The castle is one of the most famous attractions but there is much more to explore in Heidelberg. Heidelberg is stretching romantically along the river Neckar in Baden Württemberg and has always inspired artists and poets such as Goethe and Mark Twain, who began in 1878 his European travels with a three months stay in Heidelberg. But what makes Heidelberg so popular, especially for tourists from USA and Japan, taking not only photos of the castle but taking pictures of Heidelberg souvenir shops and even the market life?

It’s not only the attractions but all about the flair in Heidelberg - the pedestrian zone, one of the longest in Europe (1.6 km), leads through the baroque Old Town. Here you find the major attractions such as the oldest university of Germany with the amazing Old Assembly Hall (Aula). With a student population of 30.000 out of 144.000 inhabitants Heidelberg is the place for a huge pub crawl.

Did you know, that here are about 15.000 US Americans at home because the NATO and some Army headquarters are stationed in Heidelberg? It is said, that the plans for that were made before end of World War II and the reason to prevent the center of Heidelberg from bombs.

The imposing ruin at mount Königstuhl looks back on a dramatic history. The former residence of Palatine rulers was destroyed and rebuilt several times.

In the 17th century French troops devastated it completely. Nowadays you can either take the funicular railway (Bergbahn) from the Kornmarkt station or walk up the steep Burgweg (10 min) to reach the castle and enjoy the view over Heidelberg.

• Furnished guest rooms and apartments: As a good alternative to guesthouses and hotels, with the chance for self-supply with food and some good insider tips from your local host, which are often not in your guide-book. All accommodations are generally checked by the agency. Find out more about it here: Agency for apartments and guestrooms in Germany