The Blaustrümpflerweg has everything to offer urban hikers: wonderful views, wild nature, interesting sights - and all this close to the city center and connected to public transport.
The "official" starting and ending point of the Blaustrümpflerweg is Marienplatz in the south of Stuttgart. But no matter where you enter the circuit, the attractions remain the same, only the order changes accordingly.
From Marienplatz, the urban heart of Stuttgart South, the trail leads up to Karlshöhe. Along the way, hikers pass the Städtisches Lapidarium, a villa garden dating from the early 20th century that entices visitors with its collection of historic artworks and building components.
The Karlshöhe and the following sections Hasenbergsteige and Blauer Weg repeatedly offer magnificent views, which, however, sometimes have to be worked hard for. The almost 100 meters in altitude from Südheimer Platz up to the Waldfriedhof do not have to be hiked by oneself, because fortunately there is the historic cable car.
From the forest cemetery, the path leads past the Dornhalden cemetery to Santiago de Chile Square. Here you can board the cogwheel train, affectionately called "Zacke" by locals, and sit back and relax as you ride down to Marienplatz and enjoy the view.
"Blaustrümpfler," by the way, is the nickname for the residents of Heslach. It goes back to a legend according to which the people of Heslach betrayed the expelled Duke Ulrich of Württemberg in 1518 on his escape from Stuttgart. When he returned to Stuttgart, he ordered that from now on all Heslach residents had to wear blue stockings to church as punishment.
