Only about 17 kilometers east of Stuttgart, the town of Esslingen feels centuries away.
Its position at the point where ancient trade routes crossed the Neckar River was strengthened by the building of two bridges early in the medieval era and grew into a major trading center, protected by a hilltop castle, whose ramparts and towers you can explore for lovely views of the old town and Neckar below.
Down in the Old Town, you'll feel as though you'd stumbled into the Middle Ages, walking along street after street lined with half-timbered buildings. More than 200 of these remain, dating from the 13th to the 16th centuries.
