Car Hire Karlsruhe - Mini guide to Karlsruhe

Karlsruhe, the lively young metropolis on the bank of the Rhine between the Black Forest, Alsace and the Pfalz, is a city rich in culture, with numerous excellent and unusual museums.

Besides the splendid museums, buildings and areas of note include the magnificent Baroque Palace which was modelled after Versailles and has a beautiful botanical garden in its grounds. The Markplatz, with its charming town hall, church and striking pyramid, is also worth visiting. Also interesting, Turmberg (City Mountain) can be reached via Germany’s oldest funicular railway.

A walking tour of the city’s renowned museums should begin at the ZKM Art and Media Technology Centre. This unique museum combines art with new media and involves visitors directly in the art experience - for example, they can act as the director of a virtual play or the creator of artificial plant worlds. Continue to the Stadtmuseum, which documents the city’s history, and then move to the Staatliche Kunsthalle & Orangerie, which houses a collection by 14th to 20th century German, French and Dutch masters.

The old town is where you should head if you want to sample the regional food specialties, or indulge in wines from the Rhine or Germany’s famous beer. Shopping either focuses on clothing, wine or artistic prints of the many masterpieces on display in the museums.

Trips from Karlsruhe include destinations such as: Strasbourg with its cathedral and romantic old town; Baden-Baden with its casino and thermal baths; and the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Speyer. Additionally, the nearby Black Forest is alive with fairytale villages, well-equipped spas and modern ski resorts.

By car, take the A5 and A8 autobahns to reach Karlsruhe. The nearest airport is at Stuttgart, 70kms away.