Five matches will take place in the Stuttgart Arena during the European Championship, including games between Scotland, Denmark and Belgium. The German team will also try to earn three points in Stuttgart on June 19 to advance to the round of 16 against Hungary. A good atmosphere is therefore guaranteed in Swabia. This will be ensured not least by four official fan zones for fans from all over Europe - more than in any other city during the European Championships. The motto in Stuttgart is: "The whole city is one stadium"
10 am. First a little orientation: Stuttgart's Königstraße starts at the main train station and runs for 1.2 kilometers via Schlossplatz to Rotebühlplatz. It passes many chic stores, cafés, restaurants and department stores. It is the commercial center of the city, but also something of a generous supply station. Even if the Scottish and Danish fans land in Stuttgart in droves, the existing gastronomic offerings on the Königstrasse ensure a fair distribution.
12 o'clock. If you are already close to the city center anyway and have satisfied all your culinary cravings for now, a visit to the Stuttgart marketplace on. Apart from its idyllic buildings, it serves as one of the four fan zones during the European Championships. (All open from 12 noon). But one that will appeal to active sportspeople in particular. A soccer court will be set up on the market square where interested fan groups can compete against each other. There is also an undefined "action area" - and what happens in the so-called Bolzbox is still beyond our knowledge at the moment, but we have been assured that it has to do with soccer and a lot of fun. Of course, all European Championship matches can also be watched live on the market square in Stuttgart, which is practically the basic equipment in every fan zone.
3 p.m. The sun is blazing down from the sky, the energy is exhausted after the thrilling battles on the Fan Zone soccer court. Time for a little chill out. The most beautiful place to do this, and one that is also very popular with the people of Stuttgart, is the Castle Square. In good weather, the lawns in front of the castle are a meeting place for all those who appreciate a pleasant sunbathing lawn outside the outdoor pool. And the large fountains on the castle square can also be used for a quick refreshment if required. With a bit of luck, you can even take part in the musical events that regularly take place here in summer, such as the Stuttgart Summer Festival.
6 pm. Energy storage filled up again? In this case, a short excursion to the City palace of Stuttgart. Formerly used as the city library, the ornate building now serves as a museum for Stuttgart. Because the museum makers recognize an opportunity when it presents itself, they have set up a special exhibition entitled EURO Legends 2024 from 17 May to 14 July, the day of the European Championship final. Target group: soccer fans. And they will be in the city in droves during the European Championships. Seven nations will be playing at least one of their matches in Stuttgart. What will they see in the museum? Films of legendary matches, illustrated anecdotes about soccer, but also documentaries about political tensions and historical conflicts caused by soccer. It will definitely be entertaining.
8 pm. When the whole City a stadium naturally also has to take care of the culinary customs of a stadium. In addition to the obligatory bratwurst, which is a well-known part of soccer folklore, a complete food mile is set up on Schillerplatz in Stuttgart. Typical Swabian specialties will be presented, including Maultaschen and Spätzle, of course. Let's see how the Scots, for example, who are known to be very ... ahem... demanding in culinary terms, cope with this kind of regional fare. Bonus: Schillerplatz is just a few minutes' walk from Schlossplatz, which will probably become the central meeting point in the city in the evening.
10 am. Soccer and cars, don't they somehow belong together? Especially when it comes to fast sports cars, which are traditionally produced in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. In the Porsche Museum not only can all generations of the sleek Porsches built since 1948 be seen from Tuesday to Sunday between 9 am and 6 pm. A factory tour also gives visitors the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of the luxury car manufacturer. Of course, there is also a museum store where you can pick out the perfect souvenir for your trip back to Glasgow, Budapest or Copenhagen. If you don't have enough for a real 911, you'll have to make do with a smaller-scale car for the time being. Bonus: In the museum, three restaurants provide the culinary basis for a long, long tour.
1 p.m. If you have already seen enough of the castle park yesterday or if it is simply too full - which can happen - the next park is within walking distance. The Rosenstein Park is considered the largest English landscape park in southwest Germany. Covering an impressive 100 hectares, you can chill out here in peace and quiet and mentally prepare for your team's match. And who knows, maybe you'll develop a keen interest in natural history when you see the mighty conifers in the park or even the Californian sequoia in all its glory. In this case, you could visit the State Museum of Natural History, which has two locations in Rosenstein Park.
3 p.m. Time to visit the fourth Fan Zone in Stuttgart. The Karlsplatz is the cultural palace of the Euro 24 in Stuttgart, so to speak. In principle, the motto here is also "Let the ball roll", but there will also be numerous cultural events featuring music, dance and theater. There will also be a chill-out area, which is likely to be one of the most popular places on Karlsplatz. If you want to get active after a while, you don't have to go to the market square with its soccer court and football box. A beach soccer field will also be set up on Karlsplatz, where fans of all nationalities can compete peacefully.
6 pm. Had enough of soccer? Want to finally meet "normal" people? In that case, we recommend a visit to a district that looks like a doll's house from centuries past and is centered around the Hans-in-Luck Fountain in Stuttgart's Geißstraße. The trendy district in the old town has developed into a lively hotspot. Numerous cafés, restaurants and clubs have settled around the picturesque gables, fountains and arcades of the district. People like to party here until the early hours of the morning. Weather permitting, the area around the Hans im Glück fountain will also be a wonderful meeting place for young people from all over the world during the European Championships.
8 pm. No interesting soccer match in the evening, but fancy exciting people and a cool environment? In the Jaz in the City is all about music and design, which is a pleasant combination for a hotel. The in-house restaurant Rhythms Bar & Kitchen also grooves with delicious tapas, burgers and a variety of colorful salads. All this is rounded off by a large roof terrace in the Wolfram Bar & Terrace. Jaz in the City has everything you need for a very special evening in a foreign city. Soccer again tomorrow ...
Cover picture: The Swabian metropolis is surrounded by vineyards © Simon - stock.adobe.com
