Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [350]
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Live Jazz
Bix Jazzclub ( 2384 0997; www.bix-stuttgart.de, in German; Leonhardsplatz 28; admission €8-25; 6.30pm-1am Tue-Wed, 6.30pm-3am Thu-Sat) Suave chocolate-gold tones and soft lighting set the scene for first-rate jazz acts at Bix, swinging from big bands to soul and blues.
Kiste ( 553 2805; www.kiste-stuttgart.de; Hauptstätter Strasse 35; admission €5; 6pm-1am Mon-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat) Jam-packed at weekends, this hole-in-the-wall bar is Stuttgart’s leading jazz venue, with nightly concerts (except Sunday), starting at 9.30pm or 10pm.
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Performing Arts
Liederhalle ( 202 7710; www.liederhalle-stuttgart.de; Berliner Platz 1; ticket prices vary) Jimi Hendrix and Sting are among the stars who have performed at this culture and congress centre. The 1950s venue stages big-name classical and pop concerts, cabaret and comedy.
Staatstheater ( 203 20; www.staatstheater-stuttgart.de, in German; Oberer Schlossgarten 6; ticket prices vary) Stuttgart’s grandest theatre presents a top-drawer program of ballet, opera, theatre and classical music. The Stuttgart Ballet (www.stuttgart-ballet.de, in German) is hailed one of Europe’s best companies.
Theaterhaus ( 402 0720; www.theaterhaus.com, in German; Siemensstrasse 11; Maybachstrasse) This dynamic theatre stages live rock, jazz and other music genres, plus theatre and comedy performances.
Variété im Friedrichsbau ( 225 7070; www.friedrichsbau.de, in German; Friedrichstrasse 24; tickets €20-40) Famous for its excellent variety shows and cabaret productions.
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SHOPPING
Mosey down plane tree–lined Königstrasse, Germany’s longest shopping mile, for high-street brands and department stores, Calwer Strasse for chichi boutiques, and Stifftstrasse for designer labels. The casual Bohnenviertel is the go-to quarter for antiques, galleries, vintage garb and Stuttgart-made crafts.
Brunnenhannes ( 273 8435; Geissstrasse 15) Nothing to wear to Oktoberfest? Biker-meets-Bavaria Brunnenhannes has the solution with lederhosen for strapping lads, dirndls for buxom dames and gingham lingerie that is half kitsch, half cool.
Feinkost Böhm ( 227 560; Kronprinzstrasse 6) Böhm is a foodie one-stop shop with regional wine, beer, chocolate and preserves, and an appetising deli.
Marcoccino ( 5189 0596; Geissstrasse 10; 11am-7pm Mon-Sat) Handmade chilli truffles, goat’s cheese pralines, chocolate caviar…however will you choose? The attractively packaged treats in Marco’s chandelier-lit store make yummy gifts.
Stilwerk ( 253 6713; www.stilwerk.de; Königsbau-passagen; 10am-8pm Mon-Sat) Some of Germany’s top design stores cluster under an elliptical glass roof at Stilwerk, specialising in everything from space-age bathrooms to stylish rattan creations.
Tausche ( 414 8490; Eberhardstrasse 51; 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat) Berlin’s snazziest messenger bags have winged their way south. Tausche’s walls are a technicolour mosaic of exchangeable flaps: from die blöde Kuh (the silly cow) to Stuttgart’s iconic Fernsehturm (TV Tower). Pick one to match your outfit and mood.
For outdoor action, there’s a bustling flower market (Schillerplatz; 7.30am-1pm Tue, Thu & Sat) and a flea market (Karlsplatz; to 4pm Sat).
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GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
Stuttgart International Airport (STR; 01805-948 444; www.stuttgart-airport.com), a major hub for Germanwings (www.germanwings.com), is 13km south of the city. There are four terminals, all within easy walking distance of each other.
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Car & Motorcycle
The A8 from Munich to Karlsruhe passes Stuttgart, often abbreviated to ‘S’ on highway signs, as does the A81 from Singen (near Lake Constance) to Heilbronn and Mannheim.
Stuttgart recently boosted its ecofriendly credentials by becoming an Umwelt Zone (www.umwelt-plakette.de),