Situated amongst the rolling hills of Germany's premiere wine-growing region, Stuttgart is capital of the state of Baden-Wurttemberg in southwestern Germany. Dotted with beautiful historical buildings, impressive parks and fantastic art museums, this modern city is a good stopover for its undulating wine estates, annual beer festival, mineral spa culture and acclaimed ballet, opera and philharmonic companies.

Charming olde worlde quarters like the Bohnenviertel (Bean District) with its sidewalk cafés and cobbled streets, meet the modern pedestrianised precincts of contemporary Stuttgart, boasting the latest in European mode such as Königstrasse, one of the longest shopping areas in Germany. A big city with a small-town atmosphere, visitors will find the bustling art nouveau Market Hall transports them to former countrified years. Nowadays, this is where organic fruit and vegetables, aromatic cheeses and fresh fish from the North Sea can be found. However, a must for any visitor to this city is a trip to one of Stuttgart's reputed mineral baths, be it the modern and luxurious Mineralbad Cannstatt or the Mineral Bath Berg, exuding a wistful fifties charm.

View the city from atop the Fernsehturm (Television Tower), a 712ft (217m) tower with an observation deck and restaurant at the pinnacle where on a clear day, you can see the Black Forest; head to Schlossplatz, a famous landmark and meeting place for locals and visitors, its green lawns littered with youths soaking up the summer sunshine or find your own sanctuary in the dappled shade of the 'Green U' park, a five mile (8km) natural haven in the city centre.

These features all come as a surprise to the first time visitor to Stuttgart, who usually associate the city with its reputation as the 'cradle of the automobile'. The motorbike and four-wheel car were invented in Stuttgart and one of its most famous attractions is the enormous Mercedes-Benz Museum, with 160 immaculate vehicles on permanent display, including their new luxury models, racing cars and reputed antiques. If that doesn't whet your appetite, head across town to the Porsche Museum.

Palace Square (Schlossplatz)

Address: Stuttgart

Old and New State Gallery

Address: 30-32 Konrad-Adenauer Street Stuttgart

Admission: EUR5.50 (adults), free for children under 12; special exhibitions EUR10. Concessions available. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am-6pm; Tuesday and Thursday 10am-8pm; closed Monday.

Telephone: 711 470 40250

Kunstmuseum Stuttgart

Address: Kleiner Schlossplatz 1 Stuttgart

Admission: EUR5 (adults), EUR3.50 (concessions). Free for children under 12. Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm, Wednesday and Friday 10am-9pm. Closed Mondays.

Telephone: 711 216 2188

Mercedes-Benz Museum

Address: Mercedesstrasse 100 Stuttgart

Admission: EUR8 adults, EUR4 concessions. Tuesday to Sunday 9am-6pm. Closed Mondays.

Telephone: 711 173 0000

Wilhelma Zoo

Address: Neckartalstrasse Road Stuttgart

Admission: EUR12 (adults), EUR6 (children). Daily 8:15am-4pm or 6pm, depending on the season.

Telephone: 711 54020

Mineral Baths

Address: Stuttgart

Porsche Museum

Address: Porscheplatz 1 Stuttgart

Admission: EUR8 adults; free for children up to 14 years old. Tuesday to Sunday 9am-6pm.

Telephone: (0)711 911 20911

Cannstatter Beer Festival

Where: Cannstatter Wasen,Stuttgart

When: 23 September to 9 October 2011

Stuttgart Wine Village Festival

Where: Marktplatz, Schillerplatz and Kiurchstrabe,Stuttgart

When: 24 August to 4 September 2011

Stuttgart Christmas Market

Where: Marktplatz, Schillerplatz and Schlossplatz,Stuttgart

When: 24 November - 23 December 2011