Heidelberg in 5 days

A romantic ruined castle above a baroque old town, on Germany's prettiest stretch of the Neckar. Best time to visit: May-June, September-October. Average daily budget: $120 to $230 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Altstadt, The mile-long baroque old town along Hauptstrasse, with the Marktplatz, student taverns and the Old Bridge.

Morning: Walk the Philosophenweg. The Philosophers' Walk on the north bank, with the classic postcard view of castle, bridge and old town.

Afternoon: Explore Altstadt, The mile-long baroque old town along Hauptstrasse, with the Marktplatz, student taverns and the Old Bridge.

Evening: Tour Heidelberg Castle. The ruined red sandstone palace, with the Great Tun wine barrel and the terrace view over the rooftops.

Eat: Kurpfälzer Saumagen, the Palatinate's famous stuffed pork dish

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Schlossberg, The castle terrace above the town, reached by funicular or a steep stepped path.

Morning: Cross the Alte Brücke. The 18th-century Old Bridge, with its baroque gate towers and the brass monkey you rub for luck.

Afternoon: Explore Schlossberg, The castle terrace above the town, reached by funicular or a steep stepped path.

Evening: See the Studentenkarzer. The university's student jail, its walls covered in graffiti by 19th-century undergraduates who treated it as a badge of honour.

Eat: Schneeballen and Heidelberger Studentenkuss chocolates

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Neuenheim, The leafy north bank where locals live, with the Philosophenweg trail and quiet riverside cafés.

Morning: Drink at Zum Roten Ochsen. A 300-year-old student tavern of carved benches and beer, essentially unchanged.

Afternoon: Explore Neuenheim, The leafy north bank where locals live, with the Philosophenweg trail and quiet riverside cafés.

Evening: The Thingstätte, a Nazi-era amphitheatre hidden in the woods above the Philosophenweg.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Handkäs mit Musik at a riverside beer garden

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Bergheim & Bahnstadt, The modern west side, with better-value hotels and easy station access.

Morning: Kloster Neuburg, a working abbey a short walk upriver.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Bergheim & Bahnstadt, The modern west side, with better-value hotels and easy station access.

Evening: The Königstuhl summit via the second funicular section, for hills-and-Rhine-plain views.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Riesling from the nearby Baden and Palatinate wine regions

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Altstadt, The mile-long baroque old town along Hauptstrasse, with the Marktplatz, student taverns and the Old Bridge.

Morning: The Karlstor gate end of the Altstadt, where the tour groups thin out completely.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Altstadt, The mile-long baroque old town along Hauptstrasse, with the Marktplatz, student taverns and the Old Bridge.

Evening: Dinner at Kurpfälzer Saumagen, the Palatinate's famous stuffed pork dish, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Altstadt.

Eat: Kurpfälzer Saumagen, the Palatinate's famous stuffed pork dish

Hidden gems

The Thingstätte, a Nazi-era amphitheatre hidden in the woods above the Philosophenweg.
Kloster Neuburg, a working abbey a short walk upriver.
The Königstuhl summit via the second funicular section, for hills-and-Rhine-plain views.
The Karlstor gate end of the Altstadt, where the tour groups thin out completely.

Getting around

The Altstadt is long but flat and entirely walkable; buses and the Bergbahn funicular cover the hill. Frankfurt Airport is 50 minutes by direct bus or about an hour by train via Mannheim. ICE trains reach Frankfurt in an hour and Stuttgart in about 40 minutes from Mannheim. A day ticket on local transport costs around $9.

Safety

Heidelberg is very safe, with the main annoyance being pickpockets in the summer crush on Hauptstrasse and the Old Bridge. The castle path and Philosophenweg are steep and poorly lit after dark, so carry a light or use the funicular. Cyclists on the riverside paths move fast.

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