Heidelberg
49°25′ N 8°42′ ECityPop. 156,092Stuttgart and the Neckar
Heidelberg suits couples and families who want a romantic old university town with the castle overhead and a market that runs past Christmas. The trade-off is the Advent weekend crowd on the long, narrow Hauptstraße.
Photo 4028mdk09 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Heidelberg is worth a night of its own: the castle sits above the old town, the market spreads over six squares from 23 November to 22 December 2026, and parts of it run on to 1 January 2027. It also sits closer to Frankfurt Airport than the rest of the Neckar towns.
Things to do in Heidelberg
Take the train from Heidelberg
- Heidelberg to Frankfurtfastest 50 min, published by Deutsche Bahn (checked Oct 10, 2026) · timetable
The market strings out along the Hauptstraße from Bismarckplatz to Karlsplatz, with stalls on Universitätsplatz, the Marktplatz and the Anatomiegarten and the Winterwäldchen of fir trees on the Kornmarkt. The ice rink on Karlsplatz has the castle as its backdrop.
Worth knowing
- Stay over between Christmas and New Year if you like; Bismarckplatz and the Winterwäldchen stay open to 1 January 2027.
Quick answers about Heidelberg
Is Heidelberg a good place to stay?
Heidelberg is worth a night of its own: the castle sits above the old town, the market spreads over six squares from 23 November to 22 December 2026, and parts of it run on to 1 January 2027. It also sits closer to Frankfurt Airport than the rest of the Neckar towns.
Within 12 km
Places to stay nearby
