Jan

10

Karlsruhe Travel & Sightseeing Guide

January 10, 2008 |

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.

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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.


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