Discover Filderstadt: Nature, Culture and Tradition

Filderstadt brings together natural attractions, scenic views and culture across its five districts. At Lake Bärensee in Filderstadt-Plattenhardt, a walk around the lake beckons, while museums, art and a traditional horse market offer other reasons to visit. This mix gives you options: Would you like the landscape to shape your stay, are you particularly interested in local history, or would you like to plan your trip around a recurring event?

Lake Bärensee and nature in Filderstadt

Lake Bärensee lies on the edge of the Schönbuch in Filderstadt-Plattenhardt. It is a popular destination for enjoying peace and quiet in nature, with a small wooded island in the middle of the water. A walk around the lake makes it a practical choice if you would like to include exercise and scenery in your day. The Drei Linden viewpoint north of Filderstadt-Harthausen offers a different perspective: from there, the panorama stretches across Filderstadt.

Filderstadt’s natural monuments serve nature conservation, landscape management and recreation in the countryside. There are also nearby recreation areas with extensive hiking opportunities. This gives you a choice of different outdoor experiences: a walk by the lake, hiking in the recreation areas or a view from the lookout point.

History and culture in the districts

The Historical Trail passes through all five of Filderstadt’s districts and includes 80 stops in total. It offers a way to explore the city’s history that goes beyond a single historic centre. For a closer look at the districts, visit the FilderStadtMuseum. It is located in the historic centre of Filderstadt-Bonlanden, at Klingenstraße 19, in Bonlanden’s former town hall, which dates back to 1563.

The museum presents the history of Filderstadt’s five districts through objects, texts and images. These different forms of presentation offer varied ways to engage with the historical subject matter. Also in Filderstadt-Bonlanden, the municipal gallery regularly hosts changing art exhibitions. This lets you distinguish an interest in history from a visit focused on current art, without experiencing both topics in the same way.

The Three Linden trees in Filderstadt-Harthausen also combine a historical connection with an excursion destination: they were planted as peace lindens after the 1870–71 war. The viewpoint north of Harthausen is accessible on foot or by bicycle and offers views across Filderstadt. If you enjoy spending time outdoors, both a historical connection and a panorama come together at this named location.

Bernhausen Horse Market and trip planning

The Bernhausen Horse Market takes place in Bernhausen on the first weekend in March each year. The City of Filderstadt organizes it together with local clubs and organizations. If this recurring event is a deciding factor for your trip, check the event dates for the relevant year.

Filderstadt within the broader Esslingen travel destination

Within the broader Esslingen travel destination, six distinct landscape areas characterize the Esslingen district: Schurwald, Schönbuch, Fildern, the Neckar Valley, the Alb foreland and the Alb escarpment. The district’s landscape is also shaped by its traditional orchards, which comprise 1.5 million fruit trees. This regional context complements Filderstadt’s specific nature and cultural attractions with the wider landscape setting of the district.

Getting there and finding your way around

Filderstadt is right next to the airport and 17 kilometres south of Stuttgart city centre, on the Filder plain. Recreation areas with extensive hiking opportunities are nearby. Filderstadt is connected to the Stuttgart S-Bahn network, making it quick to reach by train. As service patterns may change, check the current timetable for your specific trip.

A simple comparison can help you choose the focus of your stay: Lake Bärensee, hiking opportunities and viewpoints offer nature experiences; the museum, historical trail and gallery provide cultural highlights. The horse market, with its set annual schedule, offers a distinct reason to visit. You can start by deciding which of these aspects of Filderstadt matters most for your trip.

Discover more destinations

Beuren, Großbettlingen, Neidlingen, Wolfschlugen, Altbach, Köngen, Nürtingen

To the broader travel overview: Esslingen.