Stuttgart fills a steep-sided basin — locals call it the Kessel, the cauldron — which means almost every edge of the city is a viewpoint. These are the ones worth the climb, and most of them are free.
Birkenkopf (Monte Scherbelino)
The highest point in the inner city, and about forty metres of it is rubble — debris cleared from the bombed centre after 1945 and piled here, with fragments of carved stone left in place as a memorial. A path winds up through woods to a bare summit and a wide view. Locals call it Monte Scherbelino.
Karlshöhe
A green hill between the south and west of the city, with a beer garden at the top. Less of a hike than the Birkenkopf, and an easy walk out from the centre for an evening drink with a view.
Killesberg and the Killesbergturm
A hillside park laid out for a garden show in 1939, with lawns, ponds, a little narrow-gauge railway in summer and the Killesbergturm — a slender tower of lattice and steel cable from 2001 that you can climb for free.
Weißenburgpark and the Chinese garden
Two smaller, quieter options on the slopes above Stuttgart-Süd: the Weißenburgpark, with its tea house and marble hall, and, higher up the Bopser hill, a small Chinese garden looking out over the rooftops.
Good to know
- The Birkenkopf, the Killesbergturm and the Chinese garden are free; the beer garden and tea house keep their own hours
- Most of these involve an uphill walk — wear proper shoes
- Sunset is the obvious time; the Karlshöhe and the Birkenkopf face west
- The Killesberg is on the U-Bahn; the others are short bus rides or walks from the centre