3 Fun Day Trips from Kaiserslautern, Germany

Kaiserslautern is ideally located in Southwestern Germany with amazing towns and sights right within reach. Explore historic castles, beautiful German towns, and the delectable wine country on these top day trips from Kaiserslautern.

Within a few hours of Kaiserslautern, you can visit incredible castles, tour famous museums, explore some of Germany’s most beautiful towns, and indulge in the region’s famed wine. You can even make it across the border to explore France or Luxembourg.

There’s no shortage of fun day trips to take from Kaiserslautern!

Best Day Trips from Kaiserslautern

Trier, Germany

Trier is considered Germany’s oldest city, founded in 16 BC by the Romans. The city is known for its well-preserved Roman sites.

On your day trip to Trier from Kaiserslautern, you’ll want to check out the main sights like: the Porta Nigra, the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps; Trier Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Germany; and the Trier Imperial Baths, an ancient ruin that was never completed.

If you’re visiting during the holiday season, the Trier Christmas Market is a great place to sip Glühwein surrounded by the beautiful historic buildings.

The trip to Trier is about a 1 hour and 20 minute drive or a 2 hour and 20 minute train ride. Click here to book a rental car, or check out train tickets here.

Top Trier Tours

Get the most out of a day trip to Trier with a guided tour. Check out these top Trier tours:

• Trier Private Tour — Visit the most important historical sights of Trier on this private 2-hour tour.
• Tailor-Made Trier Tour — This tailor-made private tour is offered in three languages and takes you on an exciting adventure through Trier’s history.
• Trier Private Walking Tour — Discover Germany’s oldest town on this 2-hour private walking tour of the city.
• Trier Christmas Market Tour — Learn all about Germany’s Christmas traditions as you explore Trier’s beautiful Christmas Market with a professional guide.

Mainz, Germany

Mainz is the capital city of Rhineland-Palatinate. This beautiful city on the Rhine River is known for its old town, the distinctive Romanesque Mainz Cathedral, and for being the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg.

On your day trip to Mainz from Kaiserslautern, you’ll want to check out the Mainz Cathedral of St. Martin, which is over 1,000 years old, as well as the Gutenberg Museum, where you can view an original Gutenberg Bible.

If you’re visiting during the holiday season, the Mainz Christmas Market is one of the best in southwestern Germany. You’ll find booths spread throughout the city, but the main area is located outside the Cathedral where lights are strung up to create a truly magical atmosphere.

The trip to Mainz is about a 1 hour drive or a 2 hour train ride. Click here to book a rental car, or check out train tickets here.

Top Mainz Tours

Get the most out of a day trip to Mainz with a guided tour. Check out these top Mainz tours:

• Mainz Private Walking Tour — This 2 hour walking tour with a professional guide will give you a great overview of the history of Mainz.
• Gutenberg and Mainz Cathedral Tour — See the two biggest attractions in Mainz with a professional private guide to give you in-depth history into both sights.
• Private City Tour: Typical Mainz! — Get the best of Mainz on this 90 minute, relaxed walking tour that deviates from the usual tourist path as often as possible.
• Mainz Christmas Market Tour — Learn all about Germany’s Christmas traditions as you explore Mainz’s beautiful Christmas Market with a professional guide.

Castle Hopping

It’s well-known on this blog that I love castles. Kaiserslautern is a surprisingly great hub for castle-hopping day trips. There are so many amazing castles and castle ruins nearby to explore!

If you don’t want to spend your entire day out, I recommend seeing Hohenecken Castle and then Frankenstein Castle. Both are about a 20 minute drive from Kaiserslautern and from each other. These castles are great because they’re free to visit and open any time of day for you to hike up to.

Other amazing options include: Heidelberg Castle, a beautiful Renaissance ruin, is a 1 hour drive or 2 hour train ride; the Neuleiningen Castle ruins are a 30 minute drive; Lichtenburg Castle, which is the biggest castle ruin in Germany, is about a 35 minute drive; and Nanstein Castle, a partially-reconstructed ruin, is a 20 minute drive or a 30 minute train ride.

Top Castle Tours Near Kaiserslautern

Get the most out of your castle-hopping day trip with a guided tour. Check out these top castle tours near Kaiserslautern:

• Walking Tour of Old Town Heidelberg with Castle Visit — This private walking tour of Heidelberg takes you through the Baroque-era Old Town and provides complimentary admission to Heidelberg Castle.
• Heidelberg Tour and Castle Visit — This private tour cover’s Heidelberg’s top sights, including the beautiful Heidelberg castle.
• Mannheim Castle Tour — Explore the beautifully-restored Mannheim Castle while learning about the history of the city of Mannheim.

Read next: Top 5 Tourist Destinations in Germany

• Top Things To Do In Kaiserslautern, Germany
• Visiting Hohenecken Castle in Kaiserslautern, Germany
• Where to Eat and Drink in Kaiserslautern, Germany

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Ready to visit Kaiserslautern, Germany? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Kaiserslautern using Booking.com.
• Start Packing: Check out my packing list resources so you’re prepared for your trip.

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Cheers!

Paige

What day trips from Kaiserslautern should I take next? Let me know in the comments!