Stuttgart is the sixth largest city in Germany, with 610,000 inhabitants and 5 million in the surrounding metropolitan area. Despite this, it has a small-town feel thanks to its large green spaces and nature reserves. The city is famous as the “cradle of the automobile”, as it was here that Karl Benz invented the first car. The city is safe and clean and has been selected by Mercer as the number 21 European Union city to live in for its high quality of life. Stuttgart is located in the region of Baden-Württemberg, an hour’s drive from the Black Forest and Munich. It is known as a transport hub, served by an autobahn (motorway) network famous for its lack of speed limits. Only 13 km from the city centre is the international airport, which can be reached by S-Bahn train.
Stuttgart’s internationality
Due to the strong economy of the city, whose GDP is in the top 20 cities of the European Union, Stuttgart attracts many international companies that set up their plants here. Stuttgart is known as a futuristic business district with an extremely high density of academic, research and scientific centres. This highly intelligent community stimulates local industry, which is dominated by automotive companies such as Daimler and Porsche. Robert Bosch, which manufactures everything from car parts to consumer electronics, is based here. The world’s largest machine tool supplier, Trumpf, also offers plenty of opportunities for engineers at its huge facility. Expats with children living in Stuttgart can take advantage of the International School on offer. It is one of only 100 schools in the world providing an International Baccalaureate programme.
Lifestyle in Stuttgart
The expat community is growing rapidly in Stuttgart due to the demand for experienced knowledge workers. It is estimated that over 40% of residents are non-native, making life in Stuttgart very multicultural. The city pays tribute to its automotive heritage through the Mercedes Benz and Porsche museums located in the city centre. The Messe Stuttgart Expo centre hosts automotive exhibitions every year. Germans like to party and hold festivals throughout the year to celebrate spring, summer, wine, beer and even cabbage! At Christmas time, the traditional markets are some of the most beautiful in Germany. German food is simple, often based on spätzle pasta and goulash. The city boasts as many as 10 Michelin-starred restaurants. One is even located at the airport, Top Air, where you can enjoy an exquisite dinner while watching planes take off and land.
Sport and recreation in the city
Stuttgart was named the sports capital of the European Union in 2007 and hosts many major sporting events every year. Football is the main attraction with 2 major teams in the city. VFB Stuttgart plays in the Bundesliga and plays many matches in the modern Mercedes Benz Arena. There are also significant teams in hockey, volleyball, handball and tennis. Every year, the Mercedes Tennis Cup takes place on the courts of the Weissenhof. If you enjoy the outdoors, living in Stuttgart is ideal, as Lake Constance and the Alps are right on your doorstep. The surrounding landscape is ideal for hiking, mountain biking and water sports.
Moving to Stuttgart
Moving can be a challenge, but I hope to make it easier. I have all the information and contacts for you to make your move as smooth as possible. Hire a removal company, look for a job and go out to meet new people in Stuttgart.
