Whilst many German towns and cities were founded during the Roman Empire and therefore feature various ruins and monuments to life during this time, Ludwigsburg is much younger. Modestly named after Eberhard Ludwig, who built the palace around which the settlement would eventually grow, the city was born in 1704 and boasts many stunning features from the resplendent Baroque period.

The easiest way to reach Ludwigsburg is with a direct flight to Stuttgart. Once you touch down, it’s a short journey on the S-Bahn to the Ludwigsburg stop in the centre of town. With direct connections to Würzburg, Karlsruhe and Heidelberg, there’s plenty to see and do in the surrounding area but not before you’ve discovered the Baroque beauty around every corner.

Residential Palace

This is where it all started. Eberhard Ludwig built the opulent Residential Palace and the city slowly began expanding from there. It wasn’t always as grandiose as it appears today, but has been embellished and added to throughout the years to create one of the largest Baroque buildings in Europe.

Anyone who has been to Versailles will immediately see that this palace takes more than a little inspiration from the famous French masterpiece. It includes a chapel, hunting pavilion and around 450 different rooms. It also houses three museums dedicated to fashion, ceramics, and German and Italian art from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Blooming Baroque

Once you have toured inside the magnificent castle, it’s worth spending some time strolling through the sprawling gardens that surround it. With influences from various different countries and styles, this beautiful slice of nature has everything you could ever want from a garden. There are quiet corners where you can admire dainty blooms and commanding chestnut tries, there’s a peaceful waterfall and a boating lake, birdsong can be heard from the aviary and the smell of fresh botanicals wafts from the herbal garden.

One particular area of interest is the Fairytale Garden, found in the eastern part of the grounds. If you have children with you, they will love the different scenes from various fairy tales, including Rapunzel, the Frog Princess and Sleeping Beauty. There’s also a charming boat ride that takes you around the outskirts of the garden. Amongst these displays, colours burst from a range of different blooms.

Schloss Favorite

Minutes from the palace, you will find Eberhard Ludwig’s hunting lodge and summer residence. Later exaggerated by King Frederick I, some of the original Baroque features of the Schloss Favorite can still be seen today. As well as visiting some of the rooms where you royals would have relaxed or enjoyed the rewards of their hunt, you can also look out over the 72 acres of parkland behind the lodge and watch fallow deer grazing. The building has been renovated throughout 2018 and will open to the public again in January.

Churches of the Marketplatz

On the fantastic, centrally located Marketplatz, two beautiful Baroque churches stand facing each other across the square. Both the City Church (with its alluring pink façade adorned with cherubs) and the Church of the Holy Trinity (with its understated appearance and attractive red roof) are peaceful places to enjoy a few quiet moments. The two also hold regular events and musical recitals to enjoy.

If you would like to plan your own Ludwigsburg city break, we would be happy to put something together for you. We can also help you organise a multi-centre trip that includes Stuttgart, Wurzburg or any of the other cities in the area. Call us on 0800 988 3369 or click here to contact us through the website.