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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.

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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: Dammerstock Settlement and Estate Walking Tour

8. 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.

Karlsruhe: Unlimited 4G Internet in Germany with Pocket WiFi

9. Karlsruhe: Unlimited 4G Internet in Germany with Pocket WiFi

Enjoy a pocket hotspot device rental service which allows you to access the web anywhere in Germany. Avoid expensive data roaming charges or connecting to insecure public internet points and, most importantly, save yourself the time and hassle of looking for free Wi-Fi every time you need an internet connection. With this service, you won’t have to change your sim card during your vacation or buy a high-cost data package in advance. This is an unlimited package at truly 4G/LTE speed, it is secure and works everywhere in Germany. There are no speed limitations at any level of data usage. Watch movies, play games, make online calls, stream your playlists, share your memories, use live navigation, and more.  Order your pocket WiFi device and have it shipped to your destination in Germany before you arrive. When you get there, you’ll be ready to enjoy unlimited WiFi throughout your trip.

Frequently asked questions about Karlsruhe

What top attractions are a must-see in Karlsruhe?

The must-see attractions in Karlsruhe are:

Other Sightseeing Options in Karlsruhe

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What people are saying about Karlsruhe

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 148 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.

Wir haben das spiel zufällig entdeckt und waren echt begeistert.