Kaiserslautern Travel Guide
A detailed destination guide for your next Germany vacation
Kaiserslautern Overview
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland (State) of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) at the edge of the Palatinate forest (Pfälzer Wald). The historic center dates to the 9th century and is within easy reach of Paris (459 kilometers) and Luxembourg (159 kilometers).
Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people. In the city and its surrounding district (Landkreis Kaiserslautern) live an additional approximately 50,000 NATO military personnel members (mainly American), who often call the city K-Town, and contribute approximately $1 billion annually to the Kaiserslautern economy.
Today, Kaiserslautern is a modern center of information and communications technology as well as a well-known university, a technical college and many international research institutes located throughout the city.
The Palatine Gallery dates from 1874 featuring exhibits of painting and sculpture from the 19th century to the present day.
Town Hall Kaiserslautern is one of the tallest buildings and is located in the city centre. The bar and coffee shop on the top floor provides a paranoramic view of the city and surrounding countryside.
The tallest building in the center of Kaiserslautern is Marienkirche, a Catholic church.
The television tower, the highest structure in Kaiserslautern is not in the city center but at Dansenberg, a suburb in the southwest of the city.
Kaiserslautern's large botanical gardens feature a Japanese-style garden. Another unusual feature is the Waschmühle, an enormous 160-metre public swimming pool that is the largest in Europe. There are several pedestrian only shopping zones with numerous and varied restaurants and bars located in the city centre surrounding the old city (Altstadt). In the Altstadt you will find the "Kaiserbrunnen", a large ornamental fountain in which various historically important features of the city are represented, including eg. a sewing machine - for the Pfaff-werke, a football, and various creatures, on which children can climb.
Where to stay in Kaiserslautern?
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Things to See in Kaiserslautern
The Palatine Gallery dates from 1874 featuring exhibits of painting and sculpture from the 19th century to the present day.
Town Hall Kaiserslautern is one of the tallest buildings and is located in the city center. The bar and coffee shop on the top floor provides a panoramic view of the city and surrounding countryside.
The tallest building in the center of Kaiserslautern is Marienkirche, a Catholic church.
The television tower, the highest structure in Kaiserslautern.
Kaiserslautern's large botanical gardens feature a Japanese-style garden.
The Waschmühle, an enormous 160-metre public swimming pool that is the largest in Europe.
University of Kaiserslautern
Oberpfälzer cultural and military museum
[ source: Wikipedia ]
Maps and Driving Directions to Kaiserslautern
Travel Insider Tips for Kaiserslautern
If you are near Kaiserslautern, they have castle ruins there, look for a Barbarosa and sit outside and enjoy a cup of coffee. There is a restaurant called the Hoffbrau Haus
in Kaiserslautern that serves the best Jaegersnitzel that I have ever had!
Shared by Leda A. Miller, Sep 2009
Yes, I am from Kaiserslautern. There are great places to hike. A beautiful town, called Bad Duerkheim, is having a wine fest right now. It's called the Duerkemer Wurstmarkt. It is a great time to be there; good food, good wine, and good beer. Lots of fun. There is also a great hotel and it is called Gartenhotel Heusser. Its very nice to stay there... Go there and have fun anytime.
Shared by Maggie Korpi, Sep 2010
I lived a little outside Kaiserslautern, near Trippstadt, in the forest area.
Shared by Bruce Ensor, Nov 2010
I had my first Jaegerschnitzel in one of the restaurants in Kaiserslautern. It was so good that it became one of my most favorite German dishes. I love it with potato balls, spatzle and sweet and sour cabbage. My other favorite is Rouladen.
Shared by Josie Cruz Patton, Sep 2010
there is a small Hofbrauhaus in Kaiserslautern also...snitzels are excellent.
Shared by Anna Campbell, Aug 2010
i lived there for 21 years and i love it, all the bars and clubs.
Shared by Claudia Viola Noble, Dec 2009
I was in K'Town during World Cup 2006...what a party!! Go Deutschland! Go USA!
Shared by Darrin Hall, Jun 2010
My favorite city is Kaiserslautern - home and close to awesome places nearby....
Shared by Stefanie Benyard, Sep 2009
The Schloss at Landstuhl is very close by (small charge here as well but cannot recall exactly how much); not as grandiose as other castles in Germany but you can find a nice view of the area from the top with a bier at the shop. Night life: Nacht Schicht next to the Bahnhof is good for a younger crowd (3 different rooms with different genres of music playing; however, if one is seriously interested in hip hop, Stuttgart is going to be a better spot for discos of that genre than Kaiserslautern and it's not too far of a drive and a night's stay in yet another great city). Outdoors: There are enormous amounts of trails to walk/hike in the entire Kaiserslautern area and within easy driving distance (Trier, for example). Special Spot: I grew up on Erdbeerenkuchen at Spielmann Cafe in Ramstein Village (in the Kaiserslautern community). Spielmann is my favorite cafe in all of Europe and I must recommend this cafe to anyone traveling to or through Ramstein. It is owned by a different family from the days I lived there but each time I visit, the recipes are exactly the same: absolutely delicious and wonderful service. (Landstuhlerstrasse 61, 66877 Ramstein, Phone +49 (0) 6371-58270. Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 0630-1800; Saturday: 0630-1400).
Shared by Stefanie Benyard, Sep 2009
My favorite city is Kaiserslautern ... beautiful city and still green trees and a lot to do in the area, including trips to Idar Oberstein, Thallichtenberg with the largest ruin castle in Germany and just hiking in the Pfaelzer wald...i miss being home!!
Shared by Chris Kraft, Sep 2009
Kaiserslautern
[ source: Wikipedia]
Popular Points of Interest in and near Kaiserslautern
ContentThe Japanese Gardens
[ source: garden website ]
One of the most beautiful outcomes of the contact between Kaiserslautern and the Japanese sister city Bunkyo-ku is the Japanese Garden, which has been continuously expanded upon and perfected since its opening. It is among the most beautiful and largest parks of this kind in Europe. Among the typical elements of a Japanese garden are the ponds, waterfalls, stone arrangements, gravel, tea houses, moss gardens and stone lanterns.
Hours: Open daily April 1 - October 31 10am - 6pm.
Admission: Adults 3.50 €, Concessions 2.50 €, Youth ages 12-17 1 €, Children under 12 free. Guided tours, tea ceremonies, sound-meditation with Tibetan sound bowls and more are available for an extra fee.
The Museum Palatine Gallery (Pfalzgalerie)
[ source: Museum website ]
The Museum Palatine Gallery was founded in 1874 as a museum of Trades and Crafts. The museum building was constructed from 1875 to 1880. Today, its main focus is on painting and sculpture from the 19th to 21st century.
Hours: Tuesday 11am - 8pm, Wednesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm, closed Mondays.
Admission: Permanent Exhibition 2 €, Special Exhibition 4 €, Combination 5 €, Family card 8 €, Children under 16 free.
Humberg Tower (Humbergturm)
A fantastic view over the city is worth climbing up the Humbergturm. The tower was built in 1899/1900. The nearby village Hohenecken and the ruins of the castle are also worth a visit. Historical records first mention the castle in 1195. After being destroyed by the French in 1689, the ruin was restored in 1940. Today the castle ruin of Hohenecken is among the most impressive remains of the period of the Staufer.
Zoo of Kaiserslautern
The zoo has 17 acres with over 60 animal species and 360 wild and domestic animals. There is a playground with a nature adventure trail for young visitors as well as restaurant.
Hours: Summer season daily from 8am - 6:30pm; Winter season daily from 9am - 5pm.
Admission: Adults: 5 €, Children (age 4-17): 2.50 €.
Garden Exhibition and Neumühle Park
The Garden Show is the scene of the largest outdoor dinosaur exhibit in Europe. Over 80 models faithfully recreated dinosaurs Neumühle inhabit the park. Additionally, alternating hall flower exhibitions, various theme gardens, exhibitions and a cultural program make a trip to the parks worthwhile. From the Kaiserberg (Emperors Mountain) you can enjoy a marvelous view of the city; the Neumühlepark attracts above all young visitors on account of its leisure time grounds like skating park, beach volleyball field and water playground.
Hours: open daily April - October; Monday - Friday 9am - 7pm, Saturday, Sunday 10am - 7pm.
Admission: Adults 6 €, Concessions 3 €.
Theodore-Zink Museum
[ source: Tourist Office ]
This beautiful 1870’s building was turned into a museum of local history in 1976 and is full of models (such as the 1625 moated K-Town), artifacts, a map of the old city wall and where remnants are today, bibles, pottery, coins, etc. variously dating from the Stone Age to a fine selection of modern local industrial design (i.e. Pfaff sewing machines). Check out the horse-drawn hearse in the courtyard.
Hours: 9am- 5pm Tuesday - Friday, 10am - 6pm Saturdays.
Admission: Adults 3 €, Concessions 2 €.
Related Sites
We collected some useful links related to Kaiserslautern. If you know a few more sites not listed here, or also know some insider tips or point of interests for this destination? Please share and submit your Germany travel tip. If approved it will be shown on this page!
- Homepage of Kaiserslautern: Kaiserslautern (official home page)
- Wikipedia: Kaiserslautern
More about the History of Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern received its name from the favorite hunting retreat of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa who ruled the Holy Roman Empire from 1155 until 1190. The small river Lauter made the old section of Kaiserslautern an island in medieval times.
As French power declined after 1815, Kaiserslautern and the Palatinate became a Bavarian province and remained so until 1918. After World War I, French troops again occupied the Palatinate for several years. In World War II, more than 60% of Kaiserslautern was destroyed by bombs from Allied aircraft. The pace of the economy remained slow until 1952, when construction for newly established garrisons of American troops brought economic growth to the area.
[ source: Wikipedia ]
What makes this Live Like a German Kaiserslautern Travel Guide special...
This Kaiserslautern travel guide provides you with an overview of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern pictures, and a local travel guide that suggests many special trips, unique activities, and vacation ideas, that you can't find in a typical Germany travel guide.
Some of this information is compiled from popular and well-known sources (e.g., such as Wikipedia, Wikitravel, and great pictures from Flickr). However, what makes this Germany travel guide special is that most of the travel suggestions and insider tips are provided by local residents, property owners, and our readers, who share and submit their travel tips with us. All submissions are then editorially reviewed to ensure high quality. All this information is logically organized within this destination guide to make it easy for you to find things quickly.
In addition, the Kaiserslautern destination guide features restaurant recommendations, restaurant reviews, where to go for grocery shopping, sports activities, getting around, cultural events and highlights, entertainment, and health related information - so you are informed for your travel to Germany, and you can learn about all the cool things you can do during your Germany vacation!
