Esslingen Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Esslingen showing a river or creek
Esslingen featuring street scenes
Esslingen
Esslingen which includes café lifestyle, a city and outdoor eating
Esslingen which includes café scenes and outdoor eating

From a medieval old town to open-air jazz concerts and an almost 200-year-old bodega, this riverside city is one of southern Germany’s most captivating destinations.

Magnificent architecture, colourful festivals, beautiful parks and a vibrant culinary scene the attractions of Esslingen am Neckar are varied and showcased with civic pride. Esslingen am Neckar straddles the Neckar River in the Baden-Württemberg region, where it has been shaped for over a millennium. Its atmospheric Old Town is an enthralling mix of canals and cobblestone alleys home to hundreds of historical buildings, half-timbered landmarks, cafés, galleries and theatres.

The Old Town’s compact layout makes it a great place to explore on foot. Admire monuments, including the 13th-century Schelztor Gate Tower and Wolfstor Gate Tower. Note the contrasting styles of the New Town Hall and Old Town Hall. Visit the Romanesque-Gothic Stadtkirche St. Dionys and St. Paul’s Minster, Germany’s oldest Dominican monastery. Looming over the touristic centre with sweeping city views is Esslingen Castle.

Get an insight into the city’s ancient history at the Yellow House Stadtmuseum. Step back in time to the Franconian Empire at the underground Excavations Museum. See collections of centuries-old children’s books at the J.F. Schreiber Museum. Browse exhibitions of contemporary art at Villa Merkel, the municipal art gallery located in riverfront Merkelpark. Spot impressive crypts and mausoleums at Ebershaldenfriedhof.

Be sure to delve into the city’s food and wine culture. Sample regional dishes such as maultasche, a filled pasta similar to ravioli. Take a tour of Kessler Sekt, the country’s longest-operating sparkling wine producer. Watch a theatre performance at Württembergische Landesbühne and attend jazz shows at the Jazzkeller.

Plan your visit around one of the many colourful festivals. April’s PODIUM Festival welcomes young and upcoming chamber music artists from across Europe. Enjoy some family-friendly fun at the world-famous Esslingen Medieval Market, which takes place for month from late-November. Shop at the stalls of around 200 costumed craftspeople and be entertained by street performers.

Reach Esslingen am Neckar by flying to Stuttgart and then catch a train or rent a car from there. It’s a comfortable daytrip from Stuttgart or you can stay overnight at hotels and guesthouses, some set in the city’s medieval houses.

Leonardo Hotel Esslingen

Leonardo Hotel Esslingen

Grabbrunnenstraße 19, Esslingen, Esslingen
The price is £62 per night from 21 Aug to 22 Aug
£62
21 Aug - 22 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Esslingen. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and breakfast (surcharge). Popular attractions Mercedes Benz Museum and MHP Arena are ...
9/10 Wonderful! (144 reviews)
"Nice hotel, clean and comfortable beds. However, at check-in and checkout times (peak times) there was always only one concierge. I always saw the same woman, day or night. One of the two elevators was out of order my whole stay, and at least two of us reported problems with the toilets."

Reviewed on 26 Jul 2025

Leonardo Hotel Esslingen
GINN Apartment-Hotel Stuttgart Esslingen

GINN Apartment-Hotel Stuttgart Esslingen

Martinstraße 23, Esslingen
The price is £61 per night from 1 Aug to 2 Aug
£61
1 Aug - 2 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Esslingen. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and dry cleaning or laundry services. Popular attractions Mercedes Benz Museum and MHP ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (201 reviews)
"This place was very pleasant. Obviously it was pretty new. The room and facilities within were excellent. Access was simple and efficient. Soundproofing was good. The room was well cooled with quiet AC. Check-out at 12pm was so helpful for us. And we were able to leave our bags there safely while ..."

Reviewed on 27 Jul 2025

GINN Apartment-Hotel Stuttgart Esslingen
Holiday Inn - the niu, Timber Esslingen by IHG

Holiday Inn - the niu, Timber Esslingen by IHG

Otto-Bayer-Strasse, 8, Esslingen am Neckar, Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg
Fully refundable
The price is £54 per night from 10 Aug to 11 Aug
£54
10 Aug - 11 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Esslingen. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and parking (surcharge). Popular attractions Mercedes Benz Museum and MHP Arena are ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (251 reviews)
"Hotel was very clean. The staff were helpful and pleasant."

Reviewed on 31 Mar 2025

Holiday Inn - the niu, Timber Esslingen by IHG
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
4 room vacation home with garden and barbecue area

4 room vacation home with garden and barbecue area

Esslingen, BW
Stay at this holiday home in Esslingen. Enjoy laundry facilities. Popular attractions Mercedes Benz Museum and MHP Arena are located nearby.
4.6/10 (4 reviews)
Eine gute Unterkunft für einen Wochenend-Trip
"Wohnlage und Parkplatzsituation sind recht speziell, genau wie der "Garten" und das "große, moderne Badezimmer". Ein kleines Badezimmer ist für eine Gruppe von bis zu 10 Leuten (wir waren zu siebt) schon eine Herausforderung. Die Ausstattung der Wohnung und die Betten sind aber durchaus gut."

Reviewed on 5 Apr 2025

4 room vacation home with garden and barbecue area
Cozy 2-room apartment in Esslingen

Cozy 2-room apartment in Esslingen

Esslingen am Neckar, BW
Stay at this apartment in Esslingen. Enjoy laundry facilities and an in-room coffee maker. Popular attractions Nymphaea Zoo and Haaga Schokoladen are located ...
4/10 (6 reviews)
I wouldn’t say cozy
"The front door had a giant crack in the glass- which left us with a fear of our safety. This is a storefront that has been “converted” into a rental. The second “bedroom” was in the living room and in fact the beds were set up in what used to be a shop windows- my daughter didn’t feel safe. In addition ..."

Reviewed on 24 Dec 2024

Cozy 2-room apartment in Esslingen
Ab Apartment 54

Ab Apartment 54

Kollwitzstraße 2, Esslingen
Stay at this apartment in Esslingen. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, an airport shuttle (surcharge) and an in-room coffee maker. Popular attractions Mercedes Benz Museum and ...
Ab Apartment 54
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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