Hello mulled wine and punch, gingerbread and roasted almonds, cheese spaetzle and yeast dumplings! Stuttgart at Christmas time is magically beautiful. Not only that the Stuttgart Christmas market is well worth seeing – near Stuttgart you will also find two of the most beautiful Christmas markets we have ever visited.
Show what awaits you on a trip to Stuttgart in the run-up to Christmas we tell you in this blog article. We promise: If you’re not in the Christmas spirit yet, you’ll be in a few minutes at the latest. Ready for a concentrated dose of Christmas? Here we go!
1. Drinking a mulled wine at the Stuttgart Christmas market First things first: Of course you mustn’t leave Stuttgart in winter without visiting the Stuttgart Christmas market to have paid. The Stuttgart Christmas market takes place in the heart of the city and is actually one of the largest and oldest Advent markets in Europe.
Although the Christmas market is so big, the ambience on site is relatively cozy, because the stalls are pleasantly distributed throughout the city center, including on Schlossplatz and Schillerplatz. Speaking of stands: The Stuttgart Christmas market is known for its elaborately designed stand roofs . So it’s worth taking a look up from time to time.
There’s delicious mulled wine on every corner, but we’d like to highlight one stand in particular: At “Glühwein für Anna” volunteers serve mulled wine. With the purchase of your mulled wine you support families with children suffering from cancer. Quite apart from that, the mulled wine there really is the best we could find on the entire Christmas market. The stand is on the corner of Königstraße/Bolzstraße in front of the Königsbau.
Opening of the Stuttgart Christmas Market What we can highly recommend is a visit to the grand opening. This will take place always takes place on the first day of the Christmas market in the inner courtyard of the old castle. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful – pure Christmas spirit! If you don’t make it to the opening, don’t worry: In the courtyard you can (almost) daily concerts for free Experience entry.
Information on the Stuttgart Christmas market Location: In the center of Stuttgart on Schlossplatz, Marktplatz and Schillerplatz Arrival: e.g. by subway to Schlossplatz station Date: Monday to Thursday from 10 until 22 hours, Friday and Saturday until 22 o’clock, Sunday from 11 until 21 Watch
2. Make a trip to the medieval market & Christmas market in Esslingen Curtain up for our personal favourite: the Medieval market and Christmas market in Esslingen. Esslingen is a beautiful half-timbered town, that is well 15 Minutes with the S -Bahn is located outside of Stuttgart. We really liked it here in midsummer, but the Christmas season gives the center of Esslingen a flair that can hardly be put into words.
As the name suggests, this Advent market is divided into two parts: the medieval market on the one hand and the classic Christmas market on the other hand. The medieval market (on the town hall square and the harbor market) is like a journey into the past. Torches, jugglers and craftsmen: You feel like you’re in another world and are even spoken to in medieval jargon.
The medieval market is for children also quite a spectacle, because there is a lot on offer. For example, there is a stage with live shows and demonstrations and workshops take place at many stands. The classic Christmas market takes place on the market square right next to the medieval market.
If you are visiting Esslingen and feel like taking a little walk, then we recommend the short Ascent to Esslingen Castle. The covered Wooden staircase that takes you about 480 Levels in the height leads. From the top you have a wonderful view over the pretty town.
Information on the medieval market & Christmas market in Esslingen Location: In the center of Esslingen on the market square, the town hall square and the harbor market
Arrival: With the S-Bahn (S1) from Stuttgart (main station) to Station Esslingen (approx. 15 minutes), from there on foot (approx. minutes)
Date: Monday to Thursday from 10 until 21: 22 hours, Friday and Saturday until 21: 30 Watch
3. Try the delicacies at the Baroque Christmas market in Ludwigsburg Ludwigsburg is located a few kilometers north of Stuttgart. A beautiful Advent market also takes place here, the Ludwigsburg Baroque Christmas market. Baroque because the Christmas market takes place on the baroque market square in Ludwigsburg and is laid out in the style of a baroque garden.
We tried our hand at the culinary offerings at the Ludwigsburg Baroque Christmas market. We particularly liked the traditional Holzofendinnede – a Swabian specialty made from thin yeast dough, which is topped with a wide variety of ingredients. By the way, there’s also a vegetarian version and it tastes great.
A visit to the booth of Lebkuchen Schmidt is also highly recommended. And last but not least: No visit to the Christmas market without roasted almonds. The ones we bought in Ludwigsburg were our first ones this Christmas season and actually our favorites so far.
Info on Ludwigsburg Baroque Christmas Market Location: In the center of Ludwigsburg on the market square
Arrival: With the S-Bahn ( S4, S5) from Stuttgart (main station) to Ludwigsburg station (approx. minutes), from there on foot (approx. 10 minutes) Date: daily from 10 until 21 Watch
4. Marvel at the highlights of Stuttgart on the Schlossplatz Back to the center of Stuttgart, more precisely to the Schlossplatz. Right next to the Christmas market, a very special spectacle takes place during the Christmas season: the so-called Highlights Stuttgart.
A total of eight meter high light sculptures can be found, which represent tourist highlights in Stuttgart. For example, there is a TV tower or a Ferris wheel (representing the Cannstatter Volksfest “Wasen”). Of course, the two car museums (Mercedes-Benz and Porsche Museum) are each represented with a light sculpture. Daily of 17 until 21 a light and sound show that is well worth seeing takes place on the full and half hour.
A good cause: With a donation for the Children’s aid campaign “Herzenssache” you can make the anniversary column shine on site. We also think it’s great that the highlights are too 22 percent are made to glow by green electricity.
Information on the highlights of Stuttgart Location: In the center of Stuttgart on the Castle Square
Arrival: e.g. by subway to Schlossplatz station
Light and Sound Shows: daily between 14 until 21 Clock (on the hour and on the half hour)
5. Warm up in the hip cafés If it gets too cold for you outside, it’s best to escape to a cozy café. There are a lot of them in Stuttgart and one is better than the other. Our favorites are:
Netzer: Bright, stylish bar in which modern , international cuisine is served.
Tarts & Törtchen: Here are fantastic homemade cakes and tarts.
Gustav: Very cosy, hip café with good breakfast and lunch dishes.
Looking for more cafés and restaurants? We have written a detailed Stuttgart food guide in which we pass on all our recommendations: Stuttgart Cafés & Restaurants.
6. Winter in Stuttgart: More Activities & Recommendations Wouahou Winter Village: Visit the alternative Christmas market Christmas market with a difference: We can recommend the Wouahou Winter Village if you are looking for an alternative to the classic Christmas market. There is a huge tipi tent where DJs play and readings take place. At the stalls you can buy homemade and creative things and this Christmas market is also a little different from the others in culinary terms.
Information on the Wouahou Winter Village Location: On the Marienplatz in Stuttgart
Arrival: e.g. by subway to Marienplatz station
Date: Monday to Friday from 16 until 22 hours, Saturday and Sunday from 11 until 22 h
Christmas Tour: Take a Christmassy bus ride Bad weather or are your feet already on the mend? How about a comfortable Christmas bus tour? The Stuttgart Christmas Tour takes you through Stuttgart in a festively decorated double-decker bus. 30 minutes is the length of the journey, on which you will hear Christmas stories from Stuttgart’s past and present nwait to hear.
Info about the Christmas tour Departure: Citytour stop, Tourist Information i-Punkt, Königstraße 1a / Schillerstraße
Arrival: e.g. by subway to station Hauptbahnhof Price: 11 Euro
Date: daily respectively around 12, 14, 11, 16, 17 and 18 Watch
Visit one or more museums Especially when it’s cold outside, a visit to the museum is a good idea. The most famous and most frequented museum in Stuttgart is the Mercedes-Benz Museum. As you can probably guess, it rotates everything here is about cars. The museum is huge – you can easily spend several hours here without getting bored. The history of the automotive industry is told in a very vivid way. Highly recommended!
You can find more information about this and other museums in our detailed blog article: A weekend in Stuttgart.
Visit the City Library Another great place to warm up: the city library. The Stuttgart City Library is (without exaggeration!) one of the most impressive libraries we have ever seen. Inside and out it is an architectural and symmetrical masterpiece.
Information on the Stuttgart City Library Directions: Take the subway to the station Library
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9 to 21 Watch
Photography and filming: Only with prior permission! Photos with the smartphone are also allowed without permission.
Transparency: Advertising & Affiliate Links This blog article was created in cooperation with Stuttgart Tourism. Thank you for the great trip! This blog article contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or buy something through the links, we will receive a small commission. For you, this does not change the price at all. A thousand thanks from both of us!
Have you ever been to Stuttgart at Christmas time? Have you paid a visit to the Stuttgart Christmas market? How did you like it? We look forward to your comment!
