Stuttgart travel guide

About Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the Stuttgarter Kessel and lies an hour from the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. Stuttgart has a population of 613,111 as of 2023, making it the sixth largest city in Germany, while over 2.8 million people live in the city's administrative region and nearly 5.5 million people live in its metropolitan area, making it the fourth largest metropolitan area in Germany. The city's metropolitan area is consistently ranked among the top 5 European metropolitan areas by GDP.

Cheap flights to Stuttgart

The lowest round-trip fare found by Destina Holidays travellers in the last 30 days was $947 from Boston, travelling 30 Nov – 18 Dec. These are the cheapest fares from the most searched cities.

• WAS Washington to Stuttgart30 Dec – 14 Jan · STR from$989
• NYC New York to Stuttgart1 Dec – 8 Dec · STR from$1,179
• LAX Los Angeles to Stuttgart21 Apr – 29 Apr · STR from$1,027
• BOS Boston to Stuttgart30 Nov – 18 Dec · STR from$947
• CHI Chicago to Stuttgart30 Nov – 16 Dec · STR from$1,241
• ATL Atlanta to Stuttgart8 Dec – 15 Dec · STR from$1,043
• DTW Detroit to Stuttgart8 Dec – 21 Jan · STR from$1,044
• DFW Dallas to Stuttgart13 Jan – 27 Jan · STR from$1,168

Cheapest month to fly

Airlines travellers compared most often: Swiss International Air Lines, Air Canada, United Airlines, Finnair, ITA Airways, Austrian Airlines.

Prices are per adult in US dollars, taken from searches between 12 Oct and 11 Nov 2026. Fares change often, so search your dates for live prices.

Places to visit in Stuttgart

1. 

   Mercedes-Benz Museum

   Museum · 3 mi from centre

   A striking museum tracing the history of the automobile through the Mercedes-Benz collection, from the earliest motor carriages to race cars. Visitors start at the top and spiral down through time.

2. 

   Porsche Museum

   Museum · 4 mi from centre

   Located at the Porsche headquarters in Zuffenhausen, this modern museum displays dozens of road and racing cars. A good pairing with the Mercedes museum for motoring fans.

3. 

   Schlossplatz

   Landmark

   The city's grand central square, framed by the baroque New Palace and the Konigsbau colonnade. Its lawns, fountains and Jubilee Column make it a popular meeting and lounging spot.

4. 

   Wilhelma

   Zoo · 2 mi from centre

   A combined zoo and botanical garden set in historic Moorish-style grounds. Highlights include the great ape house, the aquarium and the magnolia grove in spring.

5. 

   Staatsgalerie Stuttgart

   Museum

   The state art gallery spans medieval altarpieces to modern art, with notable works by Picasso and German expressionists. The postmodern extension by James Stirling is an attraction in itself.

6. 

   Fernsehturm Stuttgart

   Viewpoint · 2 mi from centre

   The world's first concrete TV tower stands on a wooded hill above the city. Its observation deck looks over vineyards, the Neckar valley and, on clear days, the Swabian Jura.

Top experiences in Stuttgart

Tours, tickets and experiences you can book with Destina Holidays.

City tours

Stuttgart Private Walking Tour

• 1.5 hours
• Free cancellation

From $268 per adult

Where to stay in Stuttgart

Popular hotels in Stuttgart, out of 504 properties you can book.

NH Stuttgart Airport

• Stuttgart
• 10.04 reviews

From $51 per night

Mercure Stuttgart Airport Messe

• Sindelfingen

From $58 per night

NH Ludwigsburg

• Ludwigsburg
• 8.014 reviews

From $96 per night

Leonardo Hotel Esslingen

• Stuttgart

From $197 per night

Scandic Stuttgart Europaviertel

• Stuttgart

From $113 per night

Adina Apartment Hotel Stuttgart

• Stuttgart

From $156 per night

Maritim Hotel Stuttgart

• Stuttgart

From $195 per night

Arcotel Camino

• Stuttgart

From $151 per night

PLAZA INN Stuttgart-Ditzingen

• Stuttgart

From $89 per night

ACHAT Hotel Stuttgart Airport Messe

• Stuttgart

From $70 per night

B&B Hotel Stuttgart-Vaihingen

• Vaihingen

From $71 per night

Hotel Azenberg Stuttgart Sure Hotel Collection Bw

• Stuttgart

From $170 per night

Best time to visit Stuttgart

Based on recent weather records, the most comfortable time to visit Stuttgart is June, when average daytime highs are around 77°F and rain falls on about 10 days a month.

Average daily low and high temperatures and days with at least 1 mm of rain, from recent weather records. Highlighted months are the most comfortable for sightseeing.

Stuttgart weather forecast

• Wed 11 Nov 58° 48° 88%
• Thu 12 Nov 55° 43° 63%
• Fri 13 Nov 44° 36° 52%
• Sat 14 Nov 46° 34° 0%
• Sun 15 Nov 53° 34° 4%
• Mon 16 Nov 60° 42° 24%
• Tue 17 Nov 58° 50° 65%

Know before you go

Currency

Euro (EUR)1 US dollar ≈ €0.89

Language

German

Calling code

+49

Driving

On the right

Time zone

Europe/BerlinUTC+1

Capital

Berlin

Upcoming public holidays in Germany

• Fri 25 DecChristmas DayErster Weihnachtstag
• Sat 26 DecSt. Stephen's DayZweiter Weihnachtstag
• Fri 1 JanNew Year's DayNeujahr
• Fri 26 MarGood FridayKarfreitag
• Mon 29 MarEaster MondayOstermontag
• Sat 1 MayLabour DayTag der Arbeit

Banks, offices and some attractions may close on public holidays, and flights and hotels often fill up early around them.

Getting to Stuttgart

These are the airports closest to central Stuttgart. Compare fares into each one, as a slightly longer transfer can sometimes mean a much cheaper flight.

• STR Stuttgart Airport6 mi (10 km) from the city centre

Getting around Stuttgart

Stuttgart has a very compact city centre with most destinations within walking distance. Nearly all visitors arrive at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof). From there the remarkable 1.2-km-long pedestrian shopping street called “Königstraße” leads through the heart of the city, passing the Schlossplatz with the amazing New Palace, to the Rotebühlplatz (Stadtmitte). Other main sights (e.g. museums, opera) are just around the corner.

By public transport

Stuttgart's public transportation system comprises two light rail system - the Stadtbahn (or U-Bahn) and Schnellbahn (S-Bahn), as well as a city bus system. It is managed by VVS and is fully integrated in that there is one fare and ticketing system for all forms of transit, so that a single ticket can be used on any mixture of buses and trains that may be required to complete the journey. The VVS's network called is divided in zones. The city of Stuttgart is only Zone 1.

U-Bahn (Stadtbahn)

Stuttgart's Stadtbahn is a combination of suburban light rail, tramway/streetcar system and underground metro (subway). In the very centre of the city, the tracks run underground, and the overground sections run along city streets, partially grade-separated and partially integrated into city streets like tramways. That way, the yellow carriages of the Stadtbahn can travel all the way from the suburban hillsides to the central hub by the Hauptbahnhof, allowing convenient commuting with minimal changeovers.

S-Bahn (Schnellbahn)

The Schnellbahn (or S-Bahn), literally meaning "fast railway", is a system of regional trains operated by the Deutsche Bahn for VVS. They run over mainline and railway track sections separate from the Stadtbahn, with fewer stops/stations and reaching farther beyond the city that the Stadtbahn. As the S-Bahn is separate from the U-Bahn, not all stations are integrated - there are S-Bahn stations with no connections to the U-Bahn system.

Stuttgart travel FAQ