Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [355]
PHILOSOPHENWEG
If you need solitude from the crowds, take a contemplative amble along the Philosophenweg (Philosophers’ Way), on the hillside north of the Neckar River. Snaking through steep vineyards and orchards, the trail commands Kodak views of the Altstadt and the Schloss, which inspired German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. The view is captivating at sundown when Heidelberg is bathed in a reddish glow. The walkway is a well-known lovers’ haunt, where many a young local is said to have lost their heart (and virginity!).
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Tours
The tourist office’s English-language walking tours (adult/concession €7/5; 10.30am Fri & Sat Apr-Oct) of the Altstadt depart in front of the Rathaus on Marktplatz.
A leisurely way to see the sights is to hire a pedalo at Bootsverleih Simon ( 411 925; 3-/4-person pedalos per 30min €8/10; 11am-sundown Apr-Sep), on the north shore of the Neckar by Theodor-Heuss-Brücke.
The following companies cruise the Neckar.
Rhein-Neckar Fahrgastschifffahrt ( 201 81; www.rnf-schifffahrt.de, in German; adult/4-12yr to Neckarsteinach return €12/6.50; mid-Apr–late Nov) Boats dock on the south bank of the Neckar midway between the two bridges. It’s a worthwhile day trip upriver to Neckarsteinach and its four castles, built by four brothers between 1100 and 1250 as a result of a family feud. Also offers other excursions to towns on the Neckar and Rhine.
Solarschiff ( 409 284; www.hdsolarschiff.com; adult/3-14yr/concession €6.50/3/4; Tue-Sun Mar-Oct) A solar-powered, glass-topped boat whose 50-minute excursions begin next to the Alte Brücke.
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Festivals & Events
Heidelberg resounds to bangers, rockets and oohs and ahs at the thrice-yearly fireworks festivals (on a Saturday in June, July and September). On the last Saturday in September, Heidelberger Herbst is a huge party with music, street entertainment and general drunken merrymaking.
Handmade crafts, donkeys begging a stroke at the live nativity scene on Kornmarkt, and an open-air ice rink on Karlsplatz are part and parcel of Heidelberg’s Christmas market, held across town from late November to late December.
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Sleeping
BUDGET
Bargains are thin on the ground in Heidelberg and finding a bed during high season can be tricky, so it’s worth booking ahead. Most hotels charge an extra €8 to €12 for breakfast, but cafes are plentiful if you want to cut costs.
DJH hostel ( 651 19; www.jugendherberge-heidelberg.de; Tiergartenstrasse 5; dm 1st/subsequent night €22.90/19.60) Though the schoolkids here are often as night active as the critters in the neighbouring zoo, this is a decent cheapie with impeccable dorms and the occasional passing elephant. Take bus 33 from the Hauptbahnhof.
Steffi’s Hostel ( 0176-2016 2200; www.hostelheidelberg.de; Alte Eppelheimer Strasse 50; dm €20-24, s/d €29/52; ) Backpackers sing the praises of this budget newbie, housed in a one-time brick factory near the Hauptbahnhof. Steffi greets guests warmly with great perks from a shared kitchen and lounge to free internet, bike rental and tea.
Pension Jeske ( 237 33; www.pension-jeske-heidelberg.de; Mittelbadgasse 2; s/d without bathroom €25/55, d with bathroom €65) Large, colourful and decorated with flair, the rooms in this 250-year-old house are the antithesis of cookie-cutter blandness.
Hotel Am Kornmarkt ( 905 830; www.hotelamkornmarkt.de; Kornmarkt 7; s €65, d €85-110, s/d without bathroom €40/70) The wine-red baroque facade of this hotel is a beacon to euro-conscious travellers. The wood-floored rooms are strictly no frills but they’re neat and clean. The priciest have Kornmarkt views, while cheaper ones share bathrooms.
MIDRANGE