches adjacent to the Hauptbanhof, the New Castle and Opera building which frame it up. Diving the whole park into the three main areas, Schlossgarten is the largest city park.

The park itself absorbs lots of history, as you see the Roman ruins along. Several picturesque lakes fill the park, which ends at Wilhelma Garden.

Lake Max Eyth is an artificial lake blending with the Neckar river and the lovely park nearby. It covers a kayak and sailing club, pretty popular for families and barbecue.  

Killesberg Park is an oasis of greenery in the city centre, where many children enjoy the fresh air. The metal tower with the particular design dominates the park. The little train gives fun to all the visitors. There are several caffe bars and lovely ponds inside the park.

Weissenburg park offers the stunning views of the city at its southern corners.

Where to rent bikes in Stuttgart

Renting the bikes in Stuttgart involves an easy system. The official name is Call a bike and you can see them as the self-service system. In the power of Deutsche Bahn, you have to register online.

You can rent it for the whole month under different tariffs using the RegioRad Stuttgart App. ListNRide platform also offers the closes shop where you can rent a bike.

Pretty towns near Stuttgart

Ludwigsburg is pretty popular all year around, especially during the Pumpkin festival. It’s happening at the gorgeous Ludwisgburg castle, which transforms the gardens into the autumn paradise. The town has a typical German vibe and it’s easily reachable with U-Bahn from the downtown.

Esslingen absorbs the colourful charm of German style and medieval architecture. It’s a town only 17 km south-east from the central Stuttgart. Half-timbered buildings will take you centuries away, just like the hilltop castle. This is a perfect place to enjoy the views and stunning decor of Neckar river.

Final thoughts

There’s more about Stuttgart that I couldn’t fit into my itinerary. Though, if you want to feel the city and truly see it- go biking. From the abundant collection of the State Gallery to the elegant Castle Solitude, Stutgart bursts with cultural heritage. The Pig Museum is a lovely surprise as you’ll find artistic collection of pigs.

Castle Lichtenstein and Hohenzollern are the fabulous places in the close proximity of Stuttgart.

Stuttgart is a city to get a new perspective of urban parks. Visiting Cannstatt will give you the best insight into the local lifestyle and cuisine. Besides, it’s so close to the main train station.

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