Guide to Heidelberg’s Old Town: What to Do, See & Eat (+ Walking Route)

Things to Do in the Old Town 

Visit Heidelberg Castle and Its Gardens

You can easily spend half a day exploring Heidelberg Castle! Despite being mostly ruins, the 13th century castle is one of the most beautiful in the country and there’s lots to do and see here. 

To learn about the castle itself, I strongly suggest paying extra for an audio guide so you can take a self-guided tour of the ruins, or booking the 1-hour “Classic Tour” at the front desk. There are regularly scheduled English tours, but check the tour times ahead of time via the castle website to plan your visit accordingly. 

Your ticket to Heidelberg Castle grants you access to the following: 

• The inner courtyard
• The Great Terrace (which has an amazing view!) 
• The Heidelberger Tun (the largest wine barrel in the world)
• The Pharmacy Museum 

Your ticket does NOT grant you access to the few remaining inner rooms of the castle ruins. 

After touring the castle, give yourself time to explore the lush gardens as well. Specifically, you absolutely cannot miss the Scheffel Terrace (Scheffelterrasse) which boasts THE view of the Old Town (i.e. the one you see on all the postcards. It’s truly breathtaking!).

Claire’s Tip: If you’re traveling on a budget or are short on time, you can skip the interior castle courtyard, the giant wine barrel, the Pharmacy Museum, and the insane view from the big terrace. You can still see most of the castle from the gardens surrounding it and get an epic view of the Old Town from the famous Scheffel Terrace. 

Ride the Historic Funicular 

Heidelberg’s funicular railway (Bergbahn) is one of the oldest in the country, offering views of the Old Town as you make your way up the foothills of the Oldenwald forest to the top of Königstuhl mountain. 

Most visitors ride the modern section of the funicular to the castle, then take it straight back to the Old Town after their visit. Don’t be like most people! 

I recommend book the 17 Euro return “Panorama Ticket” that makes stops at the castle, Molkenkur station, and Königstuhl station. You’ll have to transfer from the modern funicular to the historic funicular at Molkenkur to ride the rest of the way up to the Königstuhl outlook — this second half of the ride takes place on the original railway cars from 1907! 

Claire’s Tip: You don’t have to ride all the way up and back from the Königstuhl outlook in one go. Your ticket is valid the entire day, so feel free to hop off at the castle, see the sights, then get back on the funicular to finish your ride up to the Königstuhl. (You can only ride the route once through, however). 

Admire the View From the “King’s Seat” 

Towering over the east side of the Old Town is the beloved local mountain, Königstuhl. It’s roughly 570 meters high and has one of the best views of the city and the Neckar Valley. 

There are hiking paths that lead from the Old Town to the Königstuhl outlook, but I’ve only ever ridden the historic funicular up the mountain. You can stay at the top as long as you like, so feel free to bring a book with you or grab food and drinks from either the small kiosk by the Königstuhl funicular station or the mountaintop restaurant, Bergstube (associated with the Hotel Königstuhl). 

Window Shop Along the Hauptstraße 

Heidelberg’s longest pedestrian street (and one of the longest in Europe!) stretches roughly 1.8 kilometers from Bismarckplatz to Marktplatz. 

This is one of the most picturesque streets in the entire city, and it’s lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants. Most of the shops are chains, but if you turn onto the many side streets you’ll find lots of local boutiques! 

If you’re searching for a local souvenir to take home with you, I recommend buying a small bottle of the melon schnapps from Alte Brennerei (Hauptstraße 159). It started as a popular drink with students, and now it’s one of the local specialties that Heidelberg has become famous for. 

Claire’s Tip: For local boutiques, head to Untere Straße! It runs parallel to the main street and is jam-packed with bars and local shops. 

Walk Through the Prettiest Squares 

You’ll stumble upon most of the squares in the Old Town throughout your wanderings, but a few specific ones to add to your itinerary include: 

Marktplatz — Heidelberg’s central square, where the Town Hall and Church of the Holy Spirit are located. The buildings here look much older than they really are; they were rebuilt after a fire in 1908! The gorgeous Hercules Fountain in the middle of the square is surrounded by cafe tables in the spring and summer, and if you angle yourself just right you can see the castle from the Marktplatz, too. 

Kormarkt — My personal favorite square in the Old Town! It’s surrounded by lovely Baroque buildings, and the Madonna Fountain (Muttergottesbrunnen) dominates the center of the square. You get the best view of the castle from the Kornmarkt, and in December this is the most magical of all the Christmas markets! 

Universitätsplatz — The largest square in the Old Town and where Germany’s oldest university is located. Look for the Lion Fountain (Löwenbrunnen) which once supplied this area of the city with running water. 

Claire’s Tip: I recommend rounding the corner to where the newer part of the university was built so you can see the Witch’s Tower (Hexenturm); it’s one of the oldest surviving buildings in Heidelberg and was originally part of the medieval city walls. It’s now used by the university, but its ominous name comes from its former use as a prison for accused witches. 

Anatomiegarten — The “Anatomy Garden” was once the site of the Anatomical Institute. A bronze statue of Robert Wilhelm Bunsen stands in the center of the square; he was a famous German chemist who lived in Heidelberg for 44 years, and who — among many other achievements — created the Bunsen burner that chemists around the globe still utilize.  

Cross the Old Bridge

Crossing the Old Bridge (Alte Brücke) takes you out of Heidelberg’s Old Town and into the trendy Nauenheim neighborhood. The bridge was built in the 18th century by Elector Karl Theodore and made from local sandstone. 

Before you pass beneath the medieval bridge gate to walk the bridge, look for the “Bridge Monkey” (Brückenaffe) on the west side. There’s been a monkey statue here since the 15th century; the original was carved from stone but today it’s a more modern bronze sculpture. The monkey is meant to mock bridge-goers, reminding them that they’re no better than anyone else. 

Even if you don’t plan to explore Nauenheim or hike the Philosopher’s Walk, it’s worth walking to the very end of the bridge for a view of it, the Old Town, and the castle from the opposite river bank. 

Claire’s Tip: The Nepomuk Terrace (Nepomuk-Terrasse) in particular has an unparalleled view of the castle, and in the late spring this area is covered in cherry blossoms! 

See the Oldest Churches 

Like any good German town, Heidelberg has plenty of gorgeous churches that you can enter free of charge. 

The most famous is the Church of the Holy Spirit (Heiliggeistkirche) on the Marktplatz, which is the largest in the city. It was originally divided down the middle so that Protestants could use one side and Catholics the other. Look for the “Physics Window,” which depicts Einstein’s famous mass-energy equivalence formula as well as the date that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. 

Claire’s Tip: If you haven’t seen enough good views yet, pay the 5 Euro fee to climb the church tower. 

During my last visit to Heidelberg, I stumbled upon the GORGEOUS Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche). It’s an imposing Baroque building with a soaring, gold-and-white interior. 

Another favorite church is St. Peter’s Church (Peterskirche), which is the oldest in Heidelberg. The current structure was built in the Baroque style, but St. Peter’s (in one form or another) has existed on this site since 1357! I like to come here with my lunch and a good book and sit in the small but lovely church garden as a mid-afternoon break. 

Visit a Museum 

Personally, I don’t think any of the museums in the Old Town are “musts,” but the best-known include: 

• Kurpfälzisches Museum — Focuses specifically on Heidelberg’s history and its relation to nearby cities. Artwork from the Middle Ages to the present day shows how Heidelberg has transformed over time. You’ll also see personal documents, letters, and artifacts from past citizens and visitors. 
• Studentenkarzer (Student Prison) — University students were held here for petty offenses like drunkenness, duels, etc. The prison was used from 1779 – 1914, and students could be held within the prison for up to 4 weeks. 

See the “House of the Knight St. George” 

Built in 1592, this Renaissance-style town house is the only surviving residential building in the Old Town. It’s a beautiful gabled house that was built from brick rather than wood (hence why it’s survived various fires and wars). 

Today it’s used as a hotel, so you sadly can’t see the inside unless you’re a guest. 

Have Fun in Heidelberg! 

There are lots of fantastic tourist attractions in Heidelberg’s Old Town, and I’ve happily revisited several of them over the course of my visits. If you have any questions about the Old Town or Heidelberg in general, leave me a comment below.

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