2 Nights in Stuttgart
Stuttgart was fine. I spent two nights there, and while there were definitely some cool moments, it didn’t leave a huge impression overall. Part of that was on me—I was pretty distracted with work and visa/relocation changes, and I didn't prepareor research much in Stuttgart.
Day 1: The Rocky Start
I landed on Wednesday and immediately got tripped up trying to find the train into the city. Pro tip: if you’re at Stuttgart Airport and think “Messe” means train station, it doesn’t—it’s the convention center even though it has a little train symbol. The guy inside the convention center told me the train was right in front of me, but turns out it was actually off to the right, hidden behind a little "U - Stadtbahn" symbol that wasn’t super obvious. After wandering back the way I came, I finally found it, and from there it was smooth sailing.
Getting to the hotel was pretty easy—just a short train ride and a 10-minute walk. Once I dropped my stuff, I went out for coffee, did some work and meetings, and grabbed “lunch” around 4 PM—a pretty solid smash burger and a “Fritz-Kola Zero” which hit the spot.
After a quick lift, I checked out a nearby biergarten. It was a classic German spot—big outdoor tables, laid-back vibe, giant 1L beers. I ordered curry bratwurst and had a beer while catching up with friends and figuring out relocation stuff. I wrapped up the night at the hotel bar with two more drinks and some time hashing out relocation recommendations. Also, I tried Chilean ginger gummy bears that the bar offered as snacks. Clearly some people like them because they keep serving them, but they weren’t for me.
Day 2: Long Walks
The schedule doesn’t always allow for the “typical” day, whether it’s late night or early morning, you figure out a way to get it done. After some early morning work, I made my way to a nearby town on the outskirts of Stuttgart to meet up with a friend I met in Colombia—who’s from the area. It was a public holiday, so everyone else's typical agenda was hike and drink with friends. We had a great walk and caught up before I headed back to work.
Capped off the day with another visit to the biergarten, this time for fleischküchle (basically German meat patties) and potato salad. They were great, I’d recommend.
Day 3: Mercedes Time
On Friday, I wrapped things up with a visit to the Mercedes Benz Museum. I decided to test out the taxi situation to see how bad it would be. Overall, €20 for a ~10 minute ride isn’t the worst, considering I saved 20-30 minutes with the train and got in before a massive tour group. Again, sometimes things just work out how they’re supposed to when traveling.
The museum itself was great—super well done, great flow, and if you’re even a little into cars or history, it’s worth a visit. Take the time to read the panels on the ramps going down to each exhibit.
Stuttgart wasn’t a total miss—I had some nice moments, good food, got an authentic small-German town experience, and it was great seeing a familiar face. But between the rough start, a bit of work/relocation chaos, and my lack or preparation, it didn't stand out to me. Two nights was enough. On to the next!
- Mercedes-Benz Museum (90-120 minutes + travel time)
- Biergarten
- Green spaces
Things I should've planned and could've done if this were vacation.
- Schlossplatz & Neues Schloss: The central square with a beautiful baroque palace and vibrant surroundings.
- Ludwigsburg Residential Palace: Just north of Stuttgart, it's one of the largest Baroque palaces in Germany.
- Staatsgalerie Stuttgart: A fantastic art museum with works from masters like Rembrandt, Monet, and Picasso. I'm not a huge art museum guy, so plan this if you like it!
- Stuttgart Ballet & Opera: Part of the internationally renowned Staatstheater Stuttgart.
