14 essentials: what to see and do in Heidelberg in 1 day

One of the most beautiful tourist routes what you can do for Germany es tour the Neckar River Valley, which winds its way through forested hills and where you will find pretty towns and castles.

This tourist tour begins (or ends…) in Heidelberg, a charming city located to the north of said route, with a historical prestige for being the headquarters of the first university in Germany founded in 1386.

During a long weekend I had the opportunity to walk and enjoy this beautiful German city in which the University environment.

From that experience, below I am going to point you out what to see and what to do on your visit to Heidelberg in one day.

Essential places to see in Heidelberg in one day

Stroll along the Haupstrasse pedestrian street in Heidelberg

En Heidelberg you will have the opportunity to walk through the longest pedestrian street in Germany, haupstrasse.

This street extends from the center of the modern city, the bismark square, where all public transport is concentrated, to the heart of the old city, the marketplace.

The beautiful and colorful buildings of Baroque, and the great animation of shops and establishments, make this walk the best option to get in touch with the city.

Market Square in Heidelberg

Center of the ancient city, in the marketplace you will see the church of the holy spirit, the oldest in Heidelberg, and the Town hall, two of the most outstanding monuments of this German city.

But in your visit of the Market Square Above all, you have to look at the beautiful building with a stone facade of the Zum Ritter House, one of the few remaining after the almost complete destruction of the city in 1622.

Also known as the Knight's House, this very beautiful building was built in 1592.

Church of the Holy Spirit on the market square in Heidelberg

La Church of the Holy Spirit in Heidelberg has its origins in a romanesque church from the first half of the 13th century, but the imposing structure that you can see now in the center of the marketplace finished getting up in late gothic style in 1410.

The tower, however, dates back to 1543.

Now, the church of the holy spirit It also suffered the devastating fire of 1693, when its roof and interior decoration were completely destroyed.

Although externally you see a structure «antigua«When you enter through the door of the church of the holy spirit, almost in front of the famous Zum Ritter House, You will be surprised to find a large glass panel that separates the entrance to the prayer area from the central nave.

This is due to the deep renovations that have been carried out inside the church, and which were completed in 2006.

I will also tell you that in the church of the holy spirit it is common program of free organ concerts, one of which I had the opportunity to attend in my last trip to Heidelberg.

Zum Ritter House on Heidelberg Market Square

La Zum Ritter House It is possibly the main architectural jewel of the historic city of Heidelberg.

Also known as the Knight's House, was built in 1592.  by a merchant, and is one of the only houses in Heidelberg to have survived the devastating invasions and fires of the late 17th century.

The main reason for these survival is that this bourgeois house It was built entirely in stone, compared to the usual wooden constructions of the time.

I assure you that when visit Heidelberg You will not be indifferent to the sight of the spectacular façade of the Zum Ritter House, which now houses the hotel of the same name.

De Renaissance architectural style late, this facade will undoubtedly remind you of some of the facades that survive in the Heidelberg Castle, with its characteristic reddish color and ornate decoration, which includes numerous figures and decorative elements.

Very close to the marketplace Do you have the historic Charles Theodore Bridge, With the Charles Gate In the foreground, one of the emblematic places of this city with a university tradition.

In some ways this bridge will remind us of the famous Charles Bridge in Prague, one of the iconic images of the Czech capital.

It is actually called Charles Theodore Bridge, in honor of Elector Palatine Carlos Theodore, who ordered it to be built in 1786 on the site of an original wooden bridge from the late XNUMXth century.

This was destroyed by a flood in 1784, so to replace it, it was decided to build a new stone bridge.

Precisely on the left side of the column of the first arch of the bridge, after the Charles Gate, you can see the dates and height of the different floods suffered by Heidelberg, where, among all, the aforementioned great flood of 1784 is reflected.

As soon as you take it you have the first view of the aforementioned Charles Gate, what is a triumphal arch which at the time was part of the city walls.

On an old plan shown in one of the viewpoints of the Philosophers' Walk, you can see the image of the wooden bridge before the current stone one.

Said wooden bridge was covered and had a tower on the bank opposite to that of the Charles Gate.

When you cross the bridge you will see that there is two large sculptures in homage to Carlos Theodore and Pallas Athena.

Monkey on the Charles Theodore Bridge in Heidelberg

The first thing that will catch your attention before crossing the bridge is the modern metal sculpture which is located to the left of the Charles Gate.

This is the bridge monkey, a sculpture that was installed in the 70s, and recalls a historical sculpture of a monkey with a mirror that was located in that place for centuries.

This sculpture represents the idea that Before criticizing others, you have to look at yourself in the mirror, because you may discover that you are a monkey.

Tradition says that if you touch it, you will be in better health and return to Heidelberg.

The truth is that today this curious monkey has become a popular attraction for tourists.

Yes, the best panoramic views of the Charles Theodore Bridge in Heidelberg you will have them from the aforementioned Philosophers' Walk.

Precisely the path and stairs for direct access to it are found as soon as you cross the bridge.

Viewpoints on Philosophers' Walk in Heidelberg

Just as I have commented. crossing the Charles Theodore Bridge you can climb the path known as Philosophers walk.

From its viewpoints you have, without a doubt, the best panoramic views of Heidelberg, so going on this ride should become an essential visit.

Take the funicular to Heidelberg Castle

Using the first section of the funicular, the most modern of Germany, you arrive at Heidelberg Castle, another of the essential corners to visit in this German city.

Most of the Heidelberg Castle It is currently in ruins, although you can visit the central patio and some interior rooms.

And you should also walk through its gardens until you reach the viewpoint from where in the mornings you have very good panoramic views of Heidelberg.

Visit the Student Prison at Heidleberg University

In the university square you see the buildings of the former University of Heidelberg and the new one created in 1931 with the help of the Americans.

The building of the historic University is a clear architectural exponent of the city's university tradition.

But the most advisable thing is, without a doubt, to visit the curious former Student Prison, a surprising and curious corner that will allow you to relive the life of university students during the 19th century.

This  Student Prison which was in operation from 1823 to 1914, occupies the top floor of a small building that can be accessed through a barred door, and where there are several small rooms that had the function of being cells for students.

This led to this prison being set up in 1823 where students who committed minor infractions, such as theft, fights, etc., were punished.

Students remained in jail for short periods, from two days to four weeks, and during that time they continued to attend classes, which they accessed through a door that connects to the adjacent university building.

Para ver the former Heidelberg Student Prison, you have to go up two floors, and once in the staircase space you will be surprised to see that the walls and ceilings are completely covered by graffiti made by the students themselves.

In this way, through paintings and poems, the sanctioned students reflected their experiences, while taking portraits of themselves.

This graffiti expression reaches its maximum exponent in the prison cells themselves, which are completely decorated with drawings and texts.

Visit the Jesuit church in Heidelberg

De Baroque, built from 1712, the façade of the Heidelberg Jesuit Church will remind you of Church of the Gesu in Rome.

Furthermore, when you visit this church you will be surprised by the great luminosity of its interior.

Things to do in Heidelberg

Below you have information about different activities What you can do during your visit to Heidelberg.

Dinner or drinks in Heidelberg

Area more Heidelberg atmosphere you find it next to the marketplace, specifically in the Unteren and Steing streets.

There you have restaurants, breweries and cocktail bars, among which the historic student tavern cousin.

Heidelberg Castle Festival Shows

In summer, as happens in other European cities, in Heidelberg numerous are celebrated cultural events.

The highlight is the Heidelberg Castle Festival, on the occasion of which classical music concerts, opera recitals, dance shows and plays take place.

Before your visit, take note that the most charismatic and popular show in Heidelberg Castle Festival which is celebrated every year is the operetta The Student Prince, a show I attended on my trip to the German city.

Here you can check the Heidelberg Castle Festival program.

Attend an organ concert in a Heidelberg church

Almost every day during the summer there are music concerts and, specifically, organ, in the various Heidelberg churches. Some are even free.

To highlight the aforementioned concerts at the church of the Holy Spirit, the main one of the city that is located in the center of the Marketplace.

Boat cruise on the Neckar River in Heidelberg

El Neckar River He is a great protagonist of the city of Heidelberg.

You can take a short cruise along the city shores on a solar powered boat or, if you prefer, a cruise much longer to the town of Neckarsteinach, a nearby town on the river bank where up to four small castles are concentrated.

Map: how to get to Heidelberg

A Heidelberg You can arrive from the north from the city of Frankfurt, where you can fly and use a high-speed train there, and from the south from the city of Stuttgart.