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

Join this approx. 130-minute tour of the fan-shaped city of Karlsruhe and learn more about the rather short history of the former royal seat. 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 (departures at 10 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.) 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 (arrivals at last stop at 12:10 p.m., 2:55 p.m. and 5:40 p.m.)

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.

Germany/Europe: eSim Mobile Data Plan

4. Germany/Europe: eSim Mobile Data Plan

Make your trip to Germany hassle-free with your convenient eSIM. Stay connected on your travels with high-speed coverage in Germany and another 43 European regions (full list below). Purchase and install your eSIM anytime and anywhere, and choose from a variety of data packages, validity options, and coverage in additional countries. Simply scan the eSIM QR code to access all your essential apps on your trip. Avoid the trouble of managing multiple SIMs with this zero-waste solution. Get one eSIM per device and top up by simply buying and activating additional eSIM plans as you go. Once activated, your coverage will begin according to your selected duration. Most devices released after 2019 are compatible with eSIM (e.g. iPhone XR, XS of models beyond, Google Pixel 4 and beyond). If you are unsure, please check the compatibility guideline photo to confirm eligibility. If you can not connect to the internet after install this eSIM, please follow the Self Help Troubleshooting Guide in your GYG voucher. Network coverage: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Vatican City. Carriers to use in Germany: T-Mobile, Vodafone, and Telefónica

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: Dammerstock Settlement and Estate Walking Tour

7. 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: Early Bird Private Karlsruhe Zoo Segway Tour

8. 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: 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.

Karlsruhe Airport (FKB): Private Transfer to Baden-Baden

10. Karlsruhe Airport (FKB): Private Transfer to Baden-Baden

Comfort private transfer from Karlsruhe Airport to/from Baden-Baden. All Vehicles fully licensed and insured. Our cars are equipped with all necessary facilities for a trip to any part of the world under any weather conditions, including additional fastenings for sports and other equipment. On request for your tourists, we have child seats for all ages. Vehicles are clean inside and outside; our drivers’ always are well dressed and always pay attention to our guests. They speak English language. They will meet you with a name sign; help with luggage and on arrival to the hotel.

Add dates

Things to do in
Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe

Go beyond Karlsruhe

Explore all

Frequently asked questions about Karlsruhe

What top attractions are a must-see in Karlsruhe?

What are the best inexpensive tours in Karlsruhe?

Other Sightseeing Options in Karlsruhe

Want to discover all there is to do in Karlsruhe? Click here for a full list.

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!