Karlsplatz: Stuttgart Travel Guide (4.5★)

A square behind the castle

Most visitors to Stuttgart stop at Schlossplatz, take a photo and walk on. Karlsplatz sits one block further, on the far side of the Altes Schloss. Even though it is so close to the main square, it has a very different feel.

The square is laid out under rows of trees, with the stone flank of the Old Castle along one edge. At its centre stands a bronze equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I on a tall plinth. Traffic on the Planie runs past, but under the trees the square feels like a pause in the middle of the city.

What you’ll find here

The square is small, and you won’t need long. These are the things to look for:

• The Wilhelm I equestrian monument, the square’s centrepiece and a good place to get your bearings.
• The Altes Schloss, the Renaissance-era castle whose walls frame the square. Inside is the Landesmuseum Württemberg.
• The Saturday flea market (Flohmarkt), when stalls fill the gravel under the trees.
• Views toward the Stiftskirche, Stuttgart’s main Protestant church, a short walk away at Schillerplatz.

Allow 20–30 minutes for the square on its own. On a flea-market Saturday you can easily spend an hour or more.

Saturdays under the trees

The flea market is the best reason to plan around Karlsplatz. Traders set out tables of old cutlery, postcards, records, porcelain, tools and furniture. It is a jumble, not a curated antiques fair, and that is the fun of it.

The market’s hours and dates can change, and holidays or city events sometimes move it. Check the City of Stuttgart’s website or local listings before you build a day around it.

In the run-up to Christmas, the Stuttgarter Weihnachtsmarkt spreads across the old town. A section near Karlsplatz has traditionally been given over to antiques and collectables. Look at this year’s market map to see what is on the square.

Haggling at the stalls

Most flea-market sellers here expect cash, and many have no card reader. Bring smaller notes and coins in euros. Asking for change from a big note at the first stall of the morning makes no one happy.

Some gentle bargaining is normal. Ask “Was kostet das?” (what does it cost?), then offer a little less, especially for several items together. Keep it friendly. A firm “nein” just means the price is the price.

Good serious buys tend to go early, when dealers and collectors do their first round. Arriving late may get you a better deal from a trader who would rather not pack up again. Handle fragile pieces carefully, and ask before you take photos of someone’s stall.

Getting there on foot or by Stadtbahn

Karlsplatz is right in the city centre, so walking is usually easiest. From Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, walk down Königstraße to Schlossplatz. Then go around the Altes Schloss to its south side, which takes about 15 minutes.

By Stadtbahn, get off at Charlottenplatz, one of the network’s main interchanges, served by several U-lines. It is a few minutes’ walk west along the Planie. The Rathaus stop also puts you close by.

Driving into the centre is rarely worth the trouble. Old-town streets are narrow, and public transport covers the area well.

Around the corner

Karlsplatz works best as one stop on a short walk through the oldest part of Stuttgart. Everything below is within a few minutes:

• Markthalle Stuttgart on Dorotheenstraße, the Art Nouveau market hall with produce, delis and Swabian specialities.
• Gedenkstätte Hotel Silber, a memorial and exhibition in the former Gestapo headquarters for Württemberg, also on Dorotheenstraße.
• Schillerplatz, with its Schiller statue, the Stiftskirche and the Prinzenbau.
• Schlossplatz and the Neues Schloss, for the classic wide view of the centre.
• Landesmuseum Württemberg inside the Altes Schloss. Check its official site for current hours, which vary.

One good order is the Markthalle for a snack, then Karlsplatz on a bench, then the castle courtyard. That covers the historic core in a relaxed morning.