Things to Do in New Palace (Neues Schloss)

Schlossplatz square at golden hour

The square in front of the New Palace is where Stuttgart converges. It's not a museum-piece plaza. Just a well-used public space, anchored by two splashing fountains and the gilded Jubiläumssäule. Come around 6pm in summer. You'll catch the sandstone facade glowing against a backdrop of buskers, skateboarders, and the occasional brass quartet. The benches facing the palace fill up fast on warm evenings.

Schlossgarten parks walk to the Neckar

Behind the palace, the Schlossgarten develops in three sections (Upper, Middle, and Lower), stretching nearly four kilometres north to the river. You'll pass swan-dotted ponds, the State Opera, the curving glass of the Staatsgalerie's extension, and eventually find yourself at the Mineral Baths if you keep going. The path crunches underfoot. Fine gravel, not asphalt. The air carries the resinous smell of old chestnut trees.

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, two minutes away

James Stirling's postmodern 1984 extension to the state art gallery sits right across the Schlossgarten: pink-and-blue handrails, sandstone curves, and a strong collection running from Cranach the Elder through Picasso, Beuys, and a notable Schlemmer holding. Weekday mornings stay quiet. Light pours through high clerestories onto parquet floors.

Old Palace (Altes Schloss) and Schillerplatz

Walk one minute south from the New Palace and you'll find its older Renaissance sibling, the Altes Schloss, with its arcaded courtyard and the Landesmuseum inside. The cobbled Schillerplatz next door hosts a flower and produce market several mornings a week. Buckets of peonies in spring. Knobbly heirloom tomatoes in late summer. The smell of fresh bread from the Brezel stand drifts near the Schiller statue.

Königstrasse shopping promenade

Stretching south from Schlossplatz, Königstrasse is one of Germany's longest pedestrian shopping streets. It runs a kilometre-plus, ribboned with department stores, cafes spilling onto the pavement, and the occasional street performer. Busier than the palace square. More commercial too. Still worth a wander, if only to see how neatly Stuttgart blends imperial-era architecture with mid-century rebuild pragmatism (much of this was rubble in 1945).

Mitte (city centre) is the obvious pick. It puts you within rolling distance of the palace and Königstrasse. Pricier, though. Weekend nights get noisy.

Bohnenviertel sits just east of the centre. The old bean quarter has narrow lanes and small wine bars. Evenings feel more residential here.

Stuttgart-West has leafy, gridded streets with art nouveau facades. Cafe culture is good. The palace is a fifteen-minute U-Bahn ride away.

Bad Cannstatt sits across the Neckar. Useful if you're attending Cannstatter Volksfest or want mineral-bath access. Room rates run cheaper here.

Süd (Heusteigviertel) has become the most quietly fashionable district lately. Full of small restaurants. Plenty of indie shops. Walkable to the centre via the Bohnenviertel.

Killesberg sits up on the hill above the city. Leafy and well-heeled, with park views. Better for travellers with a car, or anyone wanting calm at night.