The Performing Arts

Stuttgart is so close to Heidelberg (only 40 min. by train) that you may want to consider spending an evening at one the city’s highly regarded cultural events; listings and tickets are available from the tourist office, and the magazine “Lift,” available at newsstands, lists all the happenings around Stuttgart. Staatstheater (State Theater), Oberer Schlossgarten ([tel] 0711/202090; S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof), is home to the highly regarded Stuttgart Ballet and the Staatsoper (State Opera). Classical and other concerts are given in the Liederhalle, Schloss-Strasse ([tel] 0711/2167110; U-Bahn: Liederhalle/Berlinerplatz), home to the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker and the Radio Symphony Orchestra.

The Bar,Cafe & Club Scene

Start your evening with a drink at Amadeus, Charlottenplatz 17 (tel. 0711/292678; www.amadeus-stuttgart.de; U-Bahn: Charlottenplatz), where students and locals gather.

For a trendier locale, and one where you're likely to meet counterculture Stuttgart (complete with purple hair and piercings in unpredictable places), head to Palast der Republik, Friedrichstrasse 27 (tel. 0711/2264887; U-Bahn: Keplerstrasse), a century-old bar that has tended to draw an arts-conscious crowd throughout its long history. DJs play funk and soul. Café Stella, Hauptstätter Strasse 57 (tel. 0711/6402583; www.cafe-stella.de; U-Bahn: Österreichischerplatz), is a see-and-be-seen kind of place that serves drinks and food; it hosts local jazz bands, on a varying schedule, several times a month. Sunday brunch is a particularly stylish venue for the hip and hipster wannabes.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.