I have been writing for many years about places of historical interest in Europe. My diaries have included visits to Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and The Pantheon, Rome, Italy.

To date I have visited more than fifty such places but very few have been in Germany, a country that I believe has more preserved sites than anywhere else in Europe.

I pinpointed Stuttgart as a place to stay and explore for my latest expedition. I quickly sifted through the list of Stuttgart hotels to find a place to stay that would allow me easy access to the main visitor sites. The obvious choice for me to visit first was the Hoppenlau Cemetery. This ancient cemetery, used between the 17^th and late 19^th centuries, is now part of the city’s renowned green spaces and is open to the public. It is a magical and mysterious place to visit and absorb. The atmosphere of the cemetery changes depending on the light and the weather.