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Things to do in Karlsruhe

Our most recommended things to do in Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe: 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

1. Karlsruhe: 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

Hop on a sightseeing bus and enjoy the main attractions of Karlsruhe from the open-top deck. Enjoy fantastic views of the city as you listen to the audio guide commentary. Discover the city at your own pace with this 24-hour hop-on hop-off ticket. There are 11 stops along the route through central Karlsruhe, and you can get on and off as many times as you like. If you prefer to stay aboard and enjoy the city from the comfort of your set, a full loop takes approximately 2 hours. Bus stops: 1) Station Forecourt 2) ZKM / Municipal Gallery 3) Baden State Theater 4) Ettlinger Tor/Tourist information/Market Square 5) Europaplatz 6) Tourist Information Karlsruhe/Zirkel 7) Schlossbezirk (Waldhornstraße) 8) Creative park "Alter Schlachthof" (old slaughterhouse)/Gottesaue Palace 9) Observation deck Turmberg10) Karlsburg/old town Durlach11) Station Forecourt

Karlsruhe: Guided City History & Culture Walking Tour

2. Karlsruhe: Guided City History & Culture Walking Tour

Experience history, explore the present and imagine the future on a 1.5-hour walking tour of Karlsruhe with an experienced local guide. Even though Karlsruhe is only 300 years old, it has a colorful past. As a Baroque planned city, Karlsruhe was a novelty of its time and the city has preserved this pioneering spirit to this day. With your city guide, you will learn about the fascinating Karl III Wilhelm, Margrave, who founded the city in 1715 and discover what made him decide to build a completely new city and leave his old capital of Durlach behind. Your tour will be spiked with funny anecdotes and personal insider tips from your guide. Please note that Tuesdays will be guided on the theme "Hometown Karlsruhe - Residence of Law".

Karlsruhe - Private Tour

3. Karlsruhe - Private Tour

Firstly you are going to visit The marketplace which is the central square of Karlsruhe. The dominant buildings of the square are the town church and opposite the town hall, as well as the entire square classicist, designed by Friedrich Weinbrenner. On the square is the Karlsruhe Pyramid. which is the landmark of the city. Next, you will be visiting The State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe and is one of the two states of Baden-Württemberg's natural history museums. Together with the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, it is one of the most important repositories for state-owned natural history collections. You will see The Friedrichsplatz which is a central square in the city. In the year 1730, the construction of the first garden and park was made in the style of an English garden. This park existed until the 1870s and was named after the hereditary prince Ludwig Erbprinzen Garten. Visit the St. Stephanis, which is the oldest Catholic church in Karlsruhe. It was built by Friedrich Weinbren­­ner as a parish church in 1814. Your next visit will be to The Ludwig place which is in the Karlsruhe Downtown West. In October 1977, the Ludwigsplatz was inaugurated after major renovations. The course is located south of the Erbprinzenstraße at the height of the forest road. After that, you are going to visit The Europe Place which is one of the beliebtesten places in the Karlsruhe city center. The Europaplatz has its name since 1979, previously it was called the main post office and before Loretto square. Next, you will get to see the Prince Max Palace, which was initially known as Palais Schmieder. It is a villain Wilhelminian style in Karlsruhe and is named after Prince Max of Baden, who was the last Chancellor of the German Empire. Finally, our tour will finish at the Botanischer Garten Karlsruhe which is a municipal botanical garden.

Karlsruhe: Self-guided Outdoor-Escape-Game and Adventure

4. Karlsruhe: Self-guided Outdoor-Escape-Game and Adventure

Explore Karlsruhe in a fun and exciting way. Uncover the hidden secrets of the city on foot or on a bike with an interactive mobile city game that will challenge you to decipher clues and riddles to solve the mystery. Start in Karlsruhe's market square and design your own route while the app helps guide you through the city to new clues. Discover your surroundings at your own pace and have fun with your friends or family. As part of this unique sightseeing experience, help the local police investigate what happened to a missing former investigator and bestselling author through clues, police files, and witness reports. Work towards solving the mystery by tackling a new clue at each location you stop at.

Karlsruhe: AbenteuerDate, fun game and walk for couples

5. Karlsruhe: AbenteuerDate, fun game and walk for couples

Explore Karlsruhe through an unusual, but fun adventure. Take part in an interactive smartphone game with your partner that will help you get to know each other a bit better. Unlock clues to your next destination by taking on tasks and answering tricky and funny questions about each other. Begin your game in the city center and allow the app to guide you from there. You will receive funny instructions about how to move through the area and you can design your own route. Challenge yourself and your partner by acting as a team to solve even the trickiest questions and situations. Enjoy a special outdoor date and create long-lasting memories as a couple. Step away from mainstream areas and traditional tours to focus on creating your own adventure. Take advantage of the bonus tasks and riddles to keep playing even after the game is over. We recommend: Play this outdoor adventure only in a team of two persons.

Karlsruhe: Light Rail Tunnel Tour

6. Karlsruhe: Light Rail Tunnel Tour

After its completion in December 2021, the interest in the new light rail tunnel in Karlsruhe's city centre was huge. Thousands of passengers now travel through the tunnel every day and get on or off at the seven underground stops. The masterful engineering work behind the construction project, why "real" miners were employed between the stops Marktplatz and Ettlinger Tor, why the passengers are up to their necks in water - the participants will learn these and many other anecdotes during this themed tour. The motto is "From A for Aquarium to Z for Zen: What you always wanted to know about the Karlsruhe light rail tunnel".

Karlsruhe: Urban Forests Walking Tour with Guide

7. Karlsruhe: Urban Forests Walking Tour with Guide

Did you know that a quarter of Karlsruhe's urban area consists of forests? And which trees and plants can be found there that you wouldn't expect to find in our region? For people who find such information interesting and who enjoy hiking, we are offering a tour full of surprises this year. From the city into nature is the motto. And hugging a tree is already included in the price. Don't worry: people who dare to do this don't need a psychiatrist, even if many people assume the opposite... Without giving too much away: on your hike you will pass the Karlsruhe Palace Garden, the Botanical Garden and the Majolica Ceramics Manufactory, among others. The destination and start of the tour will be Karlsruhe's market square - but don't worry about forced marches: you won't get to know the entire forest area of Karlsruhe right away on this day...

Karlsruhe: Durlach Neighborhood Walking Tour

8. Karlsruhe: Durlach Neighborhood Walking Tour

Discover the charming district of Durlach on a guided tour. Stroll around the lively streets of this old neighborhood in Karlsruhe and learn all about its evolution throughout the years. Gaze at its most remarkable landmarks, including Kalrsburg Castle. Meet your guide and go on an insightful walk as you travel back in time. Hear all about the Durlach district, once an independent territory, now housing over 30,000 proud inhabitants. Come across Karlsburg Castle dating back to the 16th century, the Durlach Castle Gardens, and the Pfinzgau Museum. Immerse yourself in local history and see how the loss of independence and the incorporation of Durlach into the city of Karlsruhe affected its population. Allow your guide to tell you why industrialization has been both a curse and a blessing for Durlach.

Karlsruhe: Early Bird Private Karlsruhe Zoo Segway Tour

9. Karlsruhe: Early Bird Private Karlsruhe Zoo Segway Tour

The unique combination of zoo and park landscape in the Karlsruhe Zoological City Gardens captivates more than a million zoo visitors every year. Located in the middle of the city, the green oasis with historic trees, colorful flower arrangements, themed gardens and water areas invites you to experience nature and to discover and get to know a variety of animal species from all continents. This tour (incl. "added value package") is also permitted and suitable for children and young people from the age of 10 (without a driver's license!). The Zoological City Garden consists of the city garden with its many themed gardens and areas as well as the zoo embedded in the city garden with its numerous animal enclosures. At 22 hectares, it is the largest inner-city park. This varied offer is supplemented by gastronomy and children's playgrounds. Director is Dr. Matthias Reinschmidt. The tour is accompanied by an official zoo SCOUT. You will receive a day ticket so that you can extensively explore the large area after the tour. The voluntary "species protection contribution" is already included in every ticket. (a matter of the heart!)

Karlsruhe: Dammerstock Settlement and Estate Walking Tour

10. Karlsruhe: Dammerstock Settlement and Estate Walking Tour

The famous "Bauhaus" architect Walter Gropius did not have it easy with the "Dammerstock" housing estate, which he built in 1928 in the south of Karlsruhe according to an avant-garde concept. The vernacular mocked the unusual building arrangement as "Jammerstock" because of its supposed narrowness. Today, the building is considered a showcase project of "Neues Bauen" - at that time, it even had to put up with "chamber pot" jokes. What exactly it is all about and why the "Dammerstock" settlement is still considered an attractive residential area today, you will learn during a 90-minute architectural guided tour with a special focus on the "Waschhaus", at that time the settlement's meeting centre.

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What people are saying about Karlsruhe

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 149 reviews

Detailed information about practically everything worth seeing and interesting in Karlsruhe. It's a lot of fun, especially when the weather is nice in the open-top bus. However, the "hop on hop off" is very limited, since the buses only run three times a day. So you can practically only get off twice if you take the first bus of the day and then continue on the next bus. Or you can take the last bus and then the first and second the next day (only works on weekends).

Great and interesting audio information about Karlsruhe. Well-chosen route (except for the approach to the Rhine port) Inexpensive and entertaining information tour.

One thing..there should be English as a standard recording as only tourists who do not understand German come to these tours.

A good trip with information about Karlsruhe and Durlach. The break on the Durlacher Turmberg is too short.

Was a nice tour with a fair amount of building sightseeing and commentary!