Stuttgart
A car-industry city in a Neckar valley, where Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums sit beside vineyards and Swabian food.
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Stuttgart is the capital and largest city of Baden-Württemberg, in southwest Germany. It sits in a valley on the Neckar river, about an hour from the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. The city is called the cradle of the automobile: Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are headquartered here, and the Mercedes-Benz Museum is the most visited museum in the city, with about 440,000 visits a year.
Vineyards cover the slopes around the city, and wine has been made here since the 17th century. About 423 hectares of vines take up roughly two percent of the city area. Swabian cooking is part of the visit too: Maultaschen, a filled pasta, has been recognized by the EU as a regional specialty, and Gaisburger Marsch is a stew from Gaisburg. Summer highs average around 25 °C, and Ludwigsburg Palace, a large Baroque palace, is a short trip away.
Stuttgart in five
- Pick one car museum, not bothThe Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Porsche Museum both lie outside the center and each takes two to three hours. Both are reached by S-Bahn. Check opening days, because museums often close on Mondays.
- Check the VVS ticket before you rideStuttgart's transit area sells day and group tickets for S-Bahn, U-Bahn and buses. A Deutschland-Ticket covers the VVS network too. Validate paper tickets where required.
- Walk up through the city vineyardsVineyards climb the slopes inside the city limits, and the hills give a view over the basin. Wear shoes for steps, and go in the afternoon for the light.
- Plan around the Cannstatter VolksfestThe fair usually runs from late September into mid October and fills rooms and trains. Confirm the dates on the official event page and book early if they touch your trip.
- Use Stuttgart as a gateway to the Black ForestICE and regional trains reach Ulm, Heidelberg and Baden-Baden in 40 to 90 minutes, so one base can serve several days.Stuttgart & the Black Forest
Things to do in Stuttgart
See all attractions in Stuttgart
Need to know
- Airport
- Stuttgart (STR); S2 or S3 to the main station in about 30 min
- Getting there
- ICE from Frankfurt about 1.5 hours; Munich about 2.5 hours; Zurich about 3 hours
- Getting around
- S-Bahn, U-Bahn and trams (VVS network)
- Best base
- Near the Hauptbahnhof or Schlossplatz
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh5°Low-1°Cold, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 76 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryRain12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low1°Cold, quietFebruaryRain
Mixed
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh11°Low2°Cool, thawMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, thaw
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh14°Low5°Spring, blossomAprilRain
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, blossom
- MayRain14 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Warm, greenMayRain
Good
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 95 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneRain13 rainy daysHigh23°Low14°Warm, long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyRain13 rainy daysHigh25°Low15°Hot, busyJulyRain
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- AugustRain13 rainy daysHigh25°Low15°Hot, busyAugustRain
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 96 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh20°Low12°VolksfestSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 77 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Volksfest
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh15°Low8°Fall colorOctoberRain
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 76 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Fall color
- NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Gray, dampNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Gray, damp
- DecemberRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low1°Christmas marketDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 77 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Christmas market
Average daily high and low in Stuttgart, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Sep Cannstatter Volksfest · Oct Cannstatter Volksfest
Right now in Stuttgart
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
7
- Feels like
- 4°
- Humidity
- 66%
- Wind
- 8 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Stuttgart
09:43 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°1°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue9°3°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed9°4°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu8°3°0%Thursday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri7°2°3%Friday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Sat7°0°5%Saturday: Fog. High 7°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Sun13°0°21%Sunday: Fog. High 13°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 21%.
Updated 09:18 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Coming up
Every year
- Apr–JunSchwetzingen FestivalHeidelberg, a day trip
- Jul–AugNibelungenfestspiele WormsMannheim, a day trip
- Jul–AugBachwoche AnsbachRothenburg ob der Tauber, a day trip
- JulRossini in WildbadBlack Forest, a day trip
- Sep–OctCannstatter VolksfestStuttgart
- SepWurstmarkt DürkheimMannheim, a day trip
Day trips by train
Before you go to Stuttgart
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Rules for Stuttgart, checked
- Citizens of many non-EU countries can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. Check entry rules on the Federal Foreign Office site first.Source
- Dial 112 for fire or an ambulance anywhere in Germany, and 110 for the police.
- Most shops in Stuttgart close on Sundays, so buy groceries on Saturday.
- In restaurants, round the bill up or add about 10 percent when you pay the server directly.
- Some antiques and cultural objects need an export license to leave the EU, so check the customs rules at zoll.de before you buy.Source
Plan around Stuttgart
The region around the city and the forest
Read the guideBlack Forest travel guideTrails, lakes and farmhouse villages
Read the guideUlm travel guideA Danube city with the tallest church spire
Read the guideHeidelberg travel guideA castle town on the Neckar
Read the guideBaden-Baden travel guideA spa town on the forest's edge
Read the guideAll of GermanyRegions, trains, entry rules and money for Germany
Read the guideStuttgart FAQ
How many days do you need in Stuttgart?
One to two days. A day covers a museum, Schlossplatz and a wine slope walk. Add a second day for the Wilhelma or day trips to Ulm or Heidelberg.
Is Stuttgart worth visiting?
Yes for car fans and wine drinkers. It is a modern city rebuilt after the war, so it lacks a medieval core, but museums, vineyards and transport links make it a practical stop.
Mercedes-Benz Museum or Porsche Museum?
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is bigger and tells the history of the automobile in a spiral. The Porsche Museum is smaller and more focused on racing. Choose one unless you are a fan of both brands.
When is the Stuttgart Christmas market?
It usually opens in late November and runs to Christmas Eve, and is one of the larger ones in Germany. Confirm the dates on the city's official page before booking a room.
Should I stay in Stuttgart or the Black Forest?
Stay in Stuttgart for trains, museums and varied dining. Stay in the Black Forest for hikes and quiet. The two sit about 1 to 2 hours apart by rail.