Heidelberg – Castle, Old Town and Neckar
Accommodation in Heidelberg
Heidelberg brings together the city and the river, with striking viewpoints and a diverse cultural landscape. The castle, Old Town and Neckar each offer something different: sometimes the focus is on historic collections and theatre, sometimes on views across the city and Rhine plain, or a day by the water. When planning your holiday, it’s worth first considering which of these aspects you’d most like to experience.
Castle views and heights above the city
The garden at Heidelberg Castle is open to the public free of charge. From its terraces, you can look out over the castle and Neckar Valley. In the Stückgarten, the view takes in the castle and the Old Town below, on the banks of the Neckar. The restored masonry shell of the Rondell now serves as a terrace, with views stretching far across the Rhine plain. The castle garden is also associated with the once-famous Hortus Palatinus—a historical connection that makes the garden interesting beyond its views.
Heidelberg can also be seen from a different perspective at higher elevations. The Philosopher’s Walk on the southern slope of the Heiligenberg offers views of the city, river and mountains, and is available as a hiking activity. The Königstuhl is Heidelberg’s highest point; from there, you can look out over the castle, city and Rhine plain. Another way to include elevation and views in your trip is to take the mountain railway: it runs from Kornmarkt up to the castle and continues to the Königstuhl. The views grow broader along the way. Heidelberg Castle can be reached on foot or by mountain railway.
Old Town, collections and historic sites
In the Old Town, history and culture are within easy reach. It invites you to stroll, linger and explore; museums and theatres are part of its diverse cultural offering. The Kurpfälzisches Museum houses the art and cultural history collections of the City of Heidelberg. If you enjoy including different forms of culture in your trip, you can explore these collections as well as the Old Town’s theatres.
One of the city’s distinctive landmarks is the Old Bridge, a sandstone bridge with views of the castle and Old Town. Other sites on the Heiligenberg tell different chapters of the city’s history: the Thingstätte is a large open-air theatre from the Nazi era, located in the summit area of the Heiligenberg. The ruins of the monasteries of St. Michael and St. Stephen are also landmarks of the summit area. These sites add historic places beyond the collections to Heidelberg’s cultural offering.
Zoo and experiences on the Neckar
Heidelberg Zoo is located on the Im Neuenheimer Feld campus and is a popular destination for a day out. Visitors can discover more than 160 animal species from around the world. The Zoo Academy offers bookable workshops, holiday programmes and tours for different age groups, interests and occasions. The activities explore the zoo’s animal or plant life. For those travelling with children, this means there are different activities to choose from alongside a zoo visit, tailored to age and interest.
There are other ways to spend time outdoors by the Neckar. The Neckarwiese is ideal for picnics and walks along the riverbank, with views of the castle. Cycling along the Neckar and boat trips on the river are also offered as activities in Heidelberg. This gives you a choice of spending time by the river, getting active on a bike or taking a trip on the water.
When looking for a holiday apartment in Heidelberg, you can use your travel interests as a guide: culture in the Old Town, views around the castle and surrounding heights, or experiences on the Neckar each offer a different focus. You can also consider a visit to the zoo.
Discover more places
You can also find Wiesenbach, Zuzenhausen, Ladenburg, Neckargemünd, Mühlhausen, Schönau, Helmstadt-Bargen and Weinheim here.
For the higher-level travel overview: Rhine-Neckar District.
