A varied range of city tours is available in Stuttgart, all of which are arranged by the tourist office (tel: (711) 222 8240; website: www.stuttgart-tourist.de). Among these is a city bus tour taking in the sights of the centre, plus some of the elevated sections of the city, the 1920s Weissenhof ‘model' housing development, and a trip to the top of Stuttgart's 217m (712ft) TV tower.

Other options include city walking tours and a number of themed walks, covering such topics as the arts, city architecture and current building projects. An evening walk includes visits to traditional bars and a night-club.

Boat trips on the River Neckar are offered by Neckar Käpt'n (tel: (711) 5499 7060; website: www.neckar-kaeptn.de), which operates cruises and scheduled services during the summer months.