Stuttgart is a mecca for automobile fans, a hotspot for culture vultures and a gourmet's paradise. First and foremost, however, Stuttgart is the ideal place for family outings. Surrounded by idyllic, green countryside, Baden-Württemberg's state capital has ample space for recreation, fun and relaxation.

For those wanting to explore the city with children, the varied tour of discovery on a red, double-decker bus is an absolute must. With its hop-on/hop-off system, the STUTTGART Citytour offers plenty of scope for getting to know the city at your own pace. The Blue Tour – and from the spring of 2017 onwards also the Green Tour – takes you to Stuttgart's main tourist attractions. Through the audio guide – which has a special children's channel – young guests can listen to interesting stories and answer questions on them. All the tips for the right answers are to be found at the stopping points, and the answers to the questions can be written in the quiz brochure. Why not start off at TopStop 6 of the Blue Tour: Wilhelma/Neckar Käpt’n?

At the Wilhelma there are lots of amazing wild animals and fragrant blossoms. The zoological-botanical garden was landscaped in 1842 as a Moorish garden for King Wilhelm I of Württemberg and is considered one of the finest in Europe. The feeding of the sea lions, a visit to the new Ape House or an expedition through the South-American rain forest in the Amazon House: with around 9000 animals from 1100 species, the Wilhelma is one of the most diverse zoos in the world. In addition, there are some 7000 species of plants to be found in the historical park and magnificent hothouses. Right next door, the Neckar Käpt’n pleasure boats offer trips on the river and a waterborne tour of discovery.

Animals are also at the focus of the State Natural History Museum in Rosenstein Palace, where the natural world comes alive on a fascinating trip round the globe. A journey of discovery at Rosenstein Palace takes you through six ecosystems in sophisticated presentations. There's also lots of information on indigenous fauna such as butterflies or red deer. At the Naturkundemuseum am Löwentor – the other section of the museum – the exhibition is devoted to the age of the dinosaurs. The museum shows world-famous fossil finds from Southwest Germany's prehistory. Join-in activities introduce children to the history of fossils in an entertaining way.

On a visit to Stuttgart there has to be time for play and entertainment: The "Junges Schloss" (Young Palace) in Stuttgart – one of the institutions of the Württemberg State Museum – is the first permanent children's museum in Baden-Württemberg's state capital. In alternating, hands-on exhibitions, the Young Palace introduces children from four years upwards and their families to the history of the region in a playful way. This is a place where children's dreams come true.

There's more creativity and theatrical finesse to follow: every year the Stuttgart Opera Company's Junge Oper (Young Opera) stages two or three of its own opera productions for young audiences at the Kammertheater. In each production children and young people play an active role. In addition there are the so-called "cushion concerts" by and with the musicians of Stuttgart's State Orchestra.

There's fun galore for old and young alike at the popular Kin¬der¬va¬rieté (Children's Vaudeville) at the Fried¬richs¬bau Va¬rieté theatre. Imaginative, colourful and artistic highlights guarantee lots of laughter and amazement.

Want even more thrills? Since the autumn of 2016 the children's classic Mary Poppins can be seen on stage. Mary Poppins is based on the Disney musical film from the 1960s and tells the amazing story of the Banks family and their enchanting nanny.

In this age of electronic toys and virtual worlds, there's often little room for fairy tales. The Fairy-tale Garden at Ludwigsburg's Baroque in Bloom proves the contrary. Fairy tales have lost nothing of their fascination. Handsome princes and enchanting princesses, mischievous kobolds and weird, mythical animals are at home in the Fairy-tale Garden, which offers countless little adventures. Sit on the throne of the Water Lily King or take a boat down the fairy-tale stream – the Fairy-tale Garden enthrals old and young alike.

To the Milky Way and back: A visit to the theatre at the Carl Zeiss Planetarium is a treat for the whole family. The sophisticated projector reproduces a true-to-life starry firmament, accompanied by information on astronomy and space travel. You can marvel at the constellations and far-off planets. Laser shows with ingenious optical effects provide even more highlights.

You can also gaze in wonder at the sky out in the open – for example at Killesberg Hill Park (Höhenpark Killesberg), an important feature of Stuttgart's green urban landscape. If you don't want to explore the park on foot, you can enjoy a leisurely ride through the grounds on the Killesberg miniature railway – past oceans of flowers, wide expanses of greenery and wonderful water features. Children will love the huge adventure playground, the petting zoo with llamas, goats etc., or the funfair at Eliszi's Jahrmarkttheater. Next to the park the Höhenfreibad Killesberg open-air swimming pool invites you to have a swim or splash around. Water fun guaranteed!

Past, present and future inventions: Stuttgart is home to the famous automobile producers Porsche and Daimler – fascination for young and old alike. Who invented the wheel, and what did the very first cars look like? At the Mercedes-Benz Museum young horsepower fans will find special audio guides to give them lots of interesting information. Interactive guided tours, tours of discovery and child-oriented audio guides also make the Porsche Museum an unforgettable experience. These two museums have one thing in common: the museum rally and the join-in exhibition offer a mixture of play, fun and excitement.

Discovering chocolate and the Square: in Waldenbuch the Museum Ritter with its chocolate exhibition documents the history of a legendary geometric shape: directly adjacent to the Ritter Sport chocolate factory, Marli Hoppe-Ritter's unique art collection is on display at the Museum Ritter. The focus is on the Square and its representations in art in the 20th and 21st centuries. The Ritter Sport chocolate exhibition is a chocoholic's paradise. Here you can test, taste and create your own chocolate.

Photo: Inner Courtyard Old Castle© Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH