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Arrive. Relax. Enjoy local cuisine.

Karlsruhe and surroundings

The Surroundings

Excursion Destinations, Leisure Ideas and Tips – around our Hotel Sonne in Stupferich

Karlsruhe is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in the Upper Rhine Plain at the northwestern edge of the Black Forest, and is still regarded today as the “Capital of Baden” – culturally and historically speaking – and yes, we are a little proud of that too.

Karlsruhe is youthful, open-minded and full of joie de vivre. In 1715, Margrave Karl Wilhelm built his dream palace here – and because he wanted to keep an overview of his city, he designed the streets to radiate outwards from his residence like the rays of a fan. This is how our famous “Fan-Shaped City” was created, which later even served as an inspiration for the city layout of Washington, D.C.

There are many ways to explore the city: on an exciting guided walking tour or in complete comfort aboard a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus.

Many remarkable personalities have roots in Karlsruhe: Ferdinand Braun, Nobel Prize winner in Physics, was born here. Dietmar Hopp and Hasso Plattner, co-founders of SAP, grew up in Karlsruhe, as did Hermann Staudinger, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry. Astronaut Alexander Gerst studied at KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology). Football legend Oliver Kahn was born here and spent his childhood in Karlsruhe, just like former football stars Mehmet Scholl and Oliver Bierhoff. Lars Stindl also grew up here, and world champion boxer Regina Halmich has her roots in Karlsruhe.

Even Carl Benz, inventor of the automobile, was born here – so without Karlsruhe, perhaps there would be no cars today 😉

Singer-songwriter Max Giesinger is a true Karlsruher, as are singers Nino de Angelo, Laith Al-Deen and Pietro Lombardi. Actor Ralf Bauer was born in Karlsruhe and raised nearby. Other actors born here include Sebastian Ströbel, Julian Schmieder, Sebastian Koch, Barbara Salesch, Pierre M. Krause and René Heger. Not bad for one city, right?

Did you know that Karlsruhe is also a city of inventors?

Karl Drais invented the world’s first two-wheeled vehicle here – the predecessor of today’s bicycle. In 1984, Germany’s very first email was received at KIT, and in 1994, brilliant minds in Karlsruhe developed the first mobile web browser.

Karlsruhe is especially well known as the home of Germany’s highest courts – including the Federal Constitutional Court, the Federal Court of Justice and the Office of the Federal Prosecutor General. But our city stands for far more than laws and courtrooms: it is a place of ideas, creativity, cultural diversity and a relaxed Baden way of life.

The heart of Karlsruhe beats around the baroque palace and the pyramid on the market square – a sandstone monument that serves as the resting place of the city’s founder. Around it, city life unfolds in cafés, shops, parks and lively squares. Anyone who spends time here quickly realizes: Karlsruhe is far more than just a point on the map – it is a feeling.

Culture & Lifestyle

Anyone who thinks Karlsruhe is only about courts and legal institutions has clearly underestimated the city. Karlsruhe is colourful, creative and culturally vibrant.

The Baden State Theatre is one of Germany’s renowned multi-genre theatres and is especially famous for its annual Handel Festival, attracting music lovers from all over Europe.

Karlsruhe also offers a flourishing independent cultural scene: the Kammertheater regularly stages comedies and musicals featuring well-known actors, while the Sandkorn Theatre is loved for its own productions, literary evenings and contemporary plays. D’Badisch Bühn, the only dialect theatre in Northern Baden, brings the spirit of Baden to the stage with warmth, humour and local charm.

The Spuktheater in Karlsruhe is unique in Germany, and the Tollhaus is the region’s largest cultural centre, hosting internationally known artists, concerts, cabaret, comedy and live performances throughout the year.

And those who appreciate contemporary art should not miss the ZKM – Center for Art and Media, one of the world’s leading museums for contemporary and digital art, ranked among the Top 10 museums worldwide by ArtFacts.Net. The international art fair “art karlsruhe” also attracts collectors, gallery owners and art enthusiasts from around the globe every February.

Another important museum is the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe, one of Germany’s great and long-established art museums. Equally remarkable is the State Museum of Natural History, which is not only known for its impressive scientific collections, stuffed animals and large-scale skeletons, but also for its fascinating vivarium featuring living frogs, insects and numerous species of fish.

Karlsruhe is simply a city that feels alive, inspires creativity and benefits from an exceptionally beautiful location.

Parks and green spaces such as the Palace Gardens, the Günther-Klotz-Anlage – home to “DAS FEST”, one of Germany’s largest open-air music festivals – and the City Garden with its zoo are among the largest urban park landscapes in the state. Right in the middle of the city. Right in the middle of life.

Karlsruhe – A Sports City with Heart and Variety

Karlsruhe offers an impressive range of sporting activities and is home to many successful clubs and major sporting events.

In football, Karlsruher SC is deeply rooted in the city and inspires its supporters at the BBBank Wildpark Stadium. With a long tradition and loyal fans, the club has become a symbol of Karlsruhe’s passion for football.

The Baden Volleys SSC Karlsruhe compete in Germany’s top volleyball league and have established themselves as an important name in German volleyball. The PS Karlsruhe LIONS play professional basketball in the ProA league and regularly thrill their supporters with exciting games.

Karlsruher SV Rugby is one of the oldest rugby clubs in Germany and has earned an excellent reputation both nationally and internationally. ASC Grünwettersbach has also become a respected name in the German table tennis Bundesliga through many years of success.

The LG Region Karlsruhe deserves special mention as one of Germany’s most successful athletics associations. With more than 60 German championship titles and participation in numerous international competitions, it is a true flagship of athletics in the region.

It is also worth taking a closer look at SSC Karlsruhe, one of the city’s major multi-sport clubs, offering a remarkable variety of sports across many different competitive levels.

Karlsruhe is also known for its many running events that attract thousands of participants every year: from the B2Run Karlsruhe – Germany’s largest corporate run with more than 10,000 participants – to the “Badische Meile”, a fun run over the historic distance of exactly 8.88889 kilometres, or the “Lange Laufnacht”, a high-level athletics meeting and qualification event for national and international competitions. There is always a reason to come here.

And of course, we should not forget the many indoor and outdoor swimming pools as well as several lakes for swimming and relaxation. In fact, one district of Karlsruhe even has a bathing lake with its own beach for dogs and a separate access point for horses! Horses are only allowed to swim there from May to October – and only from sunrise until 10 a.m. 😉

Speaking of animals: dogs are very welcome at our hotel. With horses, things might become a little more complicated – but there are several nearby stables and accommodation options available for them as well.

Nature & Outdoor Activities

Karlsruhe is beautifully situated in the Upper Rhine Plain, surrounded by the Palatinate Forest, the Vosges Mountains and the Black Forest. With more than 70,000 kilometres of hiking trails and an exceptionally well-developed cycling network, the region offers ideal conditions for outdoor activities, recreation and exploring nature.

Karlsruhe has received several national awards for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure – including the German Cycling Award in 2020 – and has repeatedly achieved top rankings in the nationwide ADFC Bicycle Climate Test for its outstanding cycling facilities.

It would almost be careless not to mention at this point that our hotel offers two covered charging stations for electric cars, three e-bike charging points and a bicycle repair station (FORCE SOS Service) – a real advantage for cyclists and guests travelling with electric mobility.

And for those who enjoy spending time on the water, the MS Karlsruhe offers relaxing boat trips along the Rhine River. The Port of Karlsruhe, one of the largest inland ports in Germany, is both an impressive symbol of Baden’s economic strength and a fascinating destination for anyone interested in technology and shipping.

There is also plenty to discover right in our neighbourhood:

  • The Albtherme Waldbronn, a recognised thermal spa and certified with 5 wellness stars, is only about 9 minutes away by car.
  • Charming small theatres and cultural venues can be found just 8 minutes from us, including the Kulturhalle Remchingen and the Kulturtreff Waldbronn. The Orgelfabrik cabaret theatre in Durlach is about 12 minutes away.
  • Ettlingen, Karlsbad, Pfinztal, Remchingen and Pforzheim are all within easy reach. Palmbach is our direct neighbour, and together we are part of the Karlsruhe hill villages (“Karlsruher Bergdörfer”).
  • The nearest outdoor swimming pools in Karlsbad, Waldbronn, Remchingen, Wolfartsweier and Durlach can be reached within approximately 6 to 12 minutes by car. Indoor swimming pools are available in Durlach, Grötzingen, Söllingen, Ettlingen and Karlsruhe. A special highlight for many visitors is the Europabad Karlsruhe, a large adventure and wellness water park located only 15 minutes from our hotel.

Thanks to our central location and direct motorway access, many well-known excursion destinations are also easy to reach:

  • Baden-Baden and the beautiful baroque town of Rastatt delight visitors with culture, elegance and history.
  • The romantic university city of Heidelberg is only about 40 minutes away.
  • Wissembourg in Alsace, France, can be reached in around 35 minutes.
  • The Palatinate region with its vineyards and hiking trails is just a short drive away.
  • The Maulbronn Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to 1147, is only about 30 minutes away.

In and around Stupferich, you will also find beautiful golf courses – including Gut Batzenhof, Hofgut Scheibenhardt and Golfclub Johannesthal, just to name a few – along with many leisure activities and wonderful ways to enjoy nature.

This makes our hotel the ideal starting point for excursions, recreation and discoveries in every direction.

Whether you are looking for shopping and city life, culture, sports, nature or regional cuisine – Karlsruhe and its surroundings offer diversity, warmth and the Baden way of enjoying life.

At our reception, guests are always welcome to ask for additional information, recommendations and helpful links for leisure activities in and around Karlsruhe.

For tour groups and coach operators, we are also happy to provide tailored recommendations and planning assistance – depending on the season, current events and the many things that make Karlsruhe such a rewarding destination. This makes it easy to include the city as part of a well-rounded and memorable travel programme.