Jan
10
Karlsruhe Travel & Sightseeing Guide
Filed Under Germany
A trip to Karlsruhe
Situated on the Rhine River to the east of the Black Forest, Karlsruhe doesn’t receive a lot of tourist traffic. Most travellers tend to visit the nearby cities of Heidelberg and Freiburg with their well-preserved old towns. This is quite a pity though, because Karlsruhe’s radial layout is an excellent early example of New Urbanism which has given this place its nickname, the Fächerstadt (‘fan city’). Furthermore, the Rhine Valley is Germany’s warmest part, and Karlsruhe enjoys more sunny days than most other regions in the country.
Flights to Karlsruhe
The closest airport is Baden Airpark, which is located about 25 miles from the city centre. Now served by no-frills carrier Ryanair, the airport offers low-cost flights to various destinations in Europe. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Karlsruhe try Thomas Cook. The Baden Airport Express, a cheap airport shuttle bus, leaves regularly to Karlsruhe Main Station. Stuttgart is also easily accessible by train in less than an hour and Frankfurt can be reached via non-stop ICE high-speed links to Karlsruhe. Additionally, there are express transit buses running between Baden Airpark and Frankfurt Hahn Airport.
Karlsruhe provides visitors with an outstanding public transport system, with more than 200 routes for buses, trams and light rail transit. There is a 24-hour pass available for short-term tourists as well as for multiple persons. Taxis are a pricier alternative to buses and trains and can be hailed from everywhere or hired at the numerous taxi stands in the city.
Karlsruhe
Sightseeing in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe has a couple of attractions to offer, above all its castle which is situated just a two-minute walk from the city’s market place. It was rebuilt after WWII and is now home to the Badisches Landesmuseum that is dedicated to local interests and presenting historical exhibitions. The Schlosspark (castle garden) to the north is a huge park area where residents hang out on summer days.
A further point of interest is the unique Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM) which is dedicated to interactive and media art and houses world-class exhibitions. Each July, Karlsruhe is host to the African Summer Festival, with markets, drumming workshops, musical performances and children’s programmes held over the three-day festivities.
Fun by night – eating, drinking and partying
Karlsruhe features a wide range of eateries, from quaint pubs to posh restaurants. One of the city’s typical student pubs is Die Kippe, which serves low-priced food and has a lovely beer garden that can be enjoyed in the summer time. Another option is Krokodil, a pleasant restaurant where you can get regional fare.
Like most cities in Germany, Karlsruhe offers a few local brands of beer, the most popular being Hoepfner. It is also worth visiting the microbreweries that are dotted around the city, all of which have seasonal specialities. Night owls should not miss out on the Carambolage, a special club near the university where you can celebrate with other birds of a feather until 05:00 on week nights.
Fun by day – shopping and activities
Most shopping facilities are located along the pedestrianised Kaiserstrasse, while some expensive boutiques and shoe shops can be found at nearby Ludwigsplatz, where several open-air cafés invite shoppers to relax. For culture devotees, the Badisches Staatstheater is Karlsruhe’s biggest theatre and opera house, but there are also various smaller theatres scattered around the city.
Daytrips
The Maulbronn Monastery Complex, where Hölderlin and Hermann Hesse studied during medieval times, is now a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site located in the neigbouring Kraichgau region. Not far from the monastery is the historic town of Bretten, birthplace of German philosopher Philip Melanchthon.
Another nearby town, Speyer, is home to over 2,000 years of history, including one of Germany’s oldest Jewish baths, a delightful old quarter filled with unique shops, and a stunning cathedral where several bishops, kings, and emperors were laid to rest.
Another beautiful and romantic old quarter can be found just across the border in the French city of Strasbourg. Strasbourg’s wonderfully preserved and easily walkable city centre was the first to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The 142m tower of the city’s Cathédrale Notre Dame, constructed between 1176 and 1439, is France’s tallest cathedral tower. A medieval religious art museum is located next to the cathedral.
Must-see attractions
Karlsruhe’s streets extend from the tower of the city’s Baroque palace like rays fanning around the sun. The city’s founder, Margrave Karl Wilhelm, constructed the Versailles-style palace in the middle of an isolated field in 1715. The sculptures, statues, and fountains throughout the palace’s beautiful botanical gardens are just as pretty as the surrounding flowers.
The pyramid in which Wilheim was buried remains Karlsruhe’s most famous landmark, and is located in the heart of the city’s market square, next to the city hall and local church. The restored Gottesaue Palace, originally established as an 11th century Benedictine abbey, is now a music college.
Karlsruhe’s zoo, one of Germany’s oldest, not only features over 150 different animal species, but an equally impressive variety of trees and flowers. With over 800 hectares of parks and green spaces, Karlsruhe is one of the few cities in the world encouraging visitors not to walk on the grass.
Best time to go
Karlsruhe, one of Germany’s warmest cities, is an ideal place to visit all year round. Its rainfall is generally lower than most German cities. Spring and autumn are both generally mild, summer is warm and pleasant, and winter brings out the city’s beauty during the holiday season along with snow and frost.
The area’s renowned Christmas markets are the most popular winter tourist attraction, but sightseers interested in touring the city on foot or by bike will prefer to wait for warmer weather in June, July and August.
Rainy day activities
There are a whole host of indoor activities to keep you occupied should the weather turn sour with the Majolica Pottery, the ZKM Centre for Art and Media, and the Karlsruhe Transport Museum drawing crowds. Another favourite museum, the 100-year-old State Art Gallery, is perfect for art buffs includes one of Europe’s oldest graphic art collections while the 200-year-old Karlsruhe Natural History Museum will please curious kids and adults alike. The Baden State Museum located inside Karlsruhe Palace is another one of Karlsruhe’s educational and interesting museums.
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