Ludwigsburg Germany Baden-Wurttemberg
Frequently Asked Questions
At Hoheneck, a district on the bank of the Neckar. The centre and its palace are then a few minutes away by bus or shuttle: allow several kilometres.
No, several kilometres separate Hoheneck from the centre. A bus or shuttle is needed. Once in town, however, the palace and the market square are about ten minutes' walk apart.
One of the largest baroque complexes in Europe, sometimes nicknamed the Swabian Versailles. Duke Eberhard Louis of Württemberg had it built in the early 18th century, then laid out an entire town around its avenues.
About an hour and a half for the interiors, on a guided tour: state apartments, ancestral gallery, court theatre and chapel. The gardens deserve at least as much time if you want to enjoy them.
The palace park, where formal parterres, rose gardens and themed beds take turns through the seasons. It has hosted a permanent horticultural exhibition since 1954, and the gardeners renew the plantings every year.
Very much so. The garden ticket includes the Märchengarten, a fairy-tale garden where small tableaux bring the Brothers Grimm stories to life. Families linger there happily, and the gardens are enjoyable even without entering the palace.
The market square, a broad rectangle lined with arcades and classical facades, watched over by two churches facing each other. The streets meet at right angles, a direct legacy of the 18th-century plans. The whole thing takes barely an hour.
The euro. The palace, the gardens and restaurants take cards, but cafés under the market square arcades often prefer cash. Keep a few notes.
Stuttgart lies about 12 kilometres to the south. Most passengers stay in Ludwigsburg, though: between the palace, the gardens and the baroque town, the day fills easily without going further.
Yes, in Hoheneck itself. The Neckar unrolls willow-lined banks, locals walk their dogs there, and a cycle path follows the river from Esslingen to Heidelberg. It is the quiet counterpoint to the palace's grandeur.
