Haute cuisine or Swabian specialities, fine wines or refreshing beers, celebrating at traditional festivals or hiking in the vineyards – in 2018 the Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH's tourism marketing activities will focus on the enjoyment aspects of the Stuttgart Region.

The Stuttgart Region has no fewer than 23 starred restaurants, eight of them in the state capital alone. With the "Top Air", Stuttgart also boasts Europe's only starred airport restaurant – since 1991, what's more. The highest star, geographically speaking, shines over the "Wielandshöhe", where guests can enjoy not only good food, but also the wonderful view over the Stuttgart valley basin.

Not starred, but no less excellent is Swabia's regional cuisine. Wine bars and temporary broom taverns serve Maultaschen (filled pasta), also known as "Herrgottsb’scheißerle" (lit. "swindlers of the Almighty", lentils with Spätzle (noodles) or fried steak. The ideal accompaniment is a local wine. These range from Lemberger to Syrah and from Chardonnay to Riesling. Not only a joy to drink: the Stuttgart Region's vineyards are perfect for long walks. Owing to Stuttgart's unique location, they stretch right into the centre of town. In the past 20 years, the quality of the region's wines has improved immensely. Local vintners regularly win international awards. This year's winners of the German Red Wine Award include the Weinmanufaktur Untertürkheim and Weingut Jürgen Ellwanger. Thanks to its topography, the Stuttgart Region also scores with its numerous lookout points and idyllic locations, some with catering.

In Stuttgart, glasses are raised not only with wine, but also with beer. Next year the Stuttgart Beer Festival will be even more in the limelight than usual, when it celebrates its 200-year jubilee. From 26th September to 3rd October, in the heart of Baden-Württemberg's state capital, people will commemorate the festival's founding by King Wilhelm I of Württemberg and his wife, Queen Katharina. There will be a "Historical Festival" on Palace Square, with nostalgic fairground rides and showmen in the tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. Parallel to this, the popular Stuttgart Beer Festival will of course be held as usual on the Cannstatter Wasen fairground, where Stuttgart's large breweries keep the beer flowing freely in the festival marquees. There are also countless other traditional festivals held each year in the Stuttgart Region, such as the Filder Cabbage Festival, the Esslingen Onion Festival and the Stuttgart Wine Festival.

Many culinary specialities from the Stuttgart Region are known today far beyond the state boundaries. The Dinkelacker family brewery has been making beer in Stuttgart for 130 years – and nearly 10 years ago again started to brew the cult beer "Wulle" –, while the Sektkellerei Kessler is Germany's oldest producer of sparkling wines. "Ritter Sport" square chocolate bars also come from the Stuttgart Region, as does Hochland coffee from the roastery with a long tradition.

Especially for the themed year "Enjoyment", the Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH will be cooperating with ten enjoyment ambassadors who have a culinary connection with the Stuttgart Region. Their testimonials introduce their favourite places for enjoyment, describe what is typical for the region and explain which culinary specialities bon vivants simply mustn't miss. The Michelin-starred chef Vincent Klink's favourite place to shop, for example, is Stuttgart's Market Hall, for the young wine grower Moritz Haidle, fine wine and good food are an integral part of the Stuttgart Region, while the food blogger Christine Garcia Urbina recommends a hike through the vineyards.

The hashtag #tastystuttgart was introduced in September 2017 to support the other social media measures, for all the usual Stuttgart-Marketing channels.

Photo: Wine tavern© Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH