6 Weeks in Stuttgart

Question

Greetings!

In September, I will be accompanying my husband on a business trip for 6 weeks. I love to travel and thought I would take advantage of the opportunity.

We visited Munich in March and used the Bavaria pass for a trip to Mittenwald. Unfortunately, we discovered the pass toward the end of our trip and were not able to utilize the benefits. Is there a similar pass for Baden-Wurttemberg? What surrounding areas/ sites would you recommend for day trips?

I am also interested in venturing farther from Baden-Wurttemberg for a few longer adventures.

I am not restricted to Germany and am open to suggestions that are easily reached by train (4 hours max). I have been to Berlin, Zurich and Salzburg, but am not opposed to a revisit. However, I would like to branch out.

Thank you for your help. Planning this trip is a lot of fun, but overwhelming. Recommendations and advice are greatly appreciated.

marcopolko · Accepted Answer

For things to see and do in and around Stuttgart, have a look at what I wrote in #1 of tripadvisor.com/…49932873 . There are several ticket offers that will of interest to you: the local VVS transportation system ( www.vvs.de ); a Metropolticket which will cover all public transportation for quite a distance from Stuttgart in Wuerttemberg except the fast long distance trains, and the Baden Wuerttemberg ticket which is similar to the Metropolticket but covers all of Baden-Wuerttemberg and a few places beyond its borders.

An excellent several day trip is to rent a car and explore nextdoor Alsace, France. Strasbourg is an excellent larger city, there are underground fortress remains of the Maginot Line that can be toured between there and Wissembourg, and all of the small towns and villages along the Alsatian Wine Route at the foot of the Vosges Nountains are excellent with their well-kept old buildings, flowers and vineyards. We enjoyed our stay in Les Trois Chateaux in Ribeauville as they have an excellent restaurant.

Now, as to special events, first there is Germany's most attended wine festival, Stuttgart's Weindorf at the end of August and beginning of September ( www.stuttgarter-weindorf.de ). Then from the end of September to the beginning of October is the world's second largest beer festival, the Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ( www.cannstatter-volksfest.de ; www.wasen.de ). From the last day of August to the first weekend in November is the world's largest pumpkin exhibition in the extensive gardens of Germany's largest perfectly preserved (all original) palace in nearby Ludwigsburg (in www.blueba.de ). Almost half a million pumpkins of over 450 varieties will be on display including Europe's largest pumpkins and squash; there are large themed sculptures made from these vegetables; and also food and drink made from them.

Just a few ideas, there are many more but you didn't express any particular interests. The Stuttgart tourist information office has a wealth of mostly free information. It's by far the best tourist information office that I've seen anywhere. Make sure to pay the 0.50€ for a map that has a 1-3 hour walking tour of central Stuttgart. Perhaps the pamphlet on three panoramic walks would interest you, and also the ones through the extensive vineyards. It's well worth paying the 1€ (sometimes they're free) for the small book on Stuttgart architecture and also the one on following the traces of the economic history of the region which lists many excellent museums and places to visit. For things to do in Baden-Wuerttemberg get a copy of Baden-Wuerttemberg erleben, which may be available through the tourist office and certainly through www.tourismus-bw.de . In the back in invaluable information on places to visit and things to do. Another publicaqtion which is available from almost any bookstore is Feste feiern in Baden-Württemberg EVENTS 2014 which for about 6€ will list about 6,000 special events throughout the year, a good way to find small town wine festivals and other events that might interest you.

mollyandjohn · Answer

Wow!!! Thank you for all of your great suggestions! You went above and beyond. You have helped make an overwhelming planning experience, easy and manageable. Thank you again!

Grandpa117 · Answer

How wonderful to get six weeks in the heart of Europe. You will also be there at a wonderful time of year. I used to live in Stuttgart so am a little prejudice but I love this region. As I get older, though, I prefer the smaller towns and villages and steer away from the cities and big festivals. My interests may not match yours but here are some thoughts.

Here are some small towns that are beautiful and easy for day trips from Stuttgart You can take trains or a car:

Tubingen

Esslingen

Backnang

Mosbach

Schwabisch Hall (Wurth Art Museum)

Take a drive (or train) up the Neckar River Valley. It's famous for it's wine. It

It's sort of a mini Rhine River with lots of castles and half timbered towns.

Here are just a few beautiful places in Baden Wurttemburg that are a bit further away:

Black Forest

Lake Constance (Bodensee)

Hohenzollern Castle

For a weekend, try Strasbourg, France and nearby Colmar. Alsace is a curious mixture of the French and German cultures.

Have a ball!

Rob H · Answer

I know Germany better than France, but Germany once included Alsace and Lorraine. Strasbourg has aready been suggested and I 2nd the recommendation. Also Colmar (the Linden Museum) and Houte Koenigsbourg. Don't miss out on the wonderful Italian gelato in Stuttgart. Also the regional wines including spaetburgunder. Even 10-15 Euros can get you a good bottle of local red.

michael h · Answer

Hi mollyandjohn,

If you are interstet in spas, you` re at the "source" here in Stuttgart, "das Leuze" is very good, with a nice Sauna area. If you like Sauna, (die Schwabenquellen" are advisable, bur notice in Germany in the Sauna it is mixed an naked. But every 1. monday they have the budabad- Party with bathing-wear an show-acts.

Go tothe wilhelma, europs biggest zoo. and so on, marcopolko has great informations.

Miciha

marcopolko · Answer

Stuttgart has Europe's most abundant mineral water after Budapest. Although there is a spot near the Mineralbäder U-bahn stop where you can taste the various waters, I would never recommend sampling it even if the different waters are supposed to have therapeutic effects, it could also result in immediate discomfort. Two of the baths are near here, Besides Leuze, Mineral Bad Berg, always nice to see the people swimming in the outdoor pool in winter. Then further out in Bad Cannstatt is a third mineral bath, Mineralbad Cannstatt. The Schwabenquelle(n?) is at the SI Centrum entertainment complex on the south side of Stuttgart, reachable by traveling south by U-bahn and then transfering to the U-3. Besides the spa, there are many restaurants, a casino, two hotels, and two musical shows.

There's probably also a lot more on offer, but you really haven't expressed any interests that can be addressed.

the_holger · Answer

Hi,

here just some more proposals:

For travels inside the boundaries of Stuttgart you can avail of the VVS - Day - Pass, which is 6,50€.

When the wheather is good you could just discover the viewpoints around Frankfurt. E.g. Take bus 92 to Solitude, walk to the Bärenschlössle and back.

Take the cog railway to Degerloch, the bus to the television tower and L.13 back to Stuttgart.

U5 goes to Killesberg, you can walk the park and visit the Bauhaus museum at S - Weißenhof

Discover the railway project in the middle of Stuttgart. There are several art museums as well.

As mentioned, September would be ideal for wine degustation, not only on the Weindorf (the winefestival in the city), you can also check the communal winery or the winemuseum in S - Uhlbach.

Certainly as you are in the world capital of cars (Detroit is gone), visit the Mercedes- and the Porschemuseum. But also the smaller museums are worth while a visit - just find out, what is of your interest.

Check here for the best travel options: www.vvs.de/download/VLP01_Stuttgart.pdf

BTW there is certainly such as a monthly ticket or week ticket as well. Also sign in for the CallBikes. After a charge for the sign in they are free for the first 30 mins and bring you everywhere in the citiycentre: www.callabike.de

For travels in the region of stuttgart, it depends on the distance.

You can buy the Metropolticket at 20,00€ and discover places as mentioned above, or

visit Hohenzollern castle, Lichtenstein castle or go to Freudenstadt in the Black Forest.

On the Schwäbische Alb, you can do nice walk

As it is autumn you might want to visit the big wineyards along the Neckar, such as Lauffen or Besigheim.

As long as you travel within the VVS travel association (see here: http://www.vvs.de/download/VLP15_Gesamt.pdf) you can buy multi - stage day - passes for 10,40€ or 14,60€ and visit such as Ludwigsburg Castle, Esslingen

The ticket for Baden - Württemberg is the Baden - Württemberg - Ticket for 23€ and visit

the highest church tower of the world in Ulm the Rose Island Mainau, Meersburg, Schwetzingen. You can also travel to Strasbourg, but need to buy an extra ticket in Appenweier or Kehl.

Holger

Edited: 6 years ago

endoman · Answer

A 4 hour trip into France to visit Nancy, a small but beautiful example of art Nuveau, Plan to stay the night. There is/was also a museum.

King Ludwig built Neuschwanstein Castle in Hohenschwangau, and is worth the 3 hour drive and an overnight. If you went to Disneyland you will then see the model for their castle.

Liechtenstein is also worth a weekend. Just be alerted that it is all built on the sides of mountains and lots of roads are one way. A GPS may be a necessity.

Ludwigsburg Palace is another gem as is the area around it.

We have been to Stuttgart 4 times but not recently. The modest restaurants are a great buy. The museums are excellent. One is built in an old tunnel. Beer is better than wine, but.....

Enjoy your trip. We did massive vacationing in that area.

/Norman

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