Heidelberg

Travel and Tourist Information

photo - Heidelberg Kongress und Tourimus GmbH

ABOVE: Heidelberg Castle overlooks the old town, where a stone bridge crosses the Neckar River.

Heidelberg, Germany has a long history of welcoming English-speaking travelers--among them, Mark Twain, who spent several months in Heidelberg with his family in 1878 and described the experience in A Tramp Abroad.

Thanks to a long history of Anglo-Saxon infatuation with Heidelberg, the city was off-limits to Allied bombing in World War II--which is why you'll still see heavy, historic buildings of red sandstone in the Altstadt or Old Town. These buildings are genuinely old, not restored or rebuilt from ruins.

Heidelberg's attractions include a romantic castle, Germany's oldest university, a hillside "Philosopher's Walk," boat trips on the Neckar River, and countless taverns, cafés, and restaurants where you can sample local wines and the comfort-food gastronomy of Germany's Palatinate (now incorporated into the state of Baden-Württemburg, which lies in Southwestern Germany near Switzerland and France). Heidelberg is easily worth a visit of several days--or, better yet, a week--and because English is widely spoken in the town, it's a great place for first-time visitors to Germany who aren't comfortable with the language of Goethe, Heine, and Run Lola Run.

Next page: History and background

In this article:
Heidelberg, Germany	Hotels and youth hostel
History and background	Restaurants, pubs, cafés
Sightseeing and tours	Transportation
Museums and festivals	Tourist information
Shopping	Pictures of Heidelberg

Heidelberg Funicular - Heidelberger Bergbahn

Heidelberg Student Prison - Studentenkarzer

Heidelberg Castle - Schloss Heidelberg

German Christmas Markets: Heidelberg

"Best of the Web"
- Forbes and The Washington Post

Oktoberfest photo

Germany - Index

Need a car in Europe?

Auto Europe guarantees the lowest rental rates for standard cars, sports cars, SUVs, luxury cars, chauffered sedans, and RVs. Its Web site also has driving information for 38 countries.

If you live outside the EU, a tax-free Renault or Peugeot tourist lease can be cheaper than renting. Minimum driver age is 18, there' s no upper age limit, and rates include insurance. See: Short-term car leasing.

European train

Traveling by train?
Rail Europe has schedules, maps, and guides for 50+ European railroads. (Residents of North and South America can buy tickets and rail passes online.)

| Europe for Visitors - Home | Switzerland & Austria for Visitors |