Holiday in Heidelberg

What makes Heidelberg special as a destination?

Heidelberg is the epitome of German Romanticism and enchants with its majestic castle ruins that tower high above the Neckar and the baroque old town. The city at the confluence of the Neckar and Rhine has inspired poets, painters, and musicians — from Goethe to Mark Twain and the Heidelberg Romantics around Clemens Brentano and Achim von Arnim. The Old Bridge with the Bridge Gate and the Bridge Monkey is one of the most photographed motifs in Southern Germany. The Philosopher's Path on the opposite bank of the Neckar offers a legendary panoramic view over the city, castle, and river valley. The Heidelberg Castle itself houses the Great Barrel — a wine barrel with a capacity of 221,726 liters — and the German Pharmacy Museum. The Ruprecht-Karls-University, founded in 1386, is the oldest university in Germany and shapes the youthful and international flair of the city with around 30,000 students. The student prison, where disobedient students were once locked up, is a popular curiosity with its graffiti walls. The Hauptstraße, one of the longest pedestrian zones in Europe, runs through the old town with its baroque facades, bookstores, and cafes. The Heidelberg Spring is one of the most prestigious music festivals in Germany. The Neckar boat trips, hikes on the Neckarsteig, and the Palatinate cuisine with Pfälzer Saumagen and Handkäse round off the experience of this timelessly beautiful city.