Nighttime in Stuttgart and in November, the Christmas markets and Christmas decorations are in full…read moreswing. A little too cold to hang out for too long (Unless you're wearing a beer coat. You know what a beer coat is, right?) but plenty of time to enjoy the season! Schlossplatz is the largest open square in the city and dates back to the 1800's when it was built as a parade ground. There is a very crowded Christmas market here with security checking COVID passes at the entrance. A little too dense with people for me so we walked the square and took pictures. Absolutely perfect! [Review 16405 overall - 210 in Germany - 1912 of 2021.]

Went to Stuttgart for a day trip and went to Schlossplatz. It is a nice place to visit. Plenty of…read morecafes and beer gardens around the place. Was busy and loads of people hanging around the area. The weather was great & so was the atmosphere. Looking forward to going back there again

Don't miss this experience on your trip to Esslingen! Get the best views of the city here!…read more The "Berg" or fortresss in Esslingen is comprised of two towers and a long wall and can be seen from a distance when you're approaching the city from the hill. It's a nice workout to walk up, either by the steep stairs or the pathway up. At the top are gorgeous views of the city of Esslingen, an expansive grass area great for picnics or taking a break, and even a restaurant.

Esslingen castle is the most famous sightseeing in Esslingen am Neckar, favourite place to walking…read morefor tourists and inhabitants of the city as well. Place to relax and enjoy solitude in a tranquil environment only a few steps away from noisy city. I should mention that the way to the top of the hill is short but not so easy because of its quite steep rise (in my opinion). But from the very top of the hill you'll be rewarded by amazing view over Esslingen which is especially great at night!!!

We were here in February, so the gardens are bare, but still a great place for a nice walk…read more We took the English language guided tour. Our guide was knowledgeable, entertaining and very friendly. Disappointed that only a small area was included on the tour. Our guide said that much of the palace was under renovation. I really enjoyed the collection of clothing - this was very unusual and interesting.

As a study-abroad-student back in the 90s, I spent a good six weeks, or so, living in…read moreaccommodations just a stone's throw away from the grounds of the Ludwigsburg Palace. The residence, initially built as a hunting lodge for the Duke of Wuerttemberg, Eberhard Ludwig, in 1704, was expanded upon throughout the first few decades of the 18th century, and, eventually replaced the palace in Stuttgart as the residence of the royal family of Wuerttemberg. It is a gem to behold. There is much to see both around the grounds of the palace and inside the palace itself. Years ago, I had taken a tour of the palace interior, but had forgotten both its beauty and deep history. Some rooms have been preserved in the original baroque style-opulent parquet flooring and gold accented walls-but most other rooms had had their baroque flourish covered up with somewhat demure wall paper and (in my opinion) rather unimaginative wood flooring in later years. The building is surrounded by well-manicured grounds which then bleed out into, sort of, more wild bits and overlap with the Maerchen Park that has become a part of the Bluehendes Barock* experience one undertakes when purchasing an entry ticket to tour the palace grounds only. The Maerchen Park is home to a small variety of anamatronic fairytale figures that are both known and not to non-German audiences. As one attempts to open the gate of the Gingerbread House the witch living inside looks out through her curtains and speaks sinister words to you! At the tower of Rapunzel children cry out, "Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let your hair down!" And she does! Also housed within the palace is an amazingly extensive ceramics museum charting the rise of pottery in Germany from Bartmann jugs to Meissen tea sets. Unbeknownst to me, Ludwigsburg porcelain was and is of some renown. I'd imagine that Karl Eugen and his ilk were sipping tea out of Ludwigsburger tea cups back in the day... During our look-see of the museum, we were able to spy a, sort of, 'finishing room' where folk were placing unfinished jugs on open shelving units. Ooooh! If one is keen on buying the finished product, then pop on into the ceramics shops also on the palace grounds. A tea cup and saucer might cost you somewhere in the range of 200 euro. *Flowering Baroque: a beautiful garden show within the grounds of the Ludwigsburg Residenzschloss. If a trip to Germany includes parts of the SW, then I would strongly suggest a trip to the palace in Ludwigsburg. Bonus: the first King of Wuerttemberg, Friedrich der Dicke, is the grandfather (x8) of our Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

Schwäbisch Hall or Hall for short was first mentioned in a document dating from 1063. It's…read moreunclear, but Hall possibly refers to the open-pan salt making method used there until the saltworks closed down in 1925. Salt was produced from brine by the Celts at the site of Schwäbisch Hall as early as the fifth century BC. Hall flourished through the production of salt and coins after imperial mint was founded by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa. Hall became a Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire around 1280. From the 14th to the 16th centuries, Hall systematically acquired a large territory in the surrounding area, mostly from noble families and the Comburg Monastery. The wealth of this era can still be seen in some gothic buildings like St. Michael's Church (rebuilt 1427-1526) with its impressive stairway (1507). The town joined the Protestant Reformation very early. Johannes Brenz, a follower of Martin Luther, was made pastor of St. Michael's Church in 1522 and quickly began to reform the church and the school system along Lutheran lines. Hall suffered severely during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) though it was never besieged or scene of a battle. However, it was forced to pay enormous sums to the armies of the various parties, especially to the imperial, Swedish and French troops. Between 1634 and 1638 every fifth inhabitant died of hunger and disease, especially from the bubonic plague. The war left the town an impoverished and economically ruined place, but with the help of reorganizations of salt production and trade and a growing wine trade, there was an astonishingly fast recovery. The Napoleonic wars brought the history of Hall as a Free Imperial City to an end. Following the Treaty of Lunéville (1801), the duke of Württemberg was allowed by Napoleon to occupy the town and several other minor states as a compensation for territories on the Left Bank of the Rhine that fell to France. Although Swäbisch Hall doesn't have any medieval fortifications walls surrounding it like Rothenburg o. d. T. or Dinkelsbühl, it certainly provides a very quaint medieval atmosphere with its numerous half-timbered houses and buildings, cobble stone streets, massive Gothic church on the hill, and Kocher River running through it. You can certainly enjoy strolling and wandering in this town for hours imagining how one's life might have been during those days. You'll enjoy visiting this town.

The Killesberg Tower is a 40.4-meter high observation tower located in the Killesberg Park in…read moreStuttgart, Germany. According to the write-up posted, it was originally planned for the 1993 World Horticultural Exposition, however, it was finally erected in 2001. The four observation decks at 8, 16, 24, and 31 meters are hinged to the main mast and at their circumference connected to the net by press fittings. The two spiral staircases, one for ascending and another for descending, are suspended only by the steel cable net. Significant design elements of the tower are the central main mast whose heel is hinged by a steel ball to the central foundation, and the steel cable net of triangular meshes. The net is tensioned between a circular concrete foundation and a pressure ring at an altitude of 33.5 meters which in turn is suspended from the mast head by cables. All cables and fittings are galvanized. In addition, all steel construction elements received a double paint coat. The hollow sections, i.e., the mast and the stair tubes, are galvanized on both their inner and outer surfaces. Access to the park and the tower is free of charge. For the tower, a voluntary contribution is suggested. Opening hours are from 7 a.m. until nightfall. On a clear day, there would be a very nice view of Stuttgart from the top observation deck (31 meters). Unfortunately, it was cloudy/sprinkling when we visited. Even then, there was a very nice view of the park. If you have acrophobia or fear of heights, I'd suggest you'd skip climbing this one and look from below.