Best things to do in Heidelberg
With its Altstadt nestled in a wooded gorge on the River Neckar, this leading university town boasts a roster of sights that have inspired many great minds.
Viewpoints and panoramas
Alte Brücke: Goethe hailed the bridge’s beauty as “not equalled by any other in the world”, and it certainly provides a classic Altstadt vista.
Philosophenweg (Philosopher’s Walk): A north-bank hillside path named after the university’s debating students, it’s one of a network of paths that run up and along these forested slopes. At sundown you can watch the Schloss blush in a play of light Turner captured beautifully in Heidelberg Sunset.
The best districts
Altstadt (Old Town): A maze of cobbled streets lined with Baroque buildings, shops and traditional German pubs. Take time to wander down Hauptstrasse, Europe’s longest pedestrian street, and explore the quaint squares and hidden courtyards.
Neuenheim: Leafy streets and pretty 19th-century houses mark Neuenheim out as a great spot for a quiet stroll.
Museums
Historical monuments
Schloss: The semi-derelict Schloss is Heidelberg’s pride; the Dicker Turm (Fat Tower), blasted by French explosives despite 7m-thick walls, is impressive, but the southeast Pulverturm is the darling of romantics past and present.
Heidelberg University: The Baroque Alte Universität on Universitätsplatz is the ritziest building of Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386 by Ruprecht III.
Heiliggeistkirche: The 15th-century Gothic Heiliggeistkirche sports a Baroque mansard roof that allows traders’ stalls to snuggle between its buttresses, maintaining a medieval practice once common countrywide.
Parks and gardens
Heidelberg Botanical Garden: Founded in 1593, this is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, harbouring tropical orchids, bromeliads, an alpine plantation and a fern canyon among its extensive grounds.
Day trips in the area
Stuttgart: The city’s lovely setting between a series of vineyard-clad hills, along with its automobile museums, large parks and Renaissance palaces that grace the centre, make for an action-packed day trip.
Worms: The Nibelungenlied saga is the star attraction in this handsome town with a fascinating museum on the subject.
Speyer: The pleasant market town of Speyer, 25km southwest of Heidelberg, is the location for the magnificent Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a first-class transport museum in the Technik Museum.
Activities for families in Heidelberg
Heidelberg has plenty to offer families, from fun outdoor spaces to one or two of the country’s most involving interactive museums.
Interactive museums: Most, if not all, of the gigantic Auto- und Technikmuseum Sinsheim will delight kids, who’ll also love the chance to slide down from the hold of a plane on sacks, race mini-karts and visit Germany’s largest IMAX cinema. It’s easy to spend the best part of a day here.
Christmas market: Heidelberg’s Christmas market tends to be much less packed than some other German alternatives, which makes it all the more appealing, its wooden stalls offering handmade crafts, seasonal treats and mulled wine.
Historical monuments: Kids will enjoy the cable car ride from the Old Town up to the partially-ruined castle, and once there you can take in a guided tour, have a meal or just soak up the views.
Free things to do in Heidelberg
Travelling on a budget? There are stacks of free activities in Heidelberg offering great experiences without denting the wallet.
Street art: Heidelberg has a street art scene that’s a match for anywhere in Germany, and this is manifest in the annual Metropolink festival in July, which devotes three weeks to graffiti art, street murals and more.
Festivals: If you’re visiting in summer, don’t miss the Heidelberg Castle Illuminations, when the castle and Old Bridge are beautifully lit up - it’s both magical and free.
Heidelberg Castle Gardens: While there is a fee to enter the castle itself, wandering the castle gardens is free of charge.
Nature and outdoor activities in Heidelberg
Heidelberg’s natural surroundings make it an appealing destination for those with ambitions of spending time in the outdoors.
Hiking: Heidelberg’s proximity to the Odenwald hills makes hiking a real possibility. While the Philosophenweg (Philosopher’s Walk) is the most famous hiking route in the area, a more challenging proposition is the hike up to Königstuhl Mountain, the highest peak in the area.
Cycling: Provision for cyclists around the city (and state) is first-class. All the main Baden-Württemberg cities have a reasonable cycle path network – even from the centre of Heidelberg you barely need to touch a road to get to the fringes of the Black Forest.
Wildlife watching: The surrounding forests offer opportunities to spot deer, wild boar and a range of bird species.
