Stuttgart Holiday

The German city of Stuttgart is a charming place to visit, with a lovely natural backdrop and a thriving arts and culture scene.

Set in a delightful valley in the south of Germany, near the French border, Stuttgart is a relatively small city and it is easy for visitors to escape the bustle for the nearby forests, vineyards, mineral spas and hills.

One of the greenest cities in Germany, Stuttgart is committed to environmental practices and is located close to the lush and stunningly beautiful Black Forest. However, the city is also one of Germany's leading manufacturing bases, home of Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and electrical giant Bosch.

The capital of the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, the city has a population of more than half a million people and is the sixth largest city in Germany. Stuttgart will be one of the twelve host cities of this year's World Cup 2006.

Stuttgart translates loosely as 'stud farm' and was founded around 950 AD by Duke Liudolf of Swabia, one of the sons of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I the Great. Used for horse breeding, the settlement grew and became the residence of the counts of Wurttemberg, who eventually earned the title of kings under Napoleon and ruled from Stuttgart.

The kingdom of Wurttemberg joined the German Empire in 1871 and became the seat of the German National Government in 1920. Almost destroyed by air raids during World War II, the city has been rebuilt and restored, with wide boulevards and attractive architecture.

Stuttgart has plenty to entertain lovers of the arts, with a famous ballet company, a number of universities, colleges and research organisations, opera houses, theatres, concert halls and excellent museums, such as the Carl Zeiss Planetarium, the Staatsgalerie (State Gallery) and the 14th century Altes Schloss (Old Castle).

Other activities and sights in and around Stuttgart include Rosenstein Park, which has two natural history museums and the Wilhelma zoological and botanical gardens, boat trips on the River Neckar and the baroque Schlossplatz (Palace Square).

Stuttgart enjoys a relative moderate climate year round, though the period between November to March can be quite cold and the warmest months are between June and August.

Food in and around the Black Forest region is hearty and filling, with lots of fresh game and meat on the menu. One of Germany's largest wine-growing regions, Stuttgart also offers some excellent German beers and the second largest beer festival in the country after the Munich Oktoberfest.

Shoppers will revel in Stuttgart's shops and boutiques selling all styles of clothing and accessories at a range of prices. The city is also full of excellent bars and clubs.

Both the motorbike and the four-wheeled automobile were invented in Stuttgart and the city is still a world centre of motor racing and car manufacturing, with an important race track, the Porsche Museum and the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Football fans should head for the home ground of VfB Stuttgart, a leading German team.

Stuttgart is well served by air, road and rail and there are numerous airlines offering flights to the city from the UK. Once there, accommodation is plentiful, with high standards and comfortable rooms at any one of the area's hotels, inns or castles.