Esslingen Old Town
Esslingen am Neckar Altstadt
A well-preserved medieval town on the Neckar, with half-timbered old houses, a painted old town hall and hilltop castle paths. Its medieval and Christmas markets in winter are very popular.
Esslingen lies about 14 km southeast of Stuttgart. It was almost untouched by World War II, and its old town still has more than 200 medieval half-timbered houses, including one of Germany's oldest rows of timber-framed houses. The old town hall has an ornate Renaissance painted façade and an astronomical clock, and plays music on a set schedule every day. The twin towers of St. Dionysius Church are connected by a wooden bridge. A covered stairway along the city walls leads up to the hilltop castle (Burg), with views over the Neckar Valley and vineyards. Esslingen is also home to Kessler, Germany's oldest sparkling wine producer, where visitors can tour the cellars and taste. The medieval and Christmas markets in winter are very popular. The journey from Stuttgart takes about 10 to 15 minutes by S-Bahn S1 or regional train.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Württemberg Mausoleum
- Mercedes-Benz Museum
- Cannstatter Volksfest
- Fernsehturm Stuttgart
- Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Garden
- Rosensteinpark & State Museum of Natural History
- Staatsgalerie Stuttgart
- House of History Baden-Württemberg