Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany. Anyone who loves different vehicles will, undoubtedly, want to take a train to Stuttgart for its Porsche and Mercedes-Benz links, as well as for its motor museums. Visitors can travel by train to Stuttgart from Frankfurt in 3h11mins, and the train journey to Stuttgart from Munich takes 2h57mins. Both journeys are served by the Inter-City train service. Visitors intending to explore the city’s highlights on foot will come across hilly paths, but all the main attractions are very close to the main railway station, so that is not a problem.
Visiting Stuttgart
Stepping out of Stuttgart station, visitors find themselves within a pleasant 7-minute stroll (heading south-east along Konrad-Adenauer-Straße) of the Staatsgalerie (State Gallery). It has a wide-ranging and impressive collection of paintings by classical and modern masters, such as Rubens, Monet, and Picasso. Alongside it, there is an older gallery, built in the middle of 19th century. It houses the works of Dutch, Italian and German artists, such as Bellini, Tintoretto and Rembrandt.
Motor enthusiasts can hop on a metro from these galleries, using lines 40 and 45, in order to get to the Mercedes-Benz museum within 10 minutes. Once in this futuristic, curved building, visitors are whisked to the top to start a two-hour tour of the iconic car maker’s history. Alternatively, if visitors are more inclined to do some shopping, a 10-minute walk to the west brings retail fans to Stuttgart’s famous shopping mile, on Königstraße, where high-end fashion and international brands adorn the pedestrianised street.
For those who are not on motoring or shopping missions, the parkland area around the art galleries makes for a lovely spot for a quiet coffee or a stroll in the fresh air. When refreshments are in order, there are beer gardens and cafes, where visitors can sit back and relax. Or, if travellers are looking for a more substantial meal, there are upmarket establishments actually in the galleries. On the other hand, diners looking for an authentic Stuttgart experience should try the Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup) or Schwarzwälder Schinken (Black Forest Ham), accompanied by some Riesling or Spätburgunder wine.