Stuttgart, Germany Offers an Experience Like No Other!
Known as the “cradle of the automobile”, you may have heard of Stuttgart, Germany because it’s the home of the Mercedes-Benz Museum. You may have heard of it for its famous city views and the vineyards just outside its center. Or maybe you know that it’s the capital of Baden-Wurttemberg? Perhaps, what you didn’t know is that Stuttgart is a city bustling with fashion, sustainability, and culture, all wrapped up in rich history. Some of its history is even uniquely bizarre- my favorite type! Whatever you know about Stuttgart, I think there’s much more to learn; so, let’s discuss the uniquely exciting things to do in Stuttgart so you get a more complete idea on what this buzzing city has to offer.
The Mercedes Benz Museum
Since Stuttgart is known as the “cradle of the automobile”, I would be remiss to ignore talking about the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Having had over 12 million visitors as of July 2023, the Mercedes Benz Museum proudly boasts that they’ve received visitors from all countries around the world, stating, “the whole world has visited here.” The museum does an excellent job of providing historical information, a powerful array of various cars that expands throughout the course of history, and fun artistically presented designs. Clearly, it’s perfect for those who love cars, but it also provides a very interesting account of the history of the automobile, and it even displays the first two cars ever invented. It does a masterful job showcasing the evolution of the car from its conception to the modern cars you’ll see today. Even for the people who don’t identify as “car people”, I think this is a great exhibit for the whole family since it’s so engaging.
The Stuttgart Cable Car
I don’t think I enjoy anything as much as I do some uniquely strange and morbid history, and Stuttgart delivered on that with its cable car. The Stuttgart Cable Car was built in 1929 after the cemeteries of Stuttgart became full. A beautiful cemetery was built in the woods up on top of the hill outside the city, and since it was such a hike to get there, a cable car was put in to bring passengers up to the cemetery. A beautiful cable car in the side of a hill that leads to a cemetery? That sounds like my kind of adventure! The cable car is designed in a simple manner with a dark wooden tone as to not offend any of the mourners. The simplicity was the perfect design for the funeral processions that would regularly be on the cable car. This cable car also leads up to many hiking trails that can be found on the mountain just outside of Stuttgart’s valley.
Vineyards
As mentioned, there are many vineyards in the area, so be sure to take advantage of wine tastings while you’re in Stuttgart. The surrounding area offers a plethora of day trips, tours, and adventures for wine lovers. Riesling, Trollinger, Lemberger, and Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) are all native to the region, and they go very well with the famous regional dish of the area- Spätzle.
Hidden Chinese Water Temple
On my first day in Stuttgart, I journeyed out behind the Kronenhotel and up a set of stairs that sat in the hillside behind the hotel. A few minutes up the stairs and around the following road, and I discovered a beautiful Chinese Water Temple that seemed to be hidden away behind the chaos of the city. It was unbelievably serene, and it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. There’s a small lake, a waterfall with a hut above it so you can overlook the city of Stuttgart, a temple building, and beautiful flowers and greenery adoring this oasis. If you’re in Stuttgart (or anywhere at all!) I hope you step outside, go for a walk, and be on the lookout for hidden gems like this that are just waiting to be discovered.
The Stuttgart TV Tower
Stuttgart, Germany is home to the first telecommunications tower in the world. Yes, you heard that right! And while it doesn’t function today as it did back in the 1950s nor is it the tallest telecommunications tower, it did serve as the prototype for most telecommunications towers worldwide. Located on Hoher Bopser, a hill just outside of the valley of Stuttgart’s city center, this famous structure is now a great spot for tourists to come, have a coffee in the café up near the top of the tower, view the picturesque scenery, and soak in some rich history. While famous now, the construction of the tower was actually quite controversial. It was expensive, as no one had created one before, so there was much in fighting to bring this tower to life. Lucky for the world, it was officially placed in service on February 5th, 1956, inspiring many regions to follow suit, especially cities like Stuttgart that were found in valleys, as the reception to their televisions and radios were next to impossible to reach any signals, and the rest is history!
Though known for its history in the creation and development of the automobile, Stuttgart, Germany is obviously much more than that. It has such a rich history that covers entertainment, fashion, engineering, and even the macabre. It has a little something for everyone, and I hope you get to experience that as you venture off into Southern Germany! Happy Trails!
