German Sights
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Tübingen, Germany

Where is Tübingen?

Tübingen is an historic university town on the banks of the river Neckar in the Stuttgart region of southern Germany.

It is one of the youngest cities in Germany as around a third of the residents are students.

View of the historic houses along the river Neckar in Tübingen
View of the historic houses along the river Neckar in Tübingen

But it is also a major tourist attraction in Baden-Württemberg, with the medieval town centre with its winding streets, the castle above the town and the punt rides along the Neckar river.

How to get to Tübingen

Nearest airport to Tübingen

The airport at Stuttgart is only a few kilometres away from Tübingen and makes the most sense for visitors who can find a flight connection.

Distance to Stuttgart Airport: 30km
Distance to Karlsruhe-Baden-Baden Airport: 118km
Distance to Memmingen (Allgäu) Airport: 150km
Distance to Friedrichshafen (Bodensee) Airport: 183km

The three other options in a radius of under 200 kilometres are all smaller airports with more limited choice of carriers and destinations and, if Stuttgart is not a good option, it may be more sensible to widen the search a little further to larger airports such as Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich..

Tübingen train station

Tübingen is connection by regional rail services to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof and some intercity train services to northern Germany stop at the town. It is also linked to the Danube towns such as Sigmaringen by the Zollernalb service. Tübingen train station is located to the south of the Neckar island and river and a short walk from the historic medieval centre.

Driving to Tübingen

Tübingen is located 30 kilometres to the south of Stuttgart and just east of the nearest motorway - the A81 which links Stuttgart and Konstanz.

Where to stay in Tübingen

Tübingen has a good selection of accommodation which is close to the main sights and to the train station. Those who might like a little more peace and quiet can choose from some options away from the main centre of the town.

Tübingen accommodation map

If you know when you are planning to go but haven't decided on accommodation, then use the map below to get an idea of which properties are available and to compare prices during the period you wish to travel.

Enter your proposed dates and use the '+' to zoom in on a location and reveal more properties. Click on the price above a property to see more information.

(Please note that this selection will also include some guesthouses, pensions and self-catering apartments for those who are interested in that form of accommodation!)

Check accommodation availability in Tübingen

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Tübingen History

The popularity of the strategic position above two rivers over the centuries is shown by the numerous archaeological finds dating back to prehistoric times in the Tübingen area.

The castle, Schloss Hohentübingen, is the first written evidence of settlement in the area back in the 11th century. There are thought to have been merchants (and therefore a market) in the following century and the town charter is first mentioned in the 13th century (although the only preserved copy in the city hall is from the 14th century).

View of the town hall in the market square
View of the town hall in the market square

The University of Tübingen or, to give it its proper name, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, was founded towards the end of the 15th century, making it one of Europe's oldest universities.

The university in Tübingen has been a prestigious place to study for centuries although it has occasionally had a chequered relationship with the town, with the generally conservative student body and lecturers in the upper part of the town coming into conflict with the more radical workers in the poorer areas in the lower town.

Like many other towns in Germany, Tübingen suffered greatly during the era of the Thirty Years' War and the religious conflicts, with bouts of plague and great fires laying waste to the population and the infrastructure.

Although much of the town retains its charm from the medieval era - for example, the stunning Marktplatz square with the town hall - the city only really started to increase in size in the days of the Kingdom of Württemberg at the beginning of the 19th century.

But Tübingen was never a major centre for industry or engineering, which meant that it was not a target during later wars and that the medieval core of the city remained intact.

Although it is renowned for the sense of history in the tight alleys and rows of timber-framed houses, Tübingen remains a lively young city with its large student population and it makes a good base to explore the Stuttgart area.

Other towns along the Neckar river

Rottweil, Germany

Rottweil

Rottweil is characterised by its medieval architecture and is renowned for being one of the oldest towns in the region. The city is noted for its centuries-old annual carnival tradition, Fasnet. It's also widely recognized for giving its name to the well-known breed, the Rottweiler dog.

Reutlingen Germany

Reutlingen

Reutlingen can boast several historical architectural sites from the Middle Ages, including its iconic town church, Marienkirche, and the imposing Tübinger Tor. It is located at the foot of the Swabian Jura and offers a blend of urban life and natural beauty.

Esslingen, Germany

Esslingen

Esslingen is famous for its well-preserved medieval old town. The town is characterised by its half-timbered houses, majestic towers and the impressive Esslingen Castle. Once an influential imperial city in the Middle Ages, it is now known for its automotive and engineering industries.

Stuttgart Germany

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is a dynamic and diverse city in the heart of Baden-Württemberg. Founded in the 10th century, Stuttgart has transformed itself from a historic city into an automotive powerhouse, famously home to world-renowned car manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

Ludwigsburg Germany

Ludwigsburg

Founded in the early 18th century, Ludwigsburg is known for the Ludwigsburg Palace, one of the largest Baroque palaces in Germany surrounded by expansive, beautiful gardens. This city is also home to the Ludwigsburg Festival, a well-known international festival of music and performing arts.

Heidelburg Germany

Heidelberg

Heidelberg is home to Germany's oldest university, Ruprecht Karl University, founded in 1386. The city is synonymous with the iconic Heidelberg Castle, a mix of styles from Gothic to Renaissance, perched on a hill and overlooking the city and river below.

Tübingen Tourist Office

The Tubingen tourist office is located next to the main bridge over the Neckar river and opposite the Neckar island with its views of the old town on the other river bank. It is open Mondays to Saturdays all year round and on Sundays in the summer months.

The tourist office offers a leaflet for a self-guided walking tour which takes around an hour and leads from the Neckar island past sights such as the Hölderlin tower and the castle through to the market place and the various historic churches at Tubingen's heart.
Tourist Office: www.tuebingen-info.de