Esslingen
Esslingen am Neckar48°44′ N 9°19′ ECityPop. 95,419Stuttgart and the Neckar
Esslingen suits families and anyone who wants a small old town with a big medieval market, a short train ride from Stuttgart. The trade-off is the weekend crowd in the narrow lanes.
Photo Roman Eisele · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Esslingen works as a quieter base next to Stuttgart, with half-timbered lanes and a medieval Christmas market on the doorstep from 24 November to 22 December 2026. The S1 and regional trains run to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, so the big city market is an easy evening out.
Take the train from Esslingen
- Esslingen to Stuttgart · timetable
The Christmas market sits on the Marktplatz below the Stadtkirche St. Dionys, and the medieval market runs east across Rathausplatz and the Kleiner Markt to the Hafenmarkt. A footpath climbs from the Kleiner Markt to the Esslinger Burg above the town.
The Marktplatz is mid-rebuild for 2027. The works pause for Advent, and the organizer's 2026 plan puts the stalls back across the whole square.
Worth knowing
- Visit the market on a weekday; the organizer warns that weekends get too full for wheelchairs and prams.
Quick answers about Esslingen
Is Esslingen a good place to stay?
Esslingen works as a quieter base next to Stuttgart, with half-timbered lanes and a medieval Christmas market on the doorstep from 24 November to 22 December 2026. The S1 and regional trains run to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof, so the big city market is an easy evening out.
Within 12 km
Places to stay nearby
