The main attractions in Kassel are fairy-tale castles and fairy-tale authors — this is where the Grimm brothers are honoured, and also where the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be admired. Visitors travelling to Kassel by train can reach this city in central Germany from all over Europe. The train journey to Kassel from Paderborn is 1h57mins, or a train to Kassel Wilhelmshöhe from Hanover only takes 56 minutes. This city has good links to other German destinations too, thanks to the Inter-City and Inter-City Express networks.

Visiting Kassel

The main railway station in Kassel, Kassel Hauptbahnhof, is modern and located to the north-east of the city centre. From the station, a 12-minute walk north-west along Theaterstraße brings visitors to Friedrichsplatz and the Fridericianum museum. This is a huge Neoclassical building, which dates back to 1779, making it one of Europe's oldest museums. It is mainly used for temporary art exhibitions, including the famous five-yearly Documenta event. The grounds outside the museum make for a lovely place to rest before moving on.

To get to Kassel’s most compelling landmark, Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, visitors need to take the train to Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe, and then take tram 1 to the site, which is just five stops away. It is also possible to walk there, but it takes an hour, and those in a rush could use this time to explore the amazing castle grounds instead. In fact, this is the most extensive hillside park in Europe, and it is crowned by the Hercules monument. The palace there, which is now a museum, is the other main attraction. And, the short walk between the two, through forests and landscaped gardens, is really what the park is all about.

Back in the city centre, any visitors feeling hungry should head for the Westen area close to the river. Kassel offers a selection of fast-food and sophisticated eateries, with a good choice of international and local menus. The cuisine of the central district of Germany features Ahle Wurst (an air-dried or smoked sausage), or a delicious bacon quiche, known as Speckkuchen. To accompany it, waiters may recommend a Riesling white wine from the region.

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