Visiting historic Heidelberg

Picturesque almost beyond belief, the German city of Heidelberg has captured the imagination of travellers for centuries. ‘Heidelberg by day – with its surroundings – is the last possibility of the beautiful’, said American novelist Mark Twain, and the city inspired Romantic artists and poets. 

Sitting on the Neckar river beneath forested mountainsides and overlooked by a magnificent ruined castle, its spectacular setting makes Heidelberg one of those ‘must-see’ European cities. With history in abundance – its university is the oldest in Germany – interesting museums and plenty of things to do for the family – visiting Heidelberg should be on your ‘to-do’ list. 

Driving to Heidelberg with LeShuttle

Although it’s in Germany, Heidelberg is actually closer to Calais than many cities in France. It takes 6 hours 40 minutes to drive to Heidelberg from the LeShuttle terminal at Calais, via Reims and Metz, with tolls. For a toll-free route, we recommend driving through Belgium. The driving time is only a matter of minutes longer than the French route, and takes you close to the cities of Brussels and Ghent. 

Once you’re in Heidelberg, get out and about on foot, or hire a bike – you’ll see lots of them in this university city. 

Hire a bike to see more of historic Heidelberg

Nearby cities to visit from Heidelberg

There are plenty of things to do in Heidelberg, but should you want to explore this part of the country further, it makes a good base too for a German road trip. Frankfurt, Nuremberg and Stuttgart are all within 2 ½ hours driving time from  Heidelberg. The Moselle Valley, with its castles and vineyards, is also on your (cellar) doorstep, and the picturesque Romantic Road begins at Würzburg, less than 2 hours drive away.  

Things to do in Heidelberg

Stroll along the Philosopher’s walk

For a breathtaking panorama of the old town, the Karl Theodor Bridge and the castle, take the ‘Philosophenweg’. It’s a 3km long path that climbs through vineyards and woods up the Heiligenberg mountainside, named after the thinkers, writers and students who trod its cobblestones through the centuries in search of inspiration. You’ll be rewarded with sublime views at the public gardens at the top. You can drive up to its highest sections or do the whole climb, which is steep at times. 

Wander the charming Old Town

The Kornmarkt in the Altstadt, Heidelberg 

Built mainly in the Baroque style, and untouched by wartime bombing, the Altstadt of Heidelberg offers plenty of things you would expect – inviting shops, cosy cafés, restaurants and bars – but also some surprising attractions too. Near the old university building off the Hauptstrasse, you’ll find the Studenten Karzer – a prison for unruly students which was in use for nearly 150 years. The bright young things, guilty usually of intoxication, spent their time scrawling graffiti all over the cells, which you can still see today. 

Go on a Neckar River cruise

Seeing one of Germany’s most romantic looking cities from the river is a Heidelberg highlight for many. Boat cruises depart regularly from the Neckar pier, and usually include a complementary drink as part of the 50 minute standard cruise. Some companies offer longer tours that explore more of the Necker valley, serving breakfast, lunch or dinner. These trips are even more magical during the winter, with mulled wine in hand, especially if snow has fallen!

Get merry at the Heidelberg Christmas market

If it’s possible, Heidelberg becomes even more magical at Christmas

Romantic at the best of times, Heidelberg transforms into a winter wonderland for the Christmas season. The Christmas market runs across five of the city’s squares and features an ice skating rink beneath the castle and a fairytale winter wood, the ‘Winterwaeldchen’, in the Kornmarkt. The smell of roasting chestnuts and Glühwein waft through the narrow alleyways of the old town, with shops and cafés decked out in festive illuminations. The market runs from late November to early January.

Things to see in Heidelberg

Heidelberg Castle

The romantic castle on the Königstuhl hillside has inspired artists and writers for centuries. Twain said that as a ruin ‘this one could not have been better placed’. It was one of the first castles in Germany to be the subject of official historical preservation, and while rebuilt in places, its significance remains as a ruin. Make sure you see The Ottheinrich’s Wing, a beautiful Renaissance frontage, and the Heidelberg Tun, the largest wine vat in history (it holds 220,000 litres).  

Heidelberg castle

Heidelberg University

Founded in 1386, Heidelberg University is the oldest university in Germany. Among its former teachers and students are the philosopher Hegel, religious reformer Philip Melanchthon and composer Robert Schumann. Today it is still a thriving seat of learning and Heidelberg is a huge student city. You can visit the university museum, which includes admission to the Student Prison, in the old university building on Grabengasse. 

German Pharmacy Museum

Discover the history of pharmacy in Germany at this fascinating museum at Heidelberg castle. Find out how medicines were prescribed, made and distributed to people in historic times, and see some of the instruments and tools pharmacists would have used in the past. Guided tours are available, which includes access to the apothecary garden. The museum is open all year round and admission is included in the price of the castle admission ticket. 

Body Worlds Museum

Another of the Altstadt’s unusual attractions is the Body Worlds Museum, where the plastination technique of preserving deceased human bodies forms the basis of the exhibition pieces. If you’ve been to a Body Worlds exhibition before you will know what to expect, so it might not be suitable for children. However, the theme of the Heidelberg attraction is happiness, and uses the anatomical specimens to explore how positive and negative feelings are the result of processes in the body.  

The Old Bridge

The Old Bridge, Heidelberg

The Alte Brucke (Old Bridge), also known as Karl Theodor Bridge, is one of the city’s most photographed spots. Steeped in the history of Heidelberg, it is actually the ninth bridge to span the Neckar in this location, completed in 1788. The imposing white gate towers on the south side mark the entrance to the old town. It is a pedestrian bridge only, offering delightful views all around. Visitors are encouraged to touch a bronze statue of a monkey holding a mirror, a tradition which goes back centuries. It is said that if you touch the monkey, you will return to Heidelberg one day. 

We are sure you will! 

Book your weekend in Heidelberg with LeShuttle

Heidelberg is just heavenly. It’s closer than you think too, and just a 35-minute crossing from Folkestone to Calais.

The sunsets are spectacular in Heidelberg