Kassel and "Hercules"

 If you go to Kassel (2.5 hours north of Wiesbaden), there's typically just two things driving you toward this trip.....the Hercules statue and the waterfalls.....both sitting on the hillside overlooking the city.

Several notes here.

If you have hip or movement issues.....forget it and don't go.  There's a fair number of steps and walking involved.

They run the waterfalls only from early May to the end of summer.....Wed and Sun each week....at 1430, for roughly 30-to-60 minutes.  The reason for the curtailed waterfalls activity (worth the trip to observe the architecture involved)....is a problem currently with the water supply and renovation going on (through summer of 2018).

When I say it starts at 1430.....you'd best already have parked the car at 1330 and started to find yourself a good spot to watch the whole thing occur.  I don't think Sundays are the best pick because of the crowds that show up (figure 5,000 minimum).

Parking, no matter where you go around the monument.....is a fee deal.  The only free parking is via the restaurant next to the Hercules.....where you need reservations for any Sunday lunch or dinner.  Their parking is free.  The restaurant is a fine place for real German food.

Walking up the whole way?  Well, you could but you'd be talking about a three hour deal from the city.....to get up to the top.  You can take the tram (#1) up to the three-quarters point of the mountain, and ride the local bus the rest of the way.

All of the Hercules, the waterfalls, and the platform itself.....was designed in different pieces and it's kinda all pieced together.

As for allocating time?  You'd have to be there by noon (have lunch), spend the afternoon watching the falls and noting the Hercules statue.  If you were walking up.....toss in another four hours.

I wouldn't do anything this except in spring or summer.....under good weather conditions.

As for Kassel, there are three other things worth checking out, and you could have an active three-day weekend out of the deal.

Going in Nov to Mar?  No, this is a mountainous area (even by Hessen standards) and it's a bit chilly for winter conditions.

The train from Frankfurt?  It's an ICE and gives you a speedy connection.

Of the ten things in Germany, that you ought to see (if you are here for two or three years)....I'd regard the Hercules and the waterfalls to be in the top ten.

Finally, a lot of people show up in the summer on weekends, so it's best to aim for Mon through Fri.