The siren song of inexpensive airfare was too great to ignore. And since we’re always up for exploring new places we made a fast getaway and flew off to spend a weekend in Stuttgart, Germany.
Stuttgart, in my mind, does not have the same vibe as Munich or Berlin. Because much of the city was destroyed during Word War II, it felt much less like an old city and feels slightly more industrial and dare I say even a bit more modern. But Stuttgart won us over with its delicious Swabian cuisine and attractions. We ended up having a really nice weekend!
Interestingly enough, the city also home to Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. A dream for this luxury car lover!
We had limited time in Stuttgart and if I had to do it again I would add at least one day or maybe even two. The city is not compact and is fairly spread out but their transport system is good and it’s easy to navigate.
How To Spend A Weekend In Stuttgart, Germany
The Porsche Museum
I have a thing for Porche so this was an exciting attraction for me. The museum has over 80 cars. The company also has an interesting history.
Ferdinand Porsche founded the company in 1931 but didn’t build his own cars at that time. The company was tasked with and designed a car that went on to become the Volkswagen Beetle. The first Porsche was realized in 1939 and had elements from the beetle.
And although I haven’t actually driven a car in almost four years and most of the time I don’t miss driving, I realized at the museum that I could be 100% happy behind the wheel of a Panamera!
Mercedes Museum
Mercedes has long and interesting history beginning when Karl Benz invented the first true car powered by petrol in 1886. This museum is larger than Porsche with 160 vehicles and more than 1,500 exhibits. We ran out of time before having a chance to see it in person and I’m sorry we missed it. I bet its fabulous.
The Pig Museum (SchweineMuseum)
The Pig Museum has been open since 2010 and it boasts over 50,000 pig-related items. It truly is a spectacle to behold!
Located on the site of an old slaughterhouse, this 25 room museum isn’t what you would typically expect.
While you do learn quite a bit about pigs (did you know they were among some of the first animals to be domesticated? Or that half of the world’s pigs live in China?) this museum leans more towards pop culture.
You can find everything pig related from stuffed toys to artwork, banks to figurines and there’s even naughty pigs doing naughty things.
Schlossplatz (Palace Square)
Located in the heart of Stuttgart, the square is a nice place to relax in one of the surrounding cafes or biergartens. Throughout the year there are various events that take place in the square but the weekend we were there it was quiet. In the center is the Jubilee Column, built in 1841, and is crowned by Condordia, the goddess of harmony.
A couple of Stuttgart’s other areas of interest are located near the square: Karlspatz (there is a weekly flea market we saw taking place there on our way to the Stuttgart Market) and Schillerplatz.
Mittlerer Schlossgarten
We wandered through the Schlossgarten on our travels and saw some interesting ruins that were of the pleasure garden originally located in the Schlozplatz.
In the nicer months there are biergartens here. I could totally see myself people watching there with a beer in hand.
Staatsgalerie (State Gallery)
Opened in 1843, the State Museum is made up of three buildings and contains works of art from the Middle Ages up to the 20th century. Some of the notable pieces to be found in the museum are by Picasso, Dalí, Matisse, and Miró.
Market Hall Stuttgart
The Market Hall has everything from fresh flowers to sweets and meats and cheeses to fruits and veg.
There is also a restaurant on site. We nibbled our way around the market but this place would be fabulous to gather food for a picnic in Schlossplatz.
Standseilbahn Stuttgart (Funicular)
In operation since 1929, the funicular ride is not very long nor very steep (we rode one in Prague that felt almost vertical and it terrified me!) but it is still worth taking a ride on one of the two teak cars as it takes you from street level up 285 feet (87 meters) to the Stuttgart Degerloch Forest Cemetery.
Stuttgart Degerloch Forest Cemetery
This cemetery was so peaceful. Absolutely the most peaceful I’ve ever visited. I have a deep love for cemeteries and I’ve been to many over the years. This one is in a forest and most of the graves are from the war.
And to be honest, with its winding paths and many rhododendrons, it actually reminded me of an arboretum very near my home in Pennsylvania called Tyler Arboretum.
My husband laughed at me when I told him that and he said, “yeah, an arboretum with graves.” But it’s true. That’s what it looks like. An arboretum with graves.
Places To Eat In Stuttgart, Germany
Weinhaus Stetter
The traditional Swabian cuisine at Weinhaus Stetter was delicous.
We had goulash soup (always and always), amazing Swabian dumplings called maultaschen as well as braised pork and spatzle.
But I will also say that the service here was slow. Very friendly and helpful but slow. Luckily we weren’t in any great hurry and had the time to enjoy a leisurely and really fantastic meal.
Schlachthof Restaurant
Located in the same building as the Pig Museum, the Schlachthof had good, traditional food.
Where To Stay In Stuttgart
There are many hotel options in the area but we stayed at Althoff Hotel am Schlossgarten. The hotel is nice, the rooms are a wee bit dated in terms of looks but our suite was very clean and a good size. The location was great for getting around.
It’s located right along Oberer Schlossgarten.
A lovely garden very near Schlossplatz.
Oberer Schlossgarten is also close to Staatstheater, the theatre that boasts opera, ballet and drama theatre performances.
I hope you enjoyed my experiences in Stuttgart, Germany. I regret not having an extra day to spend there. Definitely one of the most underrated cities that I’ve visited and worth seeing.
Have there been any underrated cities that you’ve visited? Share your experience with me below!
Thanks for reading! Cheers!
This looks like a very pretty and interesting city to visit even if one couldn’t pronounce any of the places you visited other than the Pig Museum. Some interesting things to see in unexpected places.
It makes me want to take lessons to speak better German! Stuttgart was really a surprise. I’d love to go back again.
It looks like a very interesting city! That grey Porsche is amazing!