6 Best Things to do in Stuttgart For a Perfect Germany Vacation

Located in the heart of Europe, Germany is a beautiful and diverse country with an impressive culture and endless travel opportunities. With historic cities, splendid architecture and unquestionable charm, this beautiful country has so many beautiful and unique places to visit and things to do. Apart from Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt, there are many other cities that are waiting to be explored. One such city is Stuttgart. Read on to know more about this city and the top things to do there.

Top 6 Things to Do in Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the capital of Germany’s southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg and for hundreds of years, this city was the seat of the then Kings of Wurttemberg. This city was also the city of car-making royalty. The first car and motorcycle were invented here. It now houses the headquarters of both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Stuttgart also has new stylish museums for both brands. These museums are surely not to be missed and so are these amazing things below.

• Staatsgalerie
• Mercedes-Benz Museum
• Porsche Museum
• Wilhelma Zoological-Botanical Garden
• Killesbergpark
• Solitude Palace

1. Staatsgalerie

With a rich collection of masterworks, the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart presents its superb art collection of the Classical Modern period. It is also one of the most popular museums in Germany. It has collections of masterworks dating from the fourteenth century to the present. This museum has an impressive complex and also holds numerous works belonging to the Department of Prints, Drawings and Photographs, Early Swabian panel painting and some outstanding examples of nineteenth-century Swabian Neoclassicism. 

Some masterpieces that are to be kept in mind are Corpse of Christ by Annibale Carracci and Jerg Ratgeb’s 16th-century Herrenberger Altar.

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Sunday (except Thursday): 10 am to 5 pm
Thursday: 10 am to 8 pm
(Closed on Monday)

Also Read: Top Things to Do in Freiburg, Germany

2. Mercedes-Benz Museum

The Mercedes-Benz Museum celebrates the automobile invented by Carl Benz in 1886. It celebrates its history and also makes you discover the automotive and contemporary history, from the very first patented car in the world to today’s hydrogen vehicle.

This nine-storey museum covers a floor space of 16500 sq. metre and it presents more than 1500 exhibits. The double-helix design of the museum allows two parallel audio-guided tours at the same time. One tour is about the car and truck collection manufactured Mercedes-Benz, and the other dips into the distinguished history of the brand

Opening hours:

Friday to Sunday: 9 am to 6 pm
(Closed from Monday to Thursday)

Also Read: Best Things to Do in Ulm, Germany

3. Porsche Museum

The Porsche Museum is located at Zuffenhausen, a little away from the Stuttgart. This museum displays more than 80 vehicles and many other small exhibits in a unique ambience. This museum reminds the initial days of this world-renowned brand. Apart from the iconic vehicles such as the 356, 550, 911, and 917, this museum also displays some of the outstanding technical achievements of Professor Ferdinand Porsche. 

The visitors are given with an option to choose whether they wish to start with the company history before 1948 or head directly into the main area. The ‘Porsche Idea’ section interlinks both these places and it also serves as a backbone.

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Sunday: 9 am to 6 pm
(Closed on Monday)

4. Wilhelma Zoological-Botanical Garden

The Wilhelma Zoological-Botanical Garden is in the north of Stuttgart and is home to about 9,000 animals of almost 1,000 species. There’s no finer zoological-botanical garden than the Wilhelma in Stuttgart. Originally this garden was a private park for King’s retreat. Later it was modified into a botanical garden. This garden is open to the public since 1880.

The Wilhelma Zoological-Botanical Garden is one of the most beautiful zoos in the world. It is also one of the most visited tourist attractions in Baden-Wuerttemberg. The most loved animals of this zoo are the chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans. The Amazon House, growing 2000 plant species is also a notable feature of this botanical garden. This botanical garden is known to house Europe’s largest magnolia grove.

Opening Hours:

Sunday to Saturday: 8:15 am to 8:00 pm

Also Read: Best Things to Do in Bremen

5. Killesbergpark

This public park of around 50 hectares was built in 1939 when a horticultural show was arranged here. About 80 years later Killesbergpark still continues to host gardening events. This park holds a number of fountains and sculptures in a former quarry, in the northern borough of Stuttgart. The other notable features of the park include a 40 metre-high tower with a fantastic all-round view, great children’s play areas, a zoo, an open-air swimming pool, a children’s theatre and a narrow-gauge railway. 

This park is a green oasis in the middle of the city. It is the perfect leisure destination for all the family. During July, they host the Lichterfest. Thousands of lanterns surround the park and they are accompanied by fireworks and music.

One of the most eye-catching features in the park is Killesbergturm. This 40-metre cable-stayed tower is a cone-shaped structure that has two sets of stairs in a double helix format. It was originally planned for the 1993 World Horticultural Exposition but was erected only in 2001. Since it’s built on high ground, it offers amazing and far-reaching views of the Neckar Valley and the city. 

Opening hours:

This Park is open 24 hours
(Entry is free)

Also Read: Skydiving in Germany

6. Solitude Palace

Solitude Castle in the forests to the west of Stuttgart is Duke Carl Eugen’s most ambitious and most personal creation. The majestic architectural ensemble and spectacular views make it an exceptional work of the constructional minded Duke Carl Eugen. The Duke personally oversaw almost every small design of the Castle and this adds more significance to the palace.

Similar to the Sanssouci Palace in Berlin, this palace is an escape from court life. The duke very much liked the location and wanted to rest here far from the turmoil and disappointments of the world. This palace also has a series of so-called cavalier’s buildings – the resting place of the duke’s servants. Today it houses the Academy Castle Solitude.

This palace has strong Rococo and Neoclassical architecture. The most beautiful and notable feature of this palace is the White Hall (Weisse Saal). Also, the ceiling is enriched with frescoes and it is a beauty to watch.

Opening Hours:

1 April to 31 October:
10:00 am – 05:00 pm (Tuesday to Sunday)
1 November to 31 March:
01:30 pm – 04:00 pm (Tuesday to Saturday)
10:00 am – 04:00 pm (Sunday)
(Closed on Mondays)

These are the top 6 things to do in Stuttgart. The manufacturing hub of Germany, Stuttgart, is a place that’s not seen in everyone’s itinerary. This stunning city is one of the most underrated destinations in Germany. Now that you know what’s in here, make sure you add this wonderful place on your next itinerary. Check-out some interesting German tour packages, craft your own customised vacation to the Deutschland. 

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