Ettlingen, tucked between Karlsruhe and the Black Forest, is a small city with a history dating back to the Roman Empire.

Get in

By train

KVV tram lines S1 and S11 run to Karlsruhe every 10 minutes or better, connecting to long distance trains at the central station (Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof). Tickets are €2.20 to the central station and points south, and €2.80 to anywhere else in Karlsruhe. There are several stops in Ettlingen, of which Ettlingen Stadt is the most central. Some trams end at this station; during off hours, two-car trains will often detach here, with only the first car continuing south.

By car

Take the Ettlingen exit (47, "Karlsruhe-Rueppurr/Ettlingen") from the A5 autobahn, immediately south of the A8 interchange.

Get around

Although Ettlingen has expanded over the years, the area of greatest interest is compact and easily explored on foot. Bus service to the outlying districts (mostly residential and industrial) leaves from the west side of Ettlingen Stadt tram station.

See

The old city, spanning the Alb River, dates largely from the 1700s, following its near-total destruction in the Nine Years' War. Today it's a mixture of classic architecture and modern shops, retaining its charm and pleasant to walk around. Points of interest [1] are marked with blue plaques in German, English, and French.

• 1 Markgräfliches Schloss. 
• 2 St. Martinskirche. 
• 3 Lauerturm. 
• 4 Bismarckturm. 

Eat

• Ristorante Padellino, Seminarstr. 10. 
• Zum Strauß, Talstr. 2. Regional specialities. 

Drink

• O'Neill's Irish Pub, Albstr. 29. 
• Vogel Hausbräu, Rheinstr. 4. Live music on Sundays. 

Sleep

• Hotel Erbprinz, Rheinstraße 1, ☏ +49 7243 322-0. Pricey hotel and spa. Singles €165-300. 
• Stadthotel Engel, Kronenstraße 13 (entrance from Lauergasse), ☏ +49 7243 330-0. Modern, smallish rooms in the center of town, within walking distance of Ettlingen Schloss/Ettlingen Stadt stations. The multilingual staff are efficient and helpful. Breakfast included. Some parking is available in an underground garage, for an additional €6.50/day. Singles €80-100, doubles €125-130. 

Go next

Take the tram north into Karlsruhe, or south to Bad Herrenalb and Ittersbach.