Stuttgart was the fifth and last city of our 2016 winter trip. We had cut time from other places to give it 3 days. Berna's aunt lives here. And I was going to buy a bike here! So, thinking it deserved the time, we turned Stuttgart upside down in 3 days. It was the second visit for both of us and we knew most places, but exploring together is different. 😀 Here is our Stuttgart travel guide..
Let's get to know Stuttgart first and then look at the places to see!
Things to Know About Stuttgart
First of all, our city is Germany's sixth largest. It is the capital of Baden-Württemberg, a state famous for its large vineyards, and has a population of around 600,000. As the biggest city in the state, it's naturally where business happens.
Unlike other cities, it doesn't have much of a history. The history section will stay blank. This is where the companies that drive the economy have their sites: Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch.
Besides the economy, it is one of Germany's centres of culture and art. Thanks to its geographic location, it is among the cities with the most natural beauty in Germany, even in Europe.
I'll cover it in the places to visit, but while we're on the subject of industry: the Mercedes-Benz Museum is worth a visit!
Places to Visit in Stuttgart
We said it doesn't have much history, but of course there are buildings from the past. The city has sights for every taste. In the centre, as in our own cities, modern buildings among the historic ones add a strange atmosphere.
Where Is Stuttgart?
Stuttgart is in the south-west of the country. It lies on the Neckar River in a valley called the Stuttgart Cauldron, an hour from the Swabian Alps and the Black Forest.
When to Go to Stuttgart?
The oceanic climate found in Germany is very noticeable in Stuttgart.
It has a milder climate than the northern parts of Germany. Through most of the year the temperature ranges from -5 to 25-30 degrees. At times there are -10s and 35s too. In short, winters are cold and summers are warm, cooler than in Turkey.
If, like us, you explore the city in winter, make sure to wear thin layers. Even if the weather seems to make your trip harder, with the right clothes and gear you can enjoy travelling in winter. At Berna's warning we add: here, even in summer, you should dress in thin layers because of the changes in weather during the day and sudden showers! 😀
Note: While even in summer it can suddenly turn cold, I'd say it's almost impossible to get around without thermals in January-February. Gloves and a beanie are a must too!
How to Get to Stuttgart?
With Turkish Airlines and Pegasus flights daily or every other day, you can get to Stuttgart in about 2 hours. You can also reach the city with a connection on other European airlines (Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Air Berlin, Austrian Airlines).
We went to Stuttgart, the fifth stop of our trip, from Prague with the FlixBus company. Compared with train fares it saved us more than half. While we were becoming like Europeans, they started to become like us: bus travel is growing enormously in Europe. Of course our bus from Prague to Stuttgart had a change in Munich. Even though Munich wasn't one of the cities we were visiting on this trip, we set foot there three times for connections. 😀
If, like us, you're in a different city in Europe and want to come to Stuttgart, there are several options. You can get there from Vienna by train in 7 hours, or from Munich by bus or train in 2 hours 15 minutes. Tickets are usually around €20-25.
Where to Stay in Stuttgart?
As we mentioned above, we stayed with Berna's aunt. When I looked at hotels here, prices were quite high compared with other cities. My advice is to stay in hostels close to the centre.
When the budget is tight, Hotel Alex 30, the first hostel offering hotel service near Stuttgart Central Station, is on Alexanderstrasse. It has free Wi-Fi, and we'd call it an upper-class hostel compared with Central European hostels.
Stuttgart Airport and Getting Around the City
When you arrive at Stuttgart Echterdingen Airport, the easiest and cheapest way into the city is the train. The S-Bahn 2 and S-Bahn 3 lines take you to the station in the city centre every half hour for a few euros. If you prefer, a taxi to the city centre costs around 25 euros.
I have no doubt you'll get around Stuttgart very easily. Germany is a country that has taken public transport to the highest level. You can reach everywhere by U-Bahn, S-Bahn or suburban lines. The rail system is very punctual and very cheap.
As well as weekly, daily or monthly tickets, there are other ticket options that make things easy for visitors. Stuttgart is divided into certain 'zones'. Everyone on the same train pays a different fare. In short, you buy a ticket based on how far you go. Zone 1 is the centre, and the higher the number, the further from the centre you are.
Stuttgart public transport map: click here!
Also, with the StuttCard Plus you can use all lines in the city without limit for 3 days and join some museums and tours at a discount or for free.
Stuttgart Cuisine
Honestly, as much as we love Germany, it fails when it comes to food. Looking at Germany as a whole, you'll see our döner culture is more widespread than theirs. We didn't get to taste much, but I'll suggest 2-3 restaurants here.
Steak House - Block House
These days, whatever city we go to, we come across steakhouses. Stuttgart has its share too. Serving guests since 1968, Block House cooks its meat on a grill made of volcanic stones.
Getting there: Block House is 400 metres from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), so you can walk if you're in the centre.
Turkish food - Alaturka
It isn't our habit, but some Turkish travellers always want to go to Turkish restaurants abroad because of certain reservations. In a country like Germany with a large Turkish population, there are plenty of options. In Stuttgart we recommend the Alaturka restaurant.
Getting there: Alaturka Restaurant is 2.5 kilometres from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), and you can also reach it from the city centre by public transport. Take the U6 line from Stuttgart Hbf and get off 5 stops later at Bopser station.
Beer - German Beer
As in most Western European countries, Germany has hundreds of kinds of beer. Among the local brands typical of Stuttgart are Altbier, Berliner Weisse and Schwarzbier.
Shopping in Stuttgart
It may not be Salzburg, but the Jack Wolfskin near the central square has good discounts. We couldn't leave without buying 2-3 things there either! 😀
Besides that, the city has streets, lanes and open-air markets for shopping, and even food markets. Of course in Germany, Europe's economic leader, you can find nice things on a modest budget too. Stuttgart is a real paradise for this.
Schlossplatz, the heart of the city, is a popular spot not only culturally but for shopping too. You'll find all kinds of shops and souvenir stores. For interesting shops in Stuttgart, we recommend seeing the Bohnenviertel.
If you go at Christmas time, you can visit the Christmas Market, the liveliest open-air market. It's one of the Christmas markets in Europe you should see.
Do You Need a Visa for Stuttgart?
Yes, you need a Schengen visa to go to Stuttgart. Green (special) and grey (service) passports don't need a visa. Burgundy (ordinary) passports do.
Schengen Visa application tips: click here!
For the documents required for a Schengen visa, see here.
Cycling in Stuttgart
🚲🚲 First of all, the biggest reason Stuttgart was on our route, and the last stop, was the "BIKE": I had quickly squeezed my bike obsession into the sudden plan. I'd been looking for a bike in Istanbul for 9 months. While deciding which one to buy, I'd first set myself a budget of 1,000 TL. Of course over time I had to raise it. Then I saw that buying it in Germany would save me an extra 1,000 TL. Instead of paying that much for pointless brands in Turkey, for the same price I'd buy my Trek FX 7.3 city/road bike in Germany from the bike leader.
In that sense, Stuttgart will always be special to me. For answers to questions like how to buy a bike abroad and what to do, I'm leaving my post here.
There are bike and running paths on both sides of the Neckar River, which runs through the middle of the city. The bike paths reach from the centre to the far edges. Not only that, you can even ride your bike to neighbouring villages and small towns. Stuttgart is a great place for those who love cycling! You can even ride for kilometres on bike trails with incredible views.
305 km
310 km
397 km