DE · Baden-Württemberg · 49.42°N 8.72°E
heidelberg
A ruined castle above red roofs, an old stone bridge and hillside paths over the Neckar.
- Best time
- April–June and September–October are best for walking, with spring blossom and autumn leaves on the hills. July–August is busy; winter is quiet, with short days.
- How long
- 1–2 days
- Getting there
- Lufthansa flies direct from KL to Frankfurt from late October 2026, about 13 hours; otherwise it's one stop via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul. Trains from Frankfurt airport take about an hour, usually changing at Mannheim. Germany is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
heidelberg
Dear group chat,— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingHeidelbergDE, Baden-Württemberg
Photo: Jörg Braukmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 Photo: Calips · CC BY-SA 3.0 Photo: Dr.Xos · CC BY-SA 4.0 Photo: Renardo la vulpo · CC BY-SA 4.0 Photo: Lukas von Daeniken from Schweiz · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.
Heidelberg is Germany's oldest university town, with a ruined red sandstone castle on the hill above an old town of bookshops and student pubs. The Neckar runs alongside, crossed by an old stone bridge.
Makan
Things to do
- Heidelberg CastleRuined palace wings on the hill, reached by funicular, with a giant wine barrel in the cellar.Map ↗
- Old BridgeAn 18th-century stone bridge with a bronze monkey at the old-town end.Map ↗
- Philosophers' WalkA path along the hillside across the river, with the classic view of the bridge, the roofs and the castle.Map ↗
- Student prisonWhere misbehaving students were locked up until 1914, its walls covered in their graffiti.Map ↗
Good to know
- The main station is a fair way from the old town; take a bus or tram if you have bags.
- Turkish kebab shops are the easiest halal option; old-town inns lean on pork.
Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.