12 best things to do in springtime around Stuttgart

The sun is shining, the days are getting longer, the air is balmy. Crocuses, daffodils and tulips dot the meadows and gardens – spring at last. In this article you can find out which excursions make Stuttgart and its surroundings particularly attractive now.

Blooming paradise: orchards in and around Stuttgart

A real highlight are the many meadow orchards that characterise the landscape of the Stuttgart region. When hundreds of thousands of apple, cherry, plum and pear trees blossom in white and pale pink in spring, it is simply a dream.

For some excursions you don’t even have to leave Stuttgart. There is even a particularly old orchard in the middle of the city: the Kressart orchard in the Sonnenberg district (Stuttgart-Möhringen).

Stuttgart in spring: Magnolia blossom at Wilhelma

You will hardly see so many magnolia blossoms at once anywhere else. When the magnolia trees transform the Wilhema’s Moorish Garden into a sea of blossoms, it is simply magical.

Of the 70 or so trees, a good dozen are old magnolias from the time of King Wilhelm I. You can recognise them by their peculiar shape. You can recognise them by their idiosyncratic shape: the branches bend down to the ground and virtually support themselves there. The rich dark green of the columnar yews forms a beautiful contrast to the pink flowers.

Corona Note 2021: Please check the current opening hours of sights, museums, leisure and gastronomic facilities on their websites before your visit.

Blühendes Barock in Ludwigsburg

Rose Garden, Sardinian Garden, Japanese Garden … a dream for every nature lover. The Blühende Barock in Ludwigsburg starts spring in March. Countless daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, forget-me-nots, horned violets and the first cherry blossoms bring fragrance and colour to the gardens and parks at the Royal Residence Palace – a worthwhile destination for excursions from Stuttgart.

The Easter egg alley next to the fairy tale garden (especially worthwhile for families) is really colourful, with various hands-on activities on the weekends before and during Easter. On Sundays, you can get into the spirit of the countryside when old handicraft traditions are presented.

Here you can find current opening hours and events: Blühendes Barock.

Cool places around Stuttgart in spring: crocus meadows in Zavelstein

A beautiful day trip from Stuttgart takes you to the Teinach Valley in the northern Black Forest for the crocus blossom. One of the few areas in Germany where the crocus really grows wild. And on an unbelievable five hundred thousand square metres.

In the morning they still look as if someone has stuck crayons in the ground. But as soon as the sun rises higher, millions of blossoms transform the crocus meadows in Zavelstein into a purple sea.

For updates on the blossom please check the Instagram and Facebook channel of Teinachtal-Touristik.

But to come only as a crocus watcher would almost be insulting to the place in view of the beautiful view – in good weather as far as Hohenzollern Castle. The well-marked „Augenblickrunde“ starts directly at the crocus meadows, through the forest to the Zettelberg.

Heckengäu in spring

How about a little trip to the Heckengäu? Many people are still unfamiliar with this natural paradise in the Böblingen district – but you’ll find plenty of secluded spots for a cosy picnic there.

A really beautiful hike leads over the Venusberg. And afterwards it’s worth stopping off at one of the Heckengäu innkeepers. Here you can find more ideas for a day trip to the Heckengäu.

Springtime around Stuttgart: Swabian Hanami in Leonberg

Unfortunately, I haven’t yet made it to Japan for the cherry blossom, but there’s a bit of that Nippon feeling in Leonberg, too. Right, behind the traffic jam triangle on the A8. So if things aren’t going so well again, just get off the motorway and take a break in the Pomeranzengarten at the castle (also worth it in summer).

I find it most beautiful there when the Japanese cherries turn a soft pink in April. You can get there in less than half an hour with the S6. Perfect for small Stuttgart excursions in between.

Day trip from Stuttgart: Großes Lautertal by bike

Juniper heaths, castle ruins, a boat ride in a cave, a small river that curves wildly and lively through the landscape – the . Lautertal is a great cinema. Get on your bike, get into the Albleben, and then slumber in style in a shepherd’s caravan.

The varied cycle tour across the middle Alb through the large Lauter Valley can easily be done on an e-bike. By the way, it’s a great combination with an overnight stay at Hofgut Hopfenburg. Yurt, shepherd’s cart, tepee – the choice is yours …

Excursions Stuttgart: Want more tips like this? You can find 50 outdoor ideas in my book „Eskapaden in und um Stuttgart“ (DuMont Reiseverlag). This way please for more information!

Cycling along the Neckar River

Tübingen, Nürtingen, Esslingen – picturesque half-timbered towns line the Neckar Valley Cycle Route like pearls. In between, vineyards, wheat fields, meadows and rare water birds. Sounds like a real pleasure tour? It is.

The stretch downriver from Tübingen to Ludwigsburg can be done quite comfortably in two days. If that’s too far, you can always shorten it and return to Stuttgart by regional or suburban train.

My tip: Be sure to stop at Christian Belser’s brasserie in Nürtingen on the market square.

Love Hiking? Off to the Swabian Alb!

The Swabian Alb doesn’t really pass for an insider tip any more. The Ostalb might still be. The most beautiful way to discover the region is on the Schäferweg (Shepherd’s Trail), which leads through the Brenz region in six stages. The Eselsburg Valley with its bizarre rock formations is wild and romantic – and especially green in spring.

My tip for your base camp: Widmann’s Löwen in Zang. . Not only can you stay there in a cosy shepherd’s caravan or chalet, but you can also enjoy excellent food (one michelin star since 2019).

Things to do in Stuttgart: Picnic at the Karlshöhe

There are also pretty places to visit in the city centre. For example, on the Karlshöhe, only a few minutes‘ walk from Marienplatz. This can be wonderfully combined with a leisurely hike along the Blaustrümpflerweg.

At the end of the tour, you can picnic below the beer garden and not only look out over the vines, but also up to the TV tower on the other side of the Stuttgart cauldron. On the way to Karlshöhe, it’s best to stop for provisions at Stuttgart’s market hall, one of the most beautiful in Germany.

Here you can find more ideas for beautiful city walks in Stuttgart.

Cool places in Stuttgart: Vineyards at the Rotenberg

Vineyards in the middle of the city, that’s probably only in Stuttgart. In spring, the vines are still rather bare, but you can still enjoy a walk in the sunny vineyards of Stuttgart. The vines stand like an amphitheatre below the grave chapel on the Rotenberg, through which the Stuttgart Wine Trail leads. With a bit of luck, a few wine taverns will also be open.

My tip: the Friday wine tasting at the Weinbaumuseum in Uhlbach.

For even more ideas for gourmets, check out my article on the Genusshotspots in Stuttgart.

Things to do around Stuttgart: Trollingertracking in Heilbronner Land

I love geocaching, the scavenger hunt with your mobile phone where you have to find a treasure using coordinates. I have often discovered places that I would otherwise have passed by carelessly.

But I find the Trollinger tracking Trollinger-Tracking. even better. Because there is a bottle of wine waiting in the treasure chest at the end. This can be easily combined with a day trip from Stuttgart.

Do you have any other ideas for nice excursion destinations around Stuttgart? Then post them in the comments!