Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [360]
Nationaltheater Mannheim (National Theatre; 168 00; www.nationaltheater-mannheim.de, in German; Mozartstrasse 9) The granddaddy of Mannheim’s performing arts scene, this theatre has been going strong for 300 years and staged Schiller’s first major play, Die Räuber (The Robbers).
Return to beginning of chapter
Getting There & Around
Mannheim is a major rail hub on the Hamburg–Basel line. Destinations include Frankfurt (€15.20 to €25.50, 37 to 70 minutes, several times hourly) and Freiburg (€38 to €44, 1½ hours to 3½ hours, twice hourly). Frequent S-Bahn and RE trains link the Hauptbahnhof with Heidelberg (€6.50, 10 to 17 minutes).
Mannheim is near the junction of the east–west A6, the A67 north to Frankfurt, and the A656 east to Heidelberg. There’s free parking about 1km east of the Wasserturm around the Fernmeldeturm (such as along Hans-Reschke-Ufer and Ludwig-Ratzel-Strasse).
Return to beginning of chapter
KARLSRUHE
0721 / pop 288,900
When planning this radial city in 1715, the Margraves of Baden placed a mighty baroque palace smack in the middle – an urban layout so impressive it became the blueprint for Washington DC.
Laid-back and cultured, Karlsruhe grows on you the longer you linger, with its rambling parks, museums crammed with futuristic gizmos and French impressionist paintings. The suburbs dotted with art-nouveau town houses are a reminder that France is just 15km away. Some 20,000 students keep the beer cheap and vibe upbeat in the pubs, the dance floors crowded in bass-loaded clubs, and the wheels of innovation in culture and technology turning.
Return to beginning of chapter
Orientation
From the Schloss, 32 streets radiate like the spokes of a wheel. Karlsruhe’s focal point is the Marktplatz, at the intersection of the main east–west shopping street, tram-clogged Kaiserstrasse, and the north–south Karl-Friedrich-Strasse, which links the Schloss with the Hauptbahnhof, 2.5km south. The university campus begins 500m east of the Marktplatz.
Return to beginning of chapter
Information
ATMs There are several along Kaiserstrasse near the Marktplatz.
Hauptbahnhof tourist office ( 3720 5383; www.karlsruhe-tourism.de; Bahnhofplatz 6; 8.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat). Across the street from the Hauptbahnhof. The iGuide (€8) is a self-guided audiovisual walking tour of the centre lasting four hours. Also sells the Karlsruher WelcomeCard.
Karlsruher WelcomeCard (€9.50) Good for two days (three days including a weekend), entitling you to public transport use and free or reduced-price entry to museums.
Marktplatz tourist office ( 3720 5376; Karl-Friedrich-Strasse 9; 9.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat) Offers the same services as the Hauptbahnhof tourist office. Sells events tickets and has a public transport information desk.
Post office (Poststrasse) Just east of the Hauptbahnhof.
Webdome ( 161 590; Akademiestrasse 43; per hr €2; 10am-midnight) Good for two days (three days including a weekend), high-speed internet access.
Return to beginning of chapter
Sights & Activities
SCHLOSS & MARKTPLATZ
All roads lead to the baroque-meets-neoclassical Schloss, which creeps into almost every snapshot. Karl Wilhelm Margrave of Baden-Durlach named his epicentral palace Karlsruhe (Karl’s retreat) when founding the city in 1715. Destroyed in the war, the grand palace was sensitively rebuilt. In warm weather, locals play pétanque on the fountain-strewn Schlossplatz parterre.
Edging north, the Schlossgarten is a popular student hang-out and a relaxed spot for walks and picnics. Lush with exotic foliage, the Botanischer Garten ( 926 3008; gardens free, greenhouses adult/concession €2.20/1.10; 10am-4.45pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5.45pm Sat & Sun) is speckled with greenhouses – one with a giant Victoria waterlily.
The treasure-trove Badisches Landesmuseum (Baden State Museum; 926 6520; www.landesmuseum.de, in German; adult/concession €4/3, after 2pm Fri free; 10am-5pm Tue-Thu, 10am-6pm Fri-Sun), inside the Schloss¸ shelters the jewel-encrusted crown of Baden’s grand-ducal ruling family, and spoils of war from victorious